CSLB B-2 Residential Remodeling (Trade Exam) — All Questions

A homeowner wants only a new kitchen faucet and sink installed. Why is this not a B-2 contract on its own?

• a.B-2 contracts must exceed a set dollar amount
• b.B-2 contractors may not touch plumbing fixtures
• c.Sinks are structural elements of the house
• d.It needs three or more unrelated trades✓

The statute bars a residential remodeling contractor from taking a contract that does not include three or more unrelated trades, so a one-trade fixture swap fails. Plumbing fixtures are allowed work, a sink is not structural, and the statute sets no dollar floor.Bus. & Prof. Code section 7057.5(b)(2)

A B-2 contractor is asked to include removal of 150 square feet of asbestos-containing floor tile in a remodel. What is required?

• a.A C-57 license for well drilling work
• b.A C-22 license or an asbestos-certified qualifier✓
• c.The Board's open-book asbestos exam for new applicants
• d.Nothing, because floor tile counts as a finish material

Asbestos-related work of 100 square feet or more requires a C-22 license or a qualifier with asbestos certification, so the work goes to someone who has it. Floor tile is not exempt, the open-book exam is a licensing step rather than permission for the work, and C-57 is well drilling.Bus. & Prof. Code section 7058.5

An existing bathroom plan has a 34-inch-wide hallway leading to it. What is the problem?

• a.Hallways must be at least 3 feet wide✓
• b.Hallways must be at least 32 inches wide
• c.Hallways must be at least 44 inches wide
• d.Hallways must be at least 30 inches wide

Section R318.6 sets 3 feet (36 inches) as the minimum hallway width, so 34 inches fails. Forty-four inches is a different occupancy's figure, and 32 and 30 inches are below the code minimum.2025 CRC R318.6

A plan shows a laundry room with a 6-foot-6-inch ceiling. Which rule does it violate?

• a.Laundry rooms need at least 6 feet 4 inches
• b.Laundry rooms need at least 6 feet 8 inches✓
• c.Laundry rooms need at least 7 feet 6 inches
• d.Laundry rooms need at least 8 feet

Bathrooms, toilet rooms and laundry rooms need a ceiling height of at least 6 feet 8 inches, so 6 feet 6 inches falls short. Seven-six and eight feet are not the minimum, and 6 feet 4 inches is an existing-building basement or attic figure.2025 CRC R313.1

Plans are drawn at 1/2 inch = 1 foot. A hallway measures 11-1/2 inches on the sheet. How long is it?

• a.11-1/2 feet
• b.5-3/4 feet
• c.46 feet
• d.23 feet✓

At 1/2 inch to the foot each inch is 2 feet, so 11.5 × 2 = 23 feet. Eleven and a half feet ignores the scale, 46 feet multiplies by 4 as at 1/4 inch, and 5-3/4 feet divides instead of multiplying.CSLB B-2 study guide 13E-B2 (computation questions)

Under CRC R106.1.2, which item must be on the job site at the time of inspection?

• a.The crew's weekly time cards
• b.The manufacturer's installation instructions✓
• c.The supplier's signed credit application form
• d.The subcontractor's prior-year tax return filings

Section R106.1.2 requires the manufacturer's installation instructions, where the code calls for them, to be available on the job site at the time of inspection. A supplier's credit application, a subcontractor's tax returns and the crew's time cards have nothing to do with how the work is built or inspected.2025 CRC R106.1.2

Which is the first inspection point for a bath remodel that moves a drain and opens the wall?

• a.Frame, before the studs are cut
• b.Final, after tile is set
• c.Rough plumbing, before the system is covered✓
• d.Gypsum board, before the plumbing is installed

Rough inspection of plumbing is made before covering or concealment and before fixtures are set. Final, board and framing inspections come after the rough systems are visible and passed.2025 CRC R109.1.2

A city handout says a minimum of how many inspections are required for a typical kitchen remodel?

• a.Four, one for each trade that touches the kitchen
• b.One, a single final inspection at the end
• c.Two, a rough inspection where needed and a final✓
• d.None, as long as no walls are opened during the work

The handout requires at least two inspections: a rough electrical inspection after boxes are installed and before devices connect (with rough inspections for other altered systems), and a final after all work is complete. A single final inspection skips the rough stage, four fixed inspections is not a count the handout gives, and no inspection is not allowed just because walls stay closed.City of Rancho Cucamonga handout BSF-0030

A plumbing subcontractor is hired for a new drain line. Which is the B-2 contractor's duty?

• a.Let the owner choose any helper, licensed or not, to save money
• b.Hire a subcontractor who holds the appropriate license✓
• c.Do the plumbing work without any written subcontract at all
• d.Pay the subcontractor in cash so that no permit is pulled

A B-2 contractor may subcontract trades only to appropriately licensed subcontractors, and system work such as a new drain line needs that license. Unlicensed help, avoiding permits and self-performing excluded system work all break the rules.Bus. & Prof. Code section 7057.5(b)(3)

A permit was issued, but work was suspended for 14 months. What does CRC R105.5.1 say?

• a.The permit is invalid✓
• b.The permit renews itself
• c.The permit is valid if inspections were requested
• d.The permit remains valid for five years

A permit becomes invalid if work is suspended or abandoned for 12 months, unless the building official grants a written extension. Automatic renewal and a five-year life are not in the rule, and requesting inspections does not keep it alive.2025 CRC R105.5.1

A kitchen floor measures 10 feet by 16 feet. Tile cartons cover 18 square feet, and waste is 10 percent. How many cartons are needed?

• a.10 cartons✓
• b.9 cartons
• c.11 cartons
• d.8 cartons

Area is 160 sq ft; with waste 176 sq ft; 176 ÷ 18 = 9.78, round up to 10. Nine rounds down, eight ignores waste and rounding, and eleven over-orders.CSLB B-2 study guide 13E-B2 (computation questions)

A dumpster costs $380 per haul and the job needs 4 hauls with a 15 percent markup. What is the price?

• a.$1,596
• b.$1,520
• c.$1,900
• d.$1,748✓

380 × 4 = $1,520 cost; × 1.15 = $1,748. The $1,520 figure omits markup, $1,900 uses a 25 percent markup, and $1,596 uses a 5 percent markup.CSLB B-2 study guide 13E-B2 (computation questions)

Cost on a job is $12,000. A 25 percent markup produces what price, and what margin?

• a.$14,400 and a 20 percent margin
• b.$15,000 and a 20 percent margin✓
• c.$15,000 and a 25 percent margin
• d.$16,000 and a 25 percent margin

Markup of 25 percent gives 12,000 × 1.25 = $15,000; profit $3,000 ÷ $15,000 price is a 20 percent margin. Calling it a 25 percent margin confuses markup and margin, and the other prices come from 33 and 20 percent markups.CSLB B-2 study guide 13E-B2 (computation questions)

A room is 12 feet by 14 feet with 8-foot walls, one 3 by 7 foot door and one 30 square foot window. Two coats at 400 square feet per gallon. How many gallons of wall paint (round up)?

• a.5 gallons
• b.2 gallons✓
• c.1 gallon
• d.3 gallons

Perimeter 52 ft × 8 = 416 sq ft; minus 21 and 30 leaves 365; two coats 730; 730 ÷ 400 = 1.83, rounded up to 2. One gallon rounds down or uses a single coat, three gallons forgets to deduct the openings (832 ÷ 400 = 2.08), and five gallons uses a much lower coverage rate.CSLB B-2 study guide 13E-B2 (computation questions)

A roof plan is 20 feet by 30 feet at a 6:12 slope. Using a slope factor of 1.118, how many squares (round up) of roofing are needed with no waste?

• a.8 squares
• b.12 squares
• c.6 squares
• d.7 squares✓

Plan area 600 sq ft × 1.118 = 670.8 sq ft, or 6.7 squares, rounded up to 7. Six rounds down, eight adds waste not stated, and twelve uses an incorrect factor.CSLB B-2 study guide 13E-B2 (computation questions)

A B-2 contractor finds that a wall to be removed supports ceiling joists that bear on it. What is the correct action?

• a.Treat it as bearing and decline to alter it✓
• b.Remove it, since it is an interior partition wall
• c.Remove it after adding a temporary post under the joists
• d.Remove it if the owner pays an extra fee

A wall that carries joists is a load-bearing wall, and the statute prohibits B-2 contractors from structural changes to load-bearing walls. Being interior, a temporary post or extra pay does not make the work non-structural.Bus. & Prof. Code section 7057.5(c)(2)

Which interior nonbearing wall framing does the CRC permit if the wall is not part of a braced wall line?

• a.2x4 studs laid flat at 16 inches on center✓
• b.2x2 studs at 32 inches on center
• c.2x4 studs at 48 inches on center
• d.1x3 studs at 12 inches on center

The CRC permits 2x3 studs at 24 inches or 2x4 studs laid flat at 16 inches, capped by at least a single top plate. The other sizes and spacings are not allowed.2025 CRC R602.5

A crew cuts a notch in a 2x6 stud (5-1/2 inches deep) in an exterior wall. What is the deepest allowed notch?

• a.2-3/4 inches
• b.1-3/8 inches✓
• c.2-1/5 inches
• d.3-1/4 inches

Exterior and bearing studs may be notched to 25 percent of depth: 5.5 × 0.25 = 1.375 inches. Two and a fifth inches is the 40 percent nonbearing figure, 3-1/4 is about 60 percent, and 2-3/4 inches is half.2025 CRC R602.6

What does Cal/OSHA require before demolition of a building starts?

• a.Utilities labeled by color
• b.Utilities shut off, capped or otherwise controlled✓
• c.Utilities moved to the roof
• d.Utilities left live so the crew can run power tools

The safety order requires shutting off, capping or otherwise controlling utilities at the building or curb line before demolition unless they are needed, in which case they are relocated and protected. Leaving them live, only labeling or moving them to the roof does not control them.8 CCR 1735(a)

Which sequence is correct for removing a countertop, base cabinets and wall cabinets, according to a maker's guide?

• a.Wall cabinets, countertop, then base cabinets
• b.Countertop, base cabinets, then wall cabinets✓
• c.Base cabinets, wall cabinets, then countertop
• d.Wall cabinets, base cabinets, then countertop

After appliances the guide removes counter tops, base cabinets and finally wall cabinets. The other orders remove supported items before what supports them or leave work above the worker.Manufacturer installation guide (cabinets)

What must be shut off before pulling a dishwasher and sink from a kitchen?

• a.Nothing, as long as the crew works quickly
• b.Only the water, because appliances can stay live
• c.Water, plus power or gas to the appliances✓
• d.Only the power, because water pipes hold no hazard

The guide says to shut off water to the sink and dishwasher and turn off gas or electricity to the appliances, and suggests a professional handle the shutoffs. Shutting only the water leaves live power or gas at the appliances, shutting only the power leaves pressurized supply lines at the fixtures, and a quick job does not remove either hazard.Manufacturer installation guide (cabinets)

A crew cuts out an engineered-stone countertop using a dry saw indoors. What is the hazard and the PEL?

• a.Lead dust from old paint; 2 micrograms per cubic meter
• b.Formaldehyde vapor; 10 micrograms per cubic meter
• c.Respirable silica; 50 micrograms per cubic meter✓
• d.Asbestos; 0.1 micrograms per cubic meter

Stone cutting releases silica, which Cal/OSHA limits to 50 micrograms per cubic meter as an 8-hour average. Lead, asbestos and formaldehyde are not the stone hazard, and their limits differ.8 CCR 1532.3

A homeowner wants a toilet pulled and reset after floor tile is replaced. No valves or pipes are replaced. What permit rule applies?

• a.An electrical permit is required as well
• b.A plumbing permit is always required here
• c.Removal and reinstallation is exempt✓
• d.A structural permit is required as well

CRC R105.2 exempts removal and reinstallation of water closets when no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged. It is not electrical or structural work, and a plumbing permit is not always required because the exemption names this exact case.2025 CRC R105.2

What is a safe way to terminate wiring left by a removed light fixture?

• a.Push the wires into the insulation
• b.De-energize and test the circuit✓
• c.Leave the wires hanging out of the hole
• d.Twist the bare wires and tape them in the ceiling

The circuit is de-energized and tested, and conductors are terminated with listed connectors inside a covered box. Taped bare wires, loose wires and wires pushed into insulation leave a shock or fire risk.8 CCR 1735(a)

A permit is issued for a bathroom remodel in a house with a 3.0 gallon-per-flush toilet elsewhere. What does the city handout say?

• a.No fixtures need to change
• b.Showerheads must change
• c.The fixtures inside the bathroom being remodeled must change
• d.Noncompliant fixtures throughout the house must be upgraded✓

Under Civil Code 1101.4 as summarized in the handout, existing noncompliant plumbing fixtures throughout the house must be upgraded when a remodel permit is issued, even outside the work area. A bathroom-only, none or showerhead-only rule is not stated.California Civil Code section 1101.4 (per City of Rancho Cucamonga handout)

Under Cal/OSHA's housekeeping rule, what must be done about scrap lumber with protruding nails?

• a.Leave it until final cleanup
• b.Stack it by the stairs for reuse
• c.Keep it cleared✓
• d.Hammer the nails flat on site

Scrap lumber with protruding nails must be kept reasonably cleared from work areas, passageways and stairs. Stacking by stairs, flattening in place and waiting until the end do not meet the rule.8 CCR 1513(a)

A delivery of framing lumber is 22 percent moisture. When may it be enclosed in a wall, per the CALGreen rule in a city handout?

• a.When it dries to about 25 percent moisture
• b.When the surface has been painted over
• c.Immediately, as soon as the framing is inspected
• d.Only when it is 19 percent or less✓

New framing shall not be enclosed when its moisture content exceeds 19 percent. Enclosing immediately, at 25 percent or after painting does not meet the rule.CALGreen 4.505.3 (per City of Rancho Cucamonga handout)

Flammable and hazardous wastes at a job site go where?

• a.On the ground beside the building
• b.In an open bucket by the door
• c.In the main dumpster
• d.In covered containers separate✓

Cal/OSHA requires flammable or hazardous wastes to be placed in covered containers separate from ordinary debris. Mixing them in a dumpster, leaving them on the ground or in an open bucket does not.8 CCR 1513(e)

A bathroom toilet's centerline is 17 inches from the left wall and 13 inches from the tub on the right. What does the handout say?

• a.The right side is too tight; 15 inches✓
• b.The left side is too tight; 18 inches is required
• c.Both sides pass because the total is 30 inches
• d.The toilet must be 24 inches from each side

The handout requires 15 inches from the centerline to each side, so 13 inches fails even though the two sides total 30. Eighteen inches is not the figure, and 24 inches is the clear space in front.City of Rancho Cucamonga handout BSF-0031 (CPC 402.5 as cited)

What maximum mixed water temperature must a shower valve deliver per the bathroom handout?

• a.105 degrees Fahrenheit
• b.110 degrees Fahrenheit
• c.140 degrees Fahrenheit
• d.120 degrees Fahrenheit✓

Handle positions are set to a maximum mixed water temperature of 120 degrees. The 110-degree limit is for bidet discharge, and 105 and 140 are not the stated figures.City of Rancho Cucamonga handout BSF-0031 (CPC 408.4 as cited)

A water heater's relief valve is installed with a shutoff valve on its discharge pipe. What is the finding?

• a.Prohibited; no shutoff valve may be on the relief discharge✓
• b.Required to prevent leaks
• c.Acceptable if the valve is a gate valve
• d.Acceptable if the valve is brass

The code prohibits a shutoff valve between the relief valve and the heater or on discharge pipes between the valve and the atmosphere. Valve material or type does not matter, and the valve would defeat the safety device. A shutoff is not needed to prevent leaks, because the relief valve itself is the leak-stopping safety device.2025 CPC 504.6

A water heater is 40 inches tall. Where must the upper strap be placed?

• a.On the vent pipe
• b.Within the lower third, at least 4 inches above the controls
• c.In the top third, above about 26-2/3 inches from the floor✓
• d.Within 2 inches of the floor

Straps are placed within the upper and lower thirds of the vertical dimension; the upper third of a 40-inch tank starts at about 26.7 inches. Bottom-only, floor-level and vent-only restraint do not satisfy the rule.2025 CPC 507.2

A B-2 contractor is asked to replace a bathroom lavatory with a similar one, using existing supply and drain connections. How is this work classified?

• a.Asbestos work, which needs a C-22 license
• b.Fixture replacement, which is B-2 work✓
• c.Plumbing system work, which needs a plumbing license
• d.Structural work, which a B-2 contractor may not take

Installing, repairing or replacing plumbing fixtures such as faucets, sinks, toilets and tubs is B-2 work. A like-for-like swap does not install or extend a system, is not structural and has nothing to do with asbestos.Bus. & Prof. Code section 7057.5(b)(1)

How many 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits are required for kitchen countertop and wall receptacles?

• a.At least two✓
• b.At least four
• c.Exactly one
• d.None, if the circuit is 15 amperes

The kitchen handout requires a minimum of two 20-ampere small-appliance circuits. One is fewer than the minimum, four is more than required, and 15-ampere circuits are not the stated size.City of Rancho Cucamonga handout BSF-0030 (CEC 210.11(C) as cited)

Which statement about kitchen countertop receptacle spacing is correct?

• a.No point on the wall line is over 24 inches from one✓
• b.Receptacles are required every 8 feet
• c.Receptacles must be spaced exactly 12 inches apart along the wall
• d.Receptacles are required over the sink

The handout says no point along the wall line is more than 24 inches from a receptacle. Twelve inches is the minimum space width, and 8-foot spacing or sink-only placement are not stated.City of Rancho Cucamonga handout BSF-0030 (CEC 210.52 as cited)

A bathroom receptacle is planned inside the shower zone. What is the finding?

• a.Allowed if the receptacle is tamper-resistant
• b.Allowed if the receptacle is GFCI protected
• c.Allowed if mounted above 6 feet high
• d.Prohibited in the tub or shower zone✓

Receptacles are not installed within 8 feet above the tub rim or shower threshold and within 3 feet of the tub or shower perimeter. GFCI protection, tamper resistance and height do not make the zone acceptable.City of Rancho Cucamonga handout BSF-0031 (CEC 406.9(C) as cited)

Smoke alarms are required where in a dwelling unit under CRC R310.3?

• a.In the garage, close to the parked vehicles
• b.In each sleeping room and outside sleeping areas✓
• c.On the roof
• d.In the kitchen, close to the cooking appliances

Alarms go in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on each additional story including basements and habitable attics. Kitchen-only, garage-only and roof placement are not the rule.2025 CRC R310.3

A B-2 contractor is asked to add a new 20-ampere circuit from the panel to a laundry room. How is this work classified?

• a.A fixture replacement within the B-2 license
• b.A finish carpentry task
• c.A permit-exempt task
• d.Electrical system work✓

Installing or extending electrical systems is outside B-2 unless performed by a properly licensed subcontractor. A new circuit is not a fixture swap, finish carpentry or permit-exempt work.Bus. & Prof. Code section 7057.5(c)(3)

Each bathroom with a bathtub or shower must be ventilated how?

• a.By a ceiling fan
• b.By an operable window alone, opened during every shower
• c.By an open door
• d.By a mechanical exhaust fan; a window does not count✓

The CRC requires mechanical ventilation for humidity control and notes that window operation is not a permissible method. A ceiling fan or an open door does not exhaust to the outdoors.2025 CRC R325.2.1

What is the minimum continuous-ventilation exhaust rate for a bathroom?

• a.100 cubic feet per minute
• b.5 cubic feet per minute
• c.50 cubic feet per minute
• d.20 cubic feet per minute✓

The CRC gives 20 cfm for continuous and 50 cfm for intermittent operation. Five cfm is too low, and 100 cfm is the kitchen hood figure in the handout.2025 CRC R325.2

What does the kitchen handout say about range hood ducts?

• a.Any plastic duct pipe may be used if it is labeled as heat rated
• b.The duct may end inside the attic space directly above the kitchen
• c.Metal with smooth interiors; aluminum flex duct is prohibited✓
• d.The hood may simply recirculate its air back into the kitchen room

Range hood ducts are metal with smooth interiors, and the handout prohibits aluminum flex duct. Plastic is not an allowed duct material, a hood may not recirculate into the room because kitchen exhaust goes outdoors, and ending a duct in the attic would discharge moisture and grease into the building.City of Rancho Cucamonga handout BSF-0030 (CMC 504 as cited)

A 2x4 stud in a bearing partition (3-1/2 inches deep) is notched for a pipe. What is the maximum notch depth?

• a.1-3/4 inches
• b.7/8 inch✓
• c.1-3/8 inches
• d.2-1/10 inches

Bearing studs may be notched to 25 percent of depth: 3.5 × 0.25 = 0.875 inch, or 7/8 inch. The 1.4-inch figure is the nonbearing 40 percent limit, 1-3/4 is half and 2.1 inches is 60 percent.2025 CRC R602.6

Where must fireblocking be provided in a stud wall?

• a.At floor and ceiling levels and every 10 feet horizontally✓
• b.At the roof line and along the top plate of every wall
• c.At windows
• d.Nowhere in remodels

Fireblocking goes vertically at ceiling and floor levels and horizontally at intervals not over 10 feet, with additional locations at soffits, stair stringers and penetrations. A single roof location, window-only locations or no fireblocking in remodels would all leave concealed draft openings.2025 CRC R302.11

What protection is required inside a closet formed under a stair?

• a.None, since a closet is not a habitable room
• b.1/2-inch gypsum board on the enclosed side✓
• c.1/4-inch hardboard on the enclosed side
• d.Paint or a clear sealer on the framing

Enclosed space under stairs reached by a door or panel has walls, soffits and underside protected with 1/2-inch gypsum board. Paint and thin hardboard do not provide it, and a closet under a stair is still enclosed usable space, so some protection is required.2025 CRC R302.7

What is the maximum depth of a notch in a 2x8 floor joist (7-1/4 inches deep) away from the ends?

• a.About 0.5 inches
• b.About 1.2 inches✓
• c.About 2.4 inches
• d.About 3.6 inches

Notches in joists may not exceed one-sixth of the depth: 7.25 ÷ 6 = 1.21 inches, and not in the middle third of the span. Two-point-four is one-third, 3.6 is half and 0.5 is not the limit.2025 CRC R502.8.1

Where is Type X board called for in the CRC gypsum table?

• a.Behind kitchen cabinets
• b.On every closet wall and on every bedroom wall
• c.On exterior walls
• d.On a garage ceiling beneath habitable rooms✓

The table lists 5/8-inch Type X for a garage ceiling beneath habitable rooms. Closet walls and the backs of kitchen cabinets are not listed uses, and exterior walls follow the sheathing and covering provisions rather than the Type X garage entry.2025 CRC Table R702.3.5

Which board may be used as a tile backer in a shower?

• a.Particleboard
• b.Standard paper-faced gypsum board
• c.Hardboard
• d.Glass mat gypsum✓

The CRC lists glass mat gypsum, fiber-reinforced gypsum, fiber-cement and fiber-mat cementitious backers for tub and shower areas. Ordinary board, hardboard and particleboard are not on the list, and standard board is not installed where exposed to water.2025 CRC R702.4.2

What is the maximum riser height on a residential stair?

• a.6 inches
• b.9 inches
• c.8-1/4 inches
• d.7-3/4 inches✓

Risers may not exceed 7-3/4 inches. Eight and a quarter and nine inches are over the maximum, and 6 inches is within it but is not the stated limit, so it cannot be the maximum. The same flight may vary by no more than 3/8 inch.2025 CRC R318.7.5.1

What is the minimum tread depth?

• a.10 inches✓
• b.8 inches
• c.9 inches
• d.12 inches

Tread depth is not less than 10 inches. Eight and nine inches are too shallow for the code, and 12 inches is more than the minimum. A nosing projection is not required once a tread reaches 11 inches.2025 CRC R318.7.5.2

A stair has a handrail at 41 inches. What is the finding?

• a.It meets the code
• b.It is above the 38-inch maximum✓
• c.It is below the 34-inch minimum
• d.It is exactly 36 inches

Handrail height is measured from the nosing line and must be between 34 and 38 inches, so 41 inches is above the maximum. It does not meet the code, it is not below the 34-inch minimum, and 36 inches is a different number from the one given.2025 CRC R320.2