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Walker's Building Estimator's Reference Book, 33rd Edition Questions and Answers

1.

Some advantages to be realized when a ____________ is used to excavate is that it digs straight, vertical side walls (in soil which will stand), it cuts a level floor, and it reduces hand trim to a minimum.

Power hoe or backhoe

2.

If an ASTM standard reinforcing bar has a diameter of 1.00 inch, then it would be classified a ____________ bar.

#8

3.

A ____________ bond is a bond furnished by the contractor that guarantees they will sign a contract in accordance with their bid and will provide performance and payment bonds.

Bid

4.

If #3 reinforcement bars are to be lapped a minimum of 30 times the bar diameter, the minimum length of bar lap is ____________ inches. Select the closest answer.

11.25

5.

____________ is one of the two methods for CPM calculations.

Arrow diagramming

6.

A standard, non-modular brick is ____________ inches long.

8

7.

Plans and elevations are usually drawn at no less than

1/8" 1'0"

8.

Under the Uniform System developed by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Division 2 includes

Subsurface Investigation

9.

The area of a roof measuring 100'-0" x 100'-0" with a 1⁄4 pitch and a 12" or 1' overhanging cornice is ____________ square feet. Select the closest answer.

11,632

10.

When excavating sandy clay/moist loam using a hydraulic tractor (crawler) backhoe with a 1-1/4 cubic yard bucket, an average of ____________ cubic yards can be excavated per 8-hour day. Select the closest answer.

900

11.

The well point method of dewatering is usually

Used in advance of the excavation

12.

____________ board feet of wood would be required to build a partition wall that measures 8' high x 25' long and is 4" thick with one 2 x 4 sole plate but a double plate at the top. Assume studs are placed 18" on center. Select the closet answer.

146

13.

If 450 bank cubic yards of dry sand is to be excavated, the number of loose cubic yards that will be excavated is ____________ cubic yards. Select the closet answer.

495

14.

____________ is the material or masonry units forming a cap or finish on top of a wall and protects it from penetration of water from above.

Coping

15.

The highest strength mortar is

Туре М

16.

The convenience outlet symbol is defined to be a

Range

17.

A ____________ bond is a bond assuring that the contractor will complete a project in accordance with plans and specs identified in the contract documents.

Performance

18.

An activity with zero float is called a

Critical activity

19.

In estimating quantities of excavation and concrete, both are measured by the cubic yard. One cubic yard contains ____________ cubic feet.

27

20.

____________are drawings in which all horizontal and vertical lines have true length and vertical lines are vertical but horizontal lines are set at 30 degrees or -30 degrees.

Orthographics

21.

One mason will lay an average of
____________light weight actual size 7 5/8" x 7 5/8" x 15 5/8" concrete blocks below grade in an 8-hour shift.

225-250

22.

The ____________method of drilling can only be used for preliminary investigations for foundations.

Hand auger

23.

Most working drawings for building construction are based on

Orthographic projection

24.

Modular face bricks with a nominal brick size of 2 2/3" x 4" x 8" are to be used to face a 2,500 square foot wall without headers. ____________bricks will be required for this job. Select the closest answer.

16,875

25.

____________work is usually publicly advertised.

Public

26.

The typical dead weight of a 3/4 inch piece of form plywood is ____________ lbs.

71

27.

A ____________ contract allows the owner control over the selection of his general contractor.

Negotiated

28.

Once a loan is approved and accepted, ____________is (are) NOT considered a closing cost(s).

Interest

29.

When hauling excavated materials in trucks, the truck capacity should be at least ____________times the dipper or bucket capacity of the excavator.

Four

30.

A contractor can borrow money at 2 points above the current prime rate. This means that

The interest the contractor will be paying is 2% over the prime rate determines the quality requirements on a project during the process of bidding.

31.

____________determines the quality requirements on a project during the process of bidding.

Specifications

32.

A pneumatic tamper enables a worker to do nearly
____________times the work he can do by hand.

Ten times

33.

____________is not one of the three traditional methods of construction scheduling.

Jobsite Project Schedule

34.

Most building departments require that plumbing drawings be submitted in a/an

Isometric riser diagram

35.

The maximum distance that can typically be spanned by a wood truss is ____________ feet.

200

36.

A masonry unit that does not meet standards or specifications and has been rejected is known as

Culls

37.

Any discrepancies on the plans or specifications or changes the architect or owner wish to make after the plans and specifications have been issued,

Addenda

38.

The average life expectancy of truck tires in construction work is ____________hours.

3,000

39.

The federal government, under the ____________ requires that a contractor furnish two separate bonds, one for performance and one for the payment of labor and materials.

Miller Act

40.

A defect in workmanship is found 18 months after a project is completed. A ____________ bond would cover the repair.

Maintenance

41.

If a contractor regularly operates within an area that requires a permit bond, the cost of this bond should be expensed

As office overhead

42.

An AIA form ____________, the Contractors Qualification Statement, is used to furnish information needed to bid on public work.

A305

43.

Another reference name for a Bar Chart is a

Gantt Chart

44.

The terms CPM and PERT pertain to

Scheduling

45.

The principal objective of construction scheduling is to manage all of the following resources used in the construction process except for

Cash flow

46.

The standard tool for resource control in project scheduling which calculates the project completion date and dates for completion of project activities and intermediate milestones is the

Critical Path Method (CPM)

47.

2600 L.F. of 2 x 4's is ____________board feet. Select the closest answer.

1,734

48.

Equipment rental rates vary greatly throughout the country. It is standard practice to base rates on ____________ hours per month.

176

49.

When renting non-tractor equipment, the ____________is usually responsible for the cost of repairs due to normal wear and tear.

Leaser

50.

The type of excavating equipment selected, as well as the size of the equipment required for a project, should be based on the,

Volume of material to be moved

51.

The average useful life of a 3/4 cubic yard hydraulic backhoe is ____________years.

7

52.

At a density of approximately 25 pounds per cubic foot, 1" of vermiculite concrete has an insulating value equal to approximately ____________ inches of ordinary concrete.

16

53.

The R value rating of a masonry wall constructed with 10" thick hollow concrete masonry units with a

R-7.6

54.

The weight of 150' of 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" x 3/16" steel angles is ____________pounds. Select the closest answer.

460.5

55.

An 8-inch light weight concrete block has an R value of

2.00

56.

40,000 pounds will equal ____________metric tons. Select the closest answer.

18.14

57.

A ____________ arch has horizontal or nearly horizontal upper and lower surfaces.

Jack

58.

Information on the nature or the thickness of underlying subsurface rock is usually obtained by

Core borings

59.

The ____________sheets in the working drawings for a project will include the site survey and grading plans.

Civil

60.

After acquiring a piece of construction equipment, the contractor should

Develop an hourly rate charge, sufficient to cover interest charges and original investment

61.

A blueprint shows a rectangular building lot that scales out a 15.0" by 22.5". The scale given for the site plan is 1" 12". The area of the building lot is ____________square feet. Select the closest answer.

48,600

62.

____________is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed and is obtained by subtracting its early start (ES) from its late start (LS).

Total float

63.

Modifications issued after contract is signed are called a(n)

Change order

64.

Well point systems are typically used for dewatering excavations. For specific applications, the general contractor should

Consult a local dewatering contractor

65.

According to a set of plans, a contractor is to construct a residential structure that measures 40' x 60' with a hip slope sloped at 5/12 slope. The total area of the roof is ____________ square feet. Select the closest answer.

2,600

66.

Architects and Engineers specify that fill material is to be placed in layers from ____________inches and to compact each layer with some sort of roller or tamping equipment.

6-12

67.

When cutting old or cured concrete, using a diamond blade of correct specification, cutting time may be ____________the amount given for cutting green concrete.

Double

68.

The typical swell factor for an average blasted rock is ____________ %.

27

69.

Vermiculite is a mineral that expands, when heated, to about ____________ times its original size.

12

70.

Which of the following statements is NOT correct?

Total float is obtained by subtracting its' EF from its' ES time

71.

Which of the following is NOT an advantage to using Tilt-up wall panel construction?

Field personnel will be unfamiliar with a new type of construction procedure, rejection and opposition will be encountered

72.

A minor arch with a maximum span of 6 feet and a load not exceeding 1000 lb. per foot is typically referred to as a ____________ arch.

Jack

73.

A vertical plane represented by an orthographic projection of the outside building is a (an).

Elevation

74.

____________standard bricks are required to build an 8" thick 10 ft x 20 ft wall using a 3/8" bed joint. Select the closest answer.

2,666

75.

If the lap is 4" wide and only a single thickness of felt is used, add about ____________% to allow for laps and the additional felt required at the top and bottom of wall.

20

76.

A contractor is building a house with a hip roof. The slope of the roof is 5/12. The plan dimensions of the house are 40' x 60'. Assuming a 10% waster factor, the contractor should order ____________ sheets of plywood. Select the closest answer.

90

77.

A contractor is buying a bundle of 2" x 6" x 8' long. The cost of lumber is $0.25 per BF. If the cost of the bundle is $100, ____________pieces are in the bundle. Select the closest answer

50

78.

One of the easiest and most frequently used methods of computing grading cuts or fills for a plot plan that shows contours is the ____________ method.

Cross sectional

79.

A contractor has to excavate a drainage swale that is 200' long, 16' wide and has a depth of 2' with the ends vertical. If the soil to be removed is mud, the total volume of material to be removed from the job site would be ____________ cyd. Select the closest answer.

285

80.

The principal objective of a construction schedule is to

Efficiently manage resources in order to complete within the estimated time and costs for the project

81.

The process of constructing the temporary end of a masonry wall with the end stretcher of every alternate course projecting is known as

Toothing

82.

A shelf or ledge formed by projecting successive course of masonry out from the face of the wall, pier or column is a

Corbel

83.

A method of construction for walls that greatly reduces the investment in large quantities of forming material is known as ____________ construction. In this method, the wall panels are cast on the ground and then raised into position.

Tilt-up

84.

A wall built of the wythes of masonry units, separated by an air space, and tied together is known as a (an). ____________ wall.

Cavity

85.

Another name for a major arch is a ____________ arch.

Gothic

86.

In an ordinary building foundation work, the most common type of pile to be used is

Cast in place concrete

87.

The late start of an activity is the

Latest it can start without effecting the end date of the project

88.

A contractor needs to purchase 25 lengths of structural steel angle, 2 1⁄2 x 2 1⁄2 x 1/2. Each piece of 20' long. The total weight to be purchased is ____________pounds. Select the closest answer.

3,850

89.

The type of mortar recommended to be used for stone foundation walls is

Туре М

90.

Each of the following factors must be considered when estimating the costs for the excavation of a project. Generally, the easiest to quantify is the

Volume of material to remove

91.

A diesel backhoe has a 175 HP engine. The estimated fuel consumption for the backhoe is between ____________ gallons per hour. Select the closest answer.

5.95 and 7.00

92.

A contractor is operating a 225 HP backhoe. The machine is operated for 7.5 hours per shift. If the contractor is working 6 days a week and wants to size a fuel tank to give himself a one-week supply of diesel fuel, the tank would need to hold ____________ gallons. Select the closest answer.

405

93.

A contractor is estimating the amount of roofing material to buy for a project. According to Walker's, a waste factor of ____________% would be used to estimate the quantity of asphalt shingles for a structure with hip roofs, including dormers and valleys.

20

94.

Based on the house plan below, the total roof area is ____________ square feet Select the closest answer.

4,297