2024 Residential Building Inspector

Residential Building Inspector (B1)

60 Questions

2 Hours

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1. What is the minimum thickness of a solid wood door used to separate a garage and a sleeping room of a dwelling unit?

A) Openings are not permitted

B) 1 ¾ inches

C) 2 inches

D) 1 ⅜ inches

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2. What size wood furring strips are permitted over solid backing or framing spaced not more than 24 inches on center?

A) 1 1/2 inch by 2 inch

B) 1 inch by 2 inch

C) 2 inch by 2 inch

D) 3/4 inch by 1 1/2 inch

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3. When using stay-in-place forms for concrete walls, what condition allows self-consolidating concrete to be placed without internal vibration?

A) If the reinforcement spacing exceeds 6 inches

B) If approved mortar is used with the concrete

C) If the slump is 8 inches or greater and specifically designed for placement without vibration

D) If the exterior wall is laterally braced during placement

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4. What is the maximum gap allowed between non-contact parallel bars at a lap splice in foundation walls?

A) The smaller of one-fifth the required lap length and 6 inches (152 mm)

B) There is no limit as long as the bars are tied together

C) 12 inches (305 mm)

D) One-fourth the required lap length, up to a maximum of 8 inches (203 mm)

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5. What requirement applies to concrete foundation stem walls supporting above-grade concrete walls that support above-grade concrete walls when they are not laterally supported at the top?

A) They do not require any reinforcement if the unbalanced backfill is less than 18 inches (457 mm).

B) They require lateral bracing from an above-grade shear wall.

C) They must be provided with vertical reinforcement in accordance with Section R608.6 and applicable tables.

D) They must always be constructed monolithically with a slab-on-ground.

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6. Which of the following is NOT exempt from a permit?

A) Erecting a detached accessory structure less than 200 square feet

B) Installing cabinets

C) Painting

D) Constructing a new bedroom addition

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7. What is the minimum square footage required for a habitable room?

A) 50 square feet

B) 120 square feet

C) 150 square feet

D) 70 square feet

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8. What is the minimum net clear opening required for an emergency escape and rescue opening located on grade floor?

A) 5.7 square feet

B) 5 square feet

C) 7 square feet

D) 6 square feet

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9. What is the maximum permitted thickness of anchored stone or masonry veneer installed over wood or cold-formed steel framing?

A) 6 inches (152 mm)

B) 3 inches (76 mm)

C) 5 inches (127 mm)

D) 8 inches (203 mm)

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10. What is the maximum allowable span for a 2×10 Douglas Fir-Larch #1 joist at 16-inch spacing with a 10 psf dead load when supporting living areas?

A) 19 feet 1 inch

B) 16 feet 5 inches

C) 15 feet 7 inches

D) 17 feet 4 inches

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11. What is the required minimum net clear opening width for an emergency escape and rescue opening?

A) 22 inches

B) 26 inches

C) 24 inches

D) 20 inches

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12. What is the maximum allowable span for a 2×6, #2 grade Douglas fir-larch rafter spaced 16 inches apart, with a dead load of 10 psf, ceiling attached, and a roof live load of 20 psf?

A) 14'-6"

B) 18'-5"

C) 12'-3"

D) 14'-1"

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13. What is the minimum footing size (width × thickness in inches) required for a 3-story cast in-place concrete with basement structure with a 30 psf roof live load and 1,500 psf soil bearing capacity?

A) 24 x 16

B) 28 x 10

C) 18 × 6

D) 31 x 12

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14. For wood foundation walls not designed and installed in accordance with AWC PWF, what is the maximum allowable backfill height?

A) 4 feet (1219 mm)

B) 2 feet (610 mm)

C) 5 feet (1524 mm)

D) 3 feet (914 mm)

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15. What is the minimum required ventilation area for an attic space?

A) 1/300 of the attic area

B) 1/200 of the attic area

C) 1/150 of the attic area

D) 1/100 of the attic area

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16. According to the IRC, in nonbearing walls, what is the maximum width for an opening where a single flat 2×4 header can be used?

A) 10 feet

B) 6 feet

C) 8 feet

D) 12 feet

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17. In flood hazard areas, what requirement applies to walls enclosing under-floor spaces?

A) Walls must be designed to withstand hydrostatic pressure without openings

B) Walls must be entirely waterproofed with an approved sealant

C) Walls must be built to a minimum thickness of 12 inches (305 mm)

D) Walls must have flood openings in accordance with Section R306.2.2

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18. How long does a permit remain valid if work does not commence?

A) 30 days

B) 90 days

C) 180 days

D) 1 year

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19. What is the definition of ‘Registered Design Professional’ in the IRC?

A) An individual registered or licensed to practice design as per the statutory requirements of the jurisdiction.

B) A home inspector with specialized certification.

C) A licensed electrician with at least 10 years of experience.

D) Any contractor with experience in residential construction.

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20. What is the minimum footing size (width × thickness in inches) required for a 2-story plus basement, light-frame slab-on-grade structure with a 30 psf roof live load and 1,500 psf soil bearing capacity?

A) 16 × 6

B) 14 × 6

C) 14 × 8

D) 19 × 6

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21. Cold-formed steel roof framing is limited to what maximum ultimate design wind speed under the standard applicability limits?

A) 150 mph

B) 120 mph

C) 140 mph

D) 130 mph

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22. According to the IRC, what design loads must decks be designed for?

A) The dead load of the decking and joists only

B) The local wind load as determined by ASCE 7

C) A minimum live load of 30 psf

D) The greater of the live load in Section R301.5 or the ground snow load from Table R301.2

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23. According to the IRC, when joists, trusses, or rafters are spaced more than 16 inches on center, how close must they bear to the studs beneath when those studs are spaced at 24 inches on center?

A) 5 inches

B) 8 inches

C) 3 inches

D) 10 inches

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24. What information must be included in a stop-work order?

A) The project timeline

B) The building’s market value

C) The contractor’s response

D) The reason for the order and required corrective action

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25. Vinyl siding must be certified as conforming to which of the following standards?

A) ASTM D3679

B) ISO 8336

C) ASTM C1186

D) ASTM E2273

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26. When is a drainage system NOT required around concrete or masonry foundations?

A) When the foundation is located in a flood-prone area

B) When the foundation is installed on well-drained ground or sand-gravel mixture soils classified as Group I soils

C) When the foundation includes a waterproof coating

D) When the structure is not used for habitable or usable space

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27. Structural wood structural panel sheathing must conform to which standard?

A) ANSI A208.1

B) DOC PS 1, DOC PS 2, CSA O325, or CSA O437

C) ICC 400

D) ASTM C208

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28. What is the maximum allowable span for a 3-2×8 header supporting a roof, ceiling, and two center-bearing floors in a 24-foot-wide building with a 50 psf ground snow load?

A) 4'-9"

B) 5'-6"

C) 6'-4"

D) 4'-8"

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29. How must precast concrete foundation walls be designed?

A) By following a standard template provided by the building official

B) In accordance with accepted engineering practice and the materials requirements of Section R402.3 or ACI 318

C) Using any local construction method without requiring engineering approval

D) According to general concrete wall construction standards, without the need for professional design

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30. How does the horizontal reinforcement requirement change for concrete basement walls greater than 8 feet in height?

A) The reinforcement remains the same regardless of wall height.

B) Walls over 8 feet require vertical reinforcement only, with no change in horizontal reinforcement.

C) One No. 4 bar within 12 inches of the top of the wall and one No. 4 bar near third points in the wall story.

D) An additional No. 4 bar must be placed every 12 inches along the wall height.

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31. What is the minimum required extension distance for a roll brace perpendicular to the edge member?

A) 24 inches (610 mm)

B) 18 inches (457 mm)

C) 16 inches (406 mm)

D) 12 inches (305 mm)

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32. When must truss design drawings be submitted to the building official for approval?

A) Before installation of the trusses

B) Before ordering the trusses from the manufacturer

C) Only if a change is made to the truss design

D) After trusses are installed

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33. What is the required fastener type and spacing for nailing a single-member header in place?

A) 16d nails spaced 8 inches on center

B) 8d nails spaced 16 inches on center

C) 10d box nails spaced 12 inches on center

D) 10d box nails spaced 24 inches on center

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34. What is the maximum allowable span for a 2×8 Southern Pine #2 joist at 12-inch spacing with a 10 psf dead load when supporting sleeping areas?

A) 15 feet 8 inches

B) 14 feet 11 inches

C) 12 feet 9 inches

D) 11 feet 3 inches

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35. What is required for rooftop-mounted photovoltaic panel systems in terms of fire classification?

A) They must be tested and labeled in accordance with UL 2703

B) Fire classification is optional unless the system exceeds 10 kW

C) They must be inspected annually for fire compliance

D) Only Class A panels may be used on all residential structures

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36. What is the maximum cantilever distance allowed for wood structural panel roof sheathing beyond the gable endwall without additional support?

A) 18 inches

B) 6 inches

C) 9 inches

D) 12 inches

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37. Cold-formed steel walls constructed must be limited to sites where the ultimate design wind speed is less than?

A) 150 miles per hour (67 m/s)

B) 130 miles per hour (58 m/s)

C) 120 miles per hour (54 m/s)

D) 140 miles per hour (63 m/s)

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38. How many No. 4 vertical bars are required for chimneys up to 40 inches wide?

A) Six

B) Three

C) Four

D) Two

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39. For a 40-foot-wide building with a ground snow load of 70 psf, how many No. 10 screws are required at each leg of the clip angle?

A) 6

B) 8

C) 5

D) 7

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40. Under standard conditions, each masonry veneer tie is allowed to support how much wall area?

A) 3.5 square feet

B) 1.5 square feet

C) 2.0 square feet

D) 2.67 square feet

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41. What is the minimum net thickness of lumber roof sheathing required for rafters spaced 24 inches on center?

A) 5/8 inch

B) ¾ inch

C) 1 inch

D) ½ inch

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42. What is the allowable span for a 550S162-43 ceiling joist at 24-inch spacing with third-point bracing for a live load of 10 psf?

A) 14′-10″

B) 18′-4″

C) 16′-0″

D) 17′-2″

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43. Anchor bolts securing cold-formed steel framed walls to foundations or floors must be located no more than how many inches from corners or the termination of bottom tracks?

A) 9 inches (229 mm)

B) 6 inches (152 mm)

C) 12 inches (305 mm)

D) 15 inches (381 mm)

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44. When must roof framing members and ceiling joists be provided with lateral support at points of bearing?

A) When installed over exterior walls

B) When installed in truss assemblies

C) When span exceeds 10 feet

D) When the depth-to-thickness ratio exceeds 5 to 1

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45. How must the steel angle be anchored to double wood studs for supporting masonry veneer?

A) With three 3/8-inch bolts

B) With one 1/2-inch lag screw

C) With nails and adhesive

D) With two 7/16-inch-diameter by 4-inch lag screws

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46. For a plain masonry foundation wall with 9 feet of unbalanced backfill, 9 feet of unsupported wall height, and GW soil, what is the minimum wall thickness required?

A) 12 inches grouted

B) 10 inches grouted

C) 8 inches grouted or 10 inches solid

D) 6 inches solid

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47. What material must be placed between a concrete slab and the base course or prepared subgrade, unless exempt?

A) A 4-mil polyethylene sheet

B) Geotextile fabric

C) Asphalt felt paper

D) A 6-mil (152 μm) polyethylene or approved vapor retarder

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48. For three-story buildings, when the third-floor live load is increased to 40 pounds per square foot (1920 Pa), what adjustment must be made when selecting the stud size?

A) The fasteners must be increased to No. 10 screws

B) The next higher snow load column must be used

C) The stud spacing must be reduced by half

D) The next thinner stud size may be used

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49. In buildings assigned to Seismic Design Category D0, D1, or D2, what is the minimum nominal thickness required for plain masonry foundation walls?

A) 10 inches (254 mm)

B) 12 inches (305 mm)

C) 6 inches (152 mm)

D) 8 inches (203 mm)

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50. According to the IRC, when is blocking not required for cold-formed steel floor joists at interior bearing supports?

A) When the joists are lapped over an interior support

B) When continuous back-to-back joists are used

C) When blocking is installed every 4 feet

D) When the joist span is less than 10 feet

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51. What is required when a braced wall panel is installed where floor joists are parallel to it?

A) A rim joist, end joist, or full-depth blocking at 16-inch spacing

B) A double top plate must be used instead of blocking

C) Only a rim joist is required

D) No additional framing is needed

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52. When plain concrete foundation walls are permitted by Tables R404.1.3.2(2) through R404.1.3.2(8), what is the minimum required vertical reinforcement?

A) Vertical reinforcement must be placed at 24-inch (610 mm) spacing.

B) No vertical reinforcement is required for plain concrete walls.

C) Not less than No. 4 (No. 13) vertical bars at a spacing not exceeding 48 inches (1219 mm).

D) One No. 5 bar at each corner of the wall.

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53. What is the required number of No. 10 screws for a 10/12 roof slope with 32-foot building width and 30 psf ground snow load?

A) 3

B) 4

C) 6

D) 5

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54. What is required for the starter course at the eaves when installing wood shakes?

A) Double course using shakes or shingles of specified lengths

B) One layer of Type I underlayment only

C) Triple course with fastened backer board

D) Single course of 18-inch shakes only

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55. What is the responsibility of the contractor regarding code compliance?

A) To ensure compliance with all applicable codes

B) None, as the building official is responsible

C) Only in cases of major renovations

D) To follow only state and federal laws

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56. What is the minimum curing time required before applying the finish coat for a two-coat cement plaster system?

A) Three days after application of the first coat

B) Two days after application of the first coat

C) Four days after application of the first coat

D) Seven days after application of the first coat

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57. In Seismic Design Categories D0, D1, and D2, where must braced wall panels be located?

A) Offset no more than 3 feet from the braced wall line

B) Centered along the braced wall line

C) Within 5 feet of each other along the braced wall line

D) At each end of a braced wall line

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58. Which of the following bracing methods do NOT require interior finish material opposite the braced wall panel?

A) WSP, CS-WSP, PFH, and PFG

B) GB, BV-WSP, ABW, PFH, PFG, and CS-PF

C) LIB, GB, and SFB

D) CS-WSP, CS-G, and CS-PF

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59. How must sawn lumber used for load-supporting purposes be identified?

A) By the color of the wood grain

B) By a grade mark from an accredited lumber grading or inspection agency or a certificate of inspection

C) By an inspection certificate from the local building department

D) No identification is required if the lumber is cut on-site

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60. What is the minimum net thickness of lumber floor sheathing required for joists spaced 24 inches on center, when installed diagonally to the joists?

A) 1/2 inch

B) 3/8 inch

C) 3/4 inch

D) 5/8 inch

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