PrepPass team · Verified against CSLB — B-2 study guide (13E-B2) · How we review
Free · printable · no signup
CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling (Trade Exam) Exam Cheat Sheet (2026)
A free, printable CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling (Trade Exam) exam cheat sheet: the 59 highest-yield points to know, grouped into 6 sections that follow the exam's content areas, each section with its published weight.
- Free to read, print and keep — no signup, no email, no paywall.
- 59 of the 59 points carry a citation to the rule they come from.
- The real CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling (Trade Exam) exam: 210 minutes.
- Prints from your browser (Ctrl-P, or Cmd-P on a Mac) — the navigation, buttons and links drop out of the printed copy.
- 252 free CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling (Trade Exam) practice questions on the same material, every one explained.
- Last updated: November 2026.
Studying in order?
Practice stays free. The full CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling study guide is the material itself, taught start to finish — a downloadable PDF + EPUB you keep.
Planning and Estimating
15% of the exam- Three trades
- A contract must include three or more unrelated trades or crafts.· Bus. & Prof. Code §7057.5(b)(2)
- No structural changes
- No contracts for structural changes to load-bearing walls, footings, foundations, partitions or roof structures.· Bus. & Prof. Code §7057.5(c)(2)
- Fixtures, not systems
- Install or replace fixtures; make only minor alterations to systems; sub out system work.· Bus. & Prof. Code §7057.5(c)(3)
- Asbestos
- 100 square feet or more of asbestos-containing material needs a C-22 license or asbestos certification.· Bus. & Prof. Code §7058.5
- Exempt finish work
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets and counter tops need no permit.· 2025 CRC R105.2
- Cutting a wall
- Cutting away a wall or partition is not an ordinary repair.· 2025 CRC R105.2.2
- Inspection order
- Rough systems, frame, gypsum board before taping, then final.· 2025 CRC R109.1
- No work past an inspection point
- Work does not continue past an inspection point without approval.· 2025 CRC R109.4
- Waste and rounding
- Multiply area by one plus the waste percentage, divide by package coverage and round up.· CSLB study guide 13E-B2
- Markup versus margin
- A 25 percent markup is a 20 percent margin.· CSLB study guide 13E-B2
- Roof area
- Roof area is plan area times the slope factor; a square is 100 square feet.· CSLB study guide 13E-B2
Job Site Preparation
13% of the exam- Bearing status
- A wall that may be load bearing is treated as bearing until proven otherwise.· Bus. & Prof. Code §7057.5(c)(2)
- Utilities
- Utilities are shut off, capped or controlled before demolition.· 8 CCR 1735(a)
- Dust
- Use water or equivalent steps to control dust.· 8 CCR 1735(t)
- Stud cuts
- Notch bearing studs to 25 percent of depth and nonbearing to 40 percent; bore to 60 percent.· 2025 CRC R602.6
- Removal order
- Appliances, counter tops, base cabinets, wall cabinets.· Cabinet maker's guide
- Toilet reset
- Removal and reinstallation of a water closet without changing valves, pipes or fixtures is exempt.· 2025 CRC R105.2
- Silica
- Cutting stone creates respirable silica; PEL 50 micrograms per cubic meter.· 8 CCR 1532.3
- Housekeeping
- Keep debris with protruding nails cleared from work areas, passageways and stairs.· 8 CCR 1513(a)
- Framing moisture
- Do not enclose framing above 19 percent moisture.· CALGreen 4.505.3 (per city handout)
- Flooring
- Acclimate and check subfloor moisture per the maker's instructions.· Manufacturer instructions
Core Trades Remodeling
25% of the exam- Toilet space
- 30 inches wide (15 each side of the centerline) and 24 inches in front.· City handout (2025 CPC 402.5)
- Shower
- Mixing valve 120 degrees F maximum; stall 1,024 square inches and a 30-inch circle.· City handout (2025 CPC 408)
- Kitchen receptacles
- No point along the wall more than 24 inches from a receptacle; 20 inches maximum above the counter.· City handout (2025 CEC 210.52)
- Bath exhaust
- Tub or shower bath needs a fan; 50 cfm intermittent or 20 continuous.· 2025 CRC R325.2
- Stud notches
- 25 percent (bearing) or 40 percent (nonbearing); bores 60 percent.· 2025 CRC R602.6
- Joist notches
- One-sixth depth, one-third length, not in the middle third.· 2025 CRC R502.8.1
- Fireblocking
- Vertically at floor and ceiling and horizontally at 10-foot intervals or less.· 2025 CRC R302.11
- Under-stair closet
- 1/2-inch gypsum board.· 2025 CRC R302.7
- Riser and tread
- Riser 7-3/4 inches maximum; tread 10 inches minimum; 3/8-inch variation in a flight.· 2025 CRC R318.7.5
- Handrail
- 34 to 38 inches high, on at least one side of four or more risers.· 2025 CRC R320.2, R318.7.8
- Width and headroom
- 36 inches clear; 6 feet 8 inches headroom.· 2025 CRC R318.7.1, R318.7.2
Finish Trades Remodeling
18% of the exam- Layout lines
- One maker draws the base line at 34-1/2 inches and the wall line at 54 inches above the floor's high point.· Cabinet maker's guide
- Upper cabinets
- 30 inches minimum above a cooking top unless the maker requires more.· City handout (2025 CMC)
- Tile coverage
- 80 percent in dry areas and 95 percent in wet and exterior areas.· ANSI A108 via Ceramic Tile Foundation
- Minor repair
- 6 square feet or less per room inside and 20 outside, with no prohibited practice.· 40 CFR 745.83
- Prohibited practices
- Open-flame burning, high-speed machines without HEPA exhaust and heat guns at or above 1,100 degrees F.· 40 CFR 745.85
- VOC
- Paints, sealants and coatings meet the green building code's VOC limits.· CALGreen 4.504.2 (per city handout)
- Hearth
- Hearth 4 inches thick; extension 2 inches thick.· 2025 CRC R1001.9
- Extension size
- 16 inches in front and 8 on each side; 20 and 12 for openings of 6 square feet or more.· 2025 CRC R1001.10
- Mantel
- No combustible mantel within 6 inches of the opening; 1/8 inch projection per inch within 12 inches.· 2025 CRC R1001.11
Exterior Remodeling
13% of the exam- Slope
- 2:12 minimum; double underlayment from 2:12 to 4:12.· 2025 CRC R905.2.2
- Replacement
- Remove existing layers down to the roof deck.· 2025 CRC R908.3
- Fall protection
- 6 feet on slopes to 7:12; any height above 7:12.· 8 CCR 1731
- Barrier
- At least one layer behind the cladding, continuous to the top of the wall.· 2025 CRC R703.2
- Vinyl siding
- 6 inches from the ground and 1/2 inch from adjacent surfaces.· 2025 CRC R703.3.1
- Stucco
- Three coats over metal lath; 48 hours moist between coats.· 2025 CRC R703.7
- Escape opening
- 5.7 square feet net clear (5 at grade floor), 24 by 20 inches, sill 44 inches maximum.· 2025 CRC R319.2
- Safety glazing
- Doors, glazing within 24 inches of a door, large low panes, wet areas and stairs.· 2025 CRC R324.4
- Egress door
- 32 inches clear width, 78 inches clear height.· 2025 CRC R318.2
Safety
16% of the exam- Tailgate meetings
- At least every 10 working days.· 8 CCR 1509(e)
- Heat
- Shade above 80 degrees F; high-heat procedures at 95 and above, with a ten-minute rest every two hours.· 8 CCR 3395
- Head protection
- Meets ANSI/ISEA Z89.1.· 8 CCR 3381
- Ladder
- Rails 36 inches above the landing; foot one-quarter of the working length out.· 8 CCR 3276
- Fall arrest
- Required where exposure exceeds 7-1/2 feet; roofing 6 feet to 7:12.· 8 CCR 1670, 1731
- Plank overhang
- 18 inches maximum without a barrier.· 8 CCR 1637(g)
- Floor openings
- 25 percent of the floor area unless supports remain.· 8 CCR 1735(f)
- Free-standing walls
- More than one story or 12 feet high needs lateral bracing.· 8 CCR 1735(m)
- Limits
- Asbestos 0.1 f/cc; lead PEL 10 and action level 2; silica PEL 50 and action level 25.· 8 CCR 1529, 1532.1, 1532.3
Want the dense 6-page printable? CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling cheat sheet PDF — $9.99 →
Now prove you know them
Reading an outline is not the same as recalling it under exam pressure. Drill the free CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling (Trade Exam) questions to find the areas you keep missing, then sit a full timed mock.
Study aid, not a substitute for the official material — always confirm the current rule with CSLB — B-2 study guide (13E-B2).