California General Building Exam Prep
Students enrolled in the Exam Review will receive the following items: Home Study Manual, Audio/Video Lectures, and Practice Exams. Please click product details for additional info.
What’s Included in Our Courses
Everything you need to pass your exam on the first try.
Our courses are designed to help you become familiar with the references and allow you to find the information quickly as the exams are timed. We offer highlighting guides to draw attention to key points throughout the book and tabs (sold separately) to allow you to find key sections quickly. We encourage you to take the practice exams multiple times as the questions on the test change each time.
Resources for the Tennessee Residential/Small Commercial Contractor License
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California General Building Exam Prep
$219.99Student’s enrolled in the Exam Review will receive the following items: Home Study Manual, Audio/Video Lectures, and Practice Exams. Please click product details for additional info.
Books and Tabs to use During the Exam
(Included in the Complete Package):
Why obtain your general building license in California?
Why obtain your general building license in California?
- A general building contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with any structure built, being built, or to be built, for the support, shelter, and enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or movable property of any kind, requiring in its construction the use of at least two unrelated building trades or crafts, or to do or superintend the whole or any part thereof. This does not include anyone who merely furnishes materials or supplies under Section 7045 without fabricating them into, or consuming them in the performance of the work of the general building contractor.
- A general building contractor may take a prime contract or a subcontract for a framing or carpentry project. However, a general building contractor shall not take a prime contract for any project involving trades other than framing or carpentry unless the prime contract requires at least two unrelated building trades or crafts other than framing or carpentry, or unless the general building contractor holds the appropriate license classification or subcontracts with an appropriately licensed specialty contractor to perform the work. A general building contractor shall not take a subcontract involving trades other than framing or carpentry, unless the subcontract requires at least two unrelated trades or crafts other than framing or carpentry, or unless the general building contractor holds the appropriate license classification. The general building contractor may not count framing or carpentry in calculating the two unrelated trades necessary in order for the general building contractor to be able to take a prime contract or subcontract for a project involving other trades.
- No general building contractor shall contract for any project that includes the “C-16” Fire Protection classification as provided for in Section 7026.12 or the “C-57” Well Drilling classification as provided for in Section 13750.5 of the Water Code, unless the general building contractor holds the specialty license, or subcontracts with the appropriately licensed specialty contractor.
- The examination process has two parts. All qualifying individuals must pass the standard Law and Business examination; in addition, with the exception of the C-61 Limited specialty classification, qualifying individuals must pass a second test covering the specific trade or certification area for which they are applying.
Please view our Application Processing Services to streamline this process.
- Must be 18 years of age or older and have the experience and skills to manage the daily activities of a construction business, including field supervision. Or you must be represented by someone with the necessary qualifications. This person will serve as your qualifying individual.
- The contractor or other person who will act as the qualifying individual must have had, within the ten years immediately before the filing of the application, at least four full years of experience at a journey level, or as a foreman, supervisor, or contractor in the classification for which he or she is applying. The experience claimed on the application must be verifiable and individuals who have knowledge of the experience must certify the accuracy of the experience information provided by the applicant.
- Out of state individuals can apply for a California License if they meet the qualifications. Several states have reciprocity agreements with California which makes it easier to get a license.
- If you do not currently or have not previously served as a qualifying individual for the same classification being applied for, or within the past five years have not passed the law and/or trade examinations, you will be required to take and pass the Examination for licensure.
- If you currently serve, or within the past five years have served, as a qualifying individual for the same classification being applied for on a license in good standing, or within the past five years have passed the law and trade examinations for licensure, as outlined in Business and Professions Code section 7065, No Examination will be required.
Waiver provisions for the examination are outlined in Business and Professions (B&P) Code section 7065.1 and 7065.2. You must meet all of the conditions of the appropriate section for the Waiver Provision to apply. In some cases, only the trade exam may be waived.
Currently, waiver provisions defined in B&P Code section 7065.1 may be granted under subsections 7065.1(b) and 7065.1(c). While 7065.1(a) also provides for waiver of the exam, the Registrar exercised his authority to suspend waivers under this section.
The exam is divided into 5 major sections:
Planning and Estimating | 17% |
Framing and Structural Components | 22% |
Code Trades | 30% |
Finish Trades | 19% |
Safety | 12% |
Exam Overview
The California General Building (B) Exam is a multiple choice exam with 4 choices per question. There is only ONE BEST answer. Read the question carefully. Some questions will require mathematical computation. The proctor will provide you with a calculator.
It is best to guess! Do not leave an answer blank as that will definitely be a wrong answer. Take your time to read over the question and each answer to find the BEST answer. You will have plenty of time to answer each question.
Exam Topics
The California General Building Exam is divided into the following 5 sections:
1.Planning and Estimating (17%)
- Scope of work and code compliance
- Design and construction error identification
- Shop drawings, plans, and specifications
- Field inspection performance
- Coordination of project
- Cost estimation for materials, equipment, and labor
2.Framing and Structural Components (22%)
- Subfloor and wall framing
- Roof framing
- Seismic and load requirements
- Siding and stucco Decks
3.Core Trades (30%)
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- HVAC
- Concrete
- Earthwork and surveying
- Insulation, acoustical, and weatherproofing
- Roofing
4.Finish Trades (19%)
- Painting, staining, coating, and interior wall covering
- Tile and stone
- Floor covering
- Cabinetry and millwork
- Plaster, drywall, and ceilings
- Windows, skylights, and doors
- Landscaping
The California General Building Exam Prep course is available in the comfort of your home using a detailed presentation that takes you through all the information you will need to pass the exam on your first try. You will have access to this course for a full year so you can study at your own pace. Our course is available 24/7 on mobile and desktop.
Each trade course is designed to help students study to pass the state exam to become a licensed contractor. The trade manual expands on each student’s existing work experience and includes math and estimating formulas, general trade knowledge, and extensive health and safety regulations.
Math Review
Covers math and estimating formulas, units of measurement, basic geometry and the architect’s scale.
General Knowledge
Each course includes a manual designed to help students review trade practices and prepare them for the practice tests.
Health and Safety
Our extensive Health and Safety section familiarizes students with Cal/OSHA and other regulations and practices covered by the state exam.
Review Questions
This section of the manual includes the “most difficult” questions with explanations. DVD or Audio CD lectures walk students through the plans, questions and explanations.
Trade Practice Tests and Update Questions
Each Trade Course includes practice tests and an update covering the newest questions. The practice tests contain questions, answers, and explanations that cover trade concepts. Many practice tests feature building and site plans to help students familiarize themselves with plan reading. The practice questions are designed for students to test their existing knowledge and expand on it through detailed explanations of difficult questions.
How the California General Building Exam Prep Course Helps You Pass Your Exam
The course is designed to help you become familiar with the references and allow you to find the information quickly as the exams are timed.
You have complete access to your course for 365 days.
You will access practice tests which require a 90% or above.
We encourage you to take the practice exams multiple times as the questions on the test change each time. Our courses are designed to help you become familiar with the references and allow you to find the information quickly as the exams are timed.
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