Taking NC Test March 13

TDF

Would anyone in NC like to share how you prepared for the Building GC exam. I have the home study kit from JJ Johson and I am learning the facts by listening to them on MP3, highlighting the books, and writing them over and over. Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks,TF

jcalvin

If you took the JJ Johnson class, paid attention, and can memorize LOTS, you will do fine. The only thing I don't like about people like JJ Johnson is that he can make almost anyone capable of passing the test wether they know anything about building or not.

If you just bought his study guides, you may have a hard time making it through. He goes over alot of stuff in his classes. They are pricey but worth it if you don't want to become a steady visitor at the exam sessions.

I took mine about a year ago with JJ, so if there are any specifics you want to know, get back with me.

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Cal


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TDF

Thanks Alot, The home study includes the powerpoint presentation he uses in the seminar. It goes through all of the potential questions. If I memorize these questions and can do the blueprint question, do you think I will be OK? Was there anything unexpected on the exam after going to the seminar? Was it harder than you expected or easier? Also are most of the questions problem solving question or just fact type questions? How did you approach studying? Sorry for so many questions I am just wanting be as prepared as possible.

Thanks TDF

jcalvin

Don't worry about the questions, I did the same thing. Don't even worry about the blueprint questions, you won't get it unless you have a Masters in Civil Engineering. I spent about 20 minutes on the test and answered all of the questions but the blueprint ones. I spent the remaining time on the blueprint and I think I got one of them right. Bottom line, know everything else extremely well.

The power point is helpful but what helped me more than anything was the cd he sells were he is just talking into a microphone. I spend much mire time behind a wheel than behind a desk. After listening to the cd a couple times, you will be able to repeat it, VERY HELPFUL.

Most of the questions on the test are straight foward. You will either know them or not. You can try to look them up but I didn't. I went throught the test and answered everything I knew without a doubt, marked the ones I thought I could find in the book, and left the ones blank the I had no clue about. I was able to look up all the answers after I went back through the test.

I realize that each exam is different and that you are not likely to find the same things true about yours, but, I have caught off guard with the amount of business related questions on the test. Things like how much fica to deduct from a .... employee, the differences in business expenses, shrinkage, loss, and deductibles.

The most important thing is to highlight, tab, and learn how to use your book. It is impossible to learn all the answers and you need to learn how to use your book anyway. Of everything that JJ teaches his student boils down to small exercises on how to look up and use the codebooks.

Keep the ?'s coming.

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TDF

First, Thanks for sharing the info.

I actually have the audio cd also. I put the audio on my mp3 player and I am burning the facts into my memory. If I know the facts backwards and forward and can navigate my codebook and other allowed books, do you think I should do fine?

Did you tab each question in the codebook that he list on the powerpoint or only the sections that he says to tab.

jcalvin

I did tab what he said but I ended up tearing them out. If you do this you will see that you have so many items tabbed that you can't make any sense out of them. Tab all the chapters, learn what the chapters are, and highlight everything you or he thinks is important.

If you can navigate through the code books well, you should be allright. Just understand that it takes time to look up every question so memorize all you can. It would be very easy to waste all your time looking for the answers to easy problems. If I remember correctly there are 90 questions and you can burn up 180 minutes if you average more than 2 minutes on each question. Be very aware of your time spent and don't dawdle on a question you don't know if there are others on the test you haven't even seen yet.

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TDF

Good info, Thanks

TDF

another question, How many questions had you actually looking at the plans? I noticed that PSI has a total of 14 question from the estimating, plans, and building codes category. I am trying figure out how I want to divide up the remainder of my study time. If the questions from the plans are only 4 or 5 then I will give more time to the facts. Also, did you memorize the Joist table?

Unrelated question, Are you a home builder,remodeler, or do you build commercial? Is the economy hurting you?

Thanks again,TDF

jcalvin

I had about 8 blueprint questions total. The only one that I think I got right was, What kind of flooring does area 1a call for. I studied the 8 pages or so of prints to find the answer for about 20 minutes to find it.

I can't remember anything about the joist table so I am going to guess and say that I didn't.

I am mostly a remodeler and buck the system by working for mostly flippers, investers, and the like. It seems to me that if you approach them very business like with a documented plan, payment schedule, and somewhat keep them in the loop, they are good to work for. After I got in with a couple, they just call me and tell me what they want and were the keys are hidden and trust me to work. As far as the market slowing and work getting harder to find, I am actually getting more work now than I have ever been. I have a complete remodel almost done, a turn key house half way, and four new houses waiting on me to start.

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Roscoe28734

I took and passed the NC test back in August of last year. I would not say that it was easy, but I put about three months of studying into it and I was very well prepared. I attended a prep class at a local Community College as well as JJ Johnson's prep course. If you want to gain general knowledge, the Comminuty College class was great, but it did little to prepare you for the test. JJ must have an insight with PSE as I bought his CD and memorized it. I counted 62 questions that were almost verbatium from his cd. I knew the answers without even looking anything up. As far as the blueprint problems, I do have a Civil Engineering degree and they were very tricky, almost impossible to say the least. I think I got 4 or five correct, but that is just a guess at best. Looking back, the whole thing is a money racket. The Community College, JJ, and PSE all tell you that you need to buy a bunch of overpriced books. Save yourself some $$ and buy only the Code book, the OSHA, and the NC Business book. Memorize the onecall colors and Tab the sections that JJ tells you and you will do fine. The other books such as the Steel and the concrete books are not needed if you buy the CD. One thing I did realize was that there were about 10 questions that were thrown in just to throw you off. Just ignore them and keep on going with what you know..

designer

I am in the same situation. I need to take the N.C. exam . Anyone out there have any helpful hints and/or study information that they would like to share.

The Captain

I"m a licensed contractor in NJ.Can you transfer it to NC or do I have to take it over again there?I plan to move there in about a year or so.

shbonc09

I am getting ready to take the exam soon. Is there any info you can give me on what to expect. Thanks

shbonc09

Can anyone give me any advice on what to expect and how to prepare for exam. Thanks

DBBII

I took the test about 4 years ago and passed. Since it's called the GC test, and I have been a GC for a long time, I didn't think it was a big deal. The test, I think, is designed for commercial contractors. You have to know a little bit about a lot of different things. How many CY of concrete in the footers is, in my opinion, a fair question. I am not a professional engineer, so the question on sizing a steel beam was unfair, since I could not legally do it anyway. The business questions (tax calculations, etc) were tricky and you have to read what the question asks, not what you think it asks.

I took a prep class the day before the exam. (don't remember whose). A lot of the example questions from the class were very close to the actual ones. If you have had commercial GC experience for a couple of years, none of this should be new. If you have not done much commercial work, it's a lot tougher.

jcalvin

What I tell people now is to completely ignore the blueprints when it comes to studying. You are either going to know them or not. I am used to residential blueprints and don't even use them much since the majority of my work is remodel stuff. Just know eveything else great. Out of the 15 you can miss, plan on missing all 8 on the blueprint section. I think I missed two or three of the rest.

Ditto on all the books that JJ tells you to buy. He only recommends these so he can stick the money in his pocket. I don't think I learned anything from the books pertaining to the tests that he didn't tell me anyway. The "fact cd" JJ Johnson sells is probably the single most valuable study guide I bought. You could know NOTHING about construction, memorize the cd, and get 50% of the questions correct.

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shbonc09

passed the exam today.the blueprint questions were not that bad.it just took some effort to answer them. i only had about 3 osha questions which was surprising. around 20 code questions, 5 business questions, a couple of math questions, 15 blueprint , and the rest was knowledge