AK General Contractor study plan
AK General Contractor · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Business and Financial Management & Contracting Law and Regulations
Explain how a contractor's chart of accounts separates direct job costs from overhead and general conditions
Compute break-even revenue and a target bid price from a given annual overhead figure, desired profit, and expected volume
Outline the lien and bond notice requirements that apply to a private commercial project in Alaska
Distinguish between a change order, a construction change directive, and a minor change in a typical contract
Your checkpoint
One-page cheat sheet listing the financial formulas and the statutory notice deadlines you must recall, with a worked break-even example.
Contracting Law and Regulations & Business and Financial Management
Describe the contractor licensing and endorsement rules that apply to general contractors in Alaska
Identify the standard AIA contract families and what each document covers (owner-contractor, owner-architect, subcontract)
Summarize the payment and retainage provisions that govern progress payments on a typical commercial project
Calculate a retainage amount and the release timing for a given pay application
Your checkpoint
Completed 20-question self-quiz on contract law and financial management with a written explanation of every missed item.
Estimating and Bidding & Project Management and Scheduling
Perform a quantity takeoff for concrete, formwork, and rebar from a set of plan dimensions
Build a bid summary that includes labor, material, equipment, subcontractor, overhead, and contingency line items
Convert a work breakdown structure into a network diagram and identify the critical path
Calculate float and explain how a delay to a critical-path activity affects the completion date
Your checkpoint
A complete sample bid package (takeoff, pricing, and bid summary) for a small commercial structure, plus a critical-path diagram for its schedule.
Project Management and Scheduling & Site Work, Excavation, and Foundations
Prepare a short-interval look-ahead schedule and a resource-loaded labor histogram
Explain soil classification, bearing capacity, and the purpose of a geotechnical report
Describe excavation safety requirements, including sloping and shoring for trenches
Sequence foundation work from layout through backfill, including inspection hold points
Your checkpoint
A foundation-and-schedule package: a four-week look-ahead, a trench-safety plan, and a written sequence of operations for a spread-footing foundation.
Concrete, Masonry, and Metals & Carpentry, Wood Framing, and Finish
Specify concrete mix design parameters (water-cement ratio, slump, air content) for given exposure conditions
Explain formwork removal timing and concrete curing requirements
Describe masonry wall ties, flashing, and weep-hole detailing at a cavity wall
Identify the structural steel bolting and welding inspection requirements for a typical connection
Your checkpoint
A detailing and inspection checklist covering concrete placement, masonry flashing, and steel connection inspection, with code references noted.
Carpentry, Wood Framing, and Finish & Roofing, Thermal and Moisture Protection
Lay out a wood-frame floor and wall system, including stud spacing, headers, and sheathing nailing patterns
Explain roof underlayment, flashing, and ice-dam protection requirements for a cold-climate roof assembly
Describe the components of a building envelope and where the air, vapor, and water barriers belong
Compare steep-slope and low-slope roofing systems and their drainage requirements
Your checkpoint
A wall-and-roof assembly section drawing with every control layer labeled, plus a written justification for each layer's position.
Roofing, Thermal and Moisture Protection & Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Systems
Trace the path of a plumbing drain, waste, and vent system and identify required venting and trap-arm distances
Explain the purpose of a building's electrical service, panel schedule, and grounding and bonding system
Describe the basic components of an HVAC system and how duct sizing and equipment selection are determined
Identify the inspection and testing milestones required before systems are concealed
Your checkpoint
A one-page MEP coordination summary that lists the rough-in inspection sequence and the tests required before concealment.
Safety, Environmental, and Occupational Requirements & Business and Financial Management & Contracting Law and Regulations
Apply the hierarchy of controls to a fall-protection and excavation scenario
Explain the employer's responsibilities under hazard communication, including SDS access and training
Describe erosion and sediment control and stormwater permit obligations on a construction site
Complete a timed mixed-domain practice exam and review every missed item
Your checkpoint
A final safety-and-environmental review sheet plus a scored 50-question practice exam with a written correction log for every missed question.
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 80% on the 20-question contract and finance self-quiz, and correctly compute break-even and retainage without notes.
Week 4: Produce a complete sample bid package and a critical-path schedule that correctly identifies the driving path and total float.
Week 6: Explain every layer of the wall-and-roof assembly from memory and pass a 15-question detailing quiz at 80% or better.
Week 8: Score 80% or higher on the timed 50-question mixed practice exam and show a correction log covering every missed item.