LC Construction Studies study plan

Redraw a simple two-storey domestic wall/floor junction from memory and label every layer in correct sequence from foundation to roof finish

Build a one-page glossary of 40 construction-technology terms (strip foundation, DPC, wall tie, lintel, sleeper wall, party wall) with a one-line definition each

Set up a scaled drawing sheet template with title block, north point, scale bar and three line weights, and reproduce one existing detail at 1:5

List the six building elements (substructure, external envelope, internal divisions, primary structure, services, finishes) and assign each glossary term to one element

Compare timber-frame, cavity-wall masonry and structural insulated panel wall build-ups across six criteria: speed, thermal bridging, weathertightness, cost, site skill and fire performance

Produce labelled 1:10 sections through a strip footing, a raft foundation and a suspended timber ground floor

Match ten common materials (concrete, mild steel, softwood, hardwood, fired clay brick, aerated concrete block, glass, gypsum plasterboard, OSB, EPDM) to their primary properties and one typical application each

Explain how moisture movement, thermal expansion and creep differ between timber, steel and concrete, and state one design consequence of each

Describe the manufacturing route and resulting property differences for at least four masonry units (clay brick, calcium silicate, aerated block, dense concrete block)

Calculate dead and imposed loads for a simple one-way floor slab using given unit weights and a stated imposed load, and show the load path to the foundations

Sketch and annotate five structural forms (post-and-beam, loadbearing wall, portal frame, truss, cantilever) and state where each resists or transfers load

Identify the four stability mechanisms (shear walls, cross-walls, moment connections, diagonal bracing) in a plan drawing and mark where each is needed

Solve six short structural problems covering bending moment, shear force, deflection limits and slenderness of a masonry wall

Draft a 1:20 roof section showing insulation position, ventilation path, vapour control layer and eaves detail for a cold-deck pitched roof

Explain why disproportionate collapse provisions matter and list three tying or integrity measures used in low-rise construction

Review a set of three of your own drawings and annotate every missing dimension, level or specification note

Calculate U-values for a cavity wall and a warm roof from given layer thicknesses and conductivities, and state the effect of a 20 mm insulation increase in each case

Explain the difference between airtightness and insulation, and list five common air-leakage paths in a dwelling

Describe the operating principle and one control requirement for ventilation (MVHR or background ventilators), space heating, and domestic hot water

Compare three renewable options (air-source heat pump, solar thermal, PV) on output profile, roof area needed and typical running cost driver

Set out the condensation risk in a wall or roof build-up using the temperature-gradient idea, and state where the vapour control layer belongs

Produce a full planning-application drawing set for a small extension: site/location plan, floor plan, two elevations and one section, all consistently scaled and titled

Write a 300-word design rationale linking your proposal to orientation, daylight, thermal performance and site constraints

Apply the passive design hierarchy (fabric first, then services, then renewables) to your own project and justify three decisions in writing

Check your drawing set against a self-made 15-point compliance checklist covering dimensions, levels, annotations, scale and title block

Carry out a desk-based site appraisal of a hypothetical plot: ground conditions, access, drainage, orientation, overlooking and services availability, recorded as a scored table

Explain how site investigation (trial pits, boreholes, percolation tests) informs foundation choice, and match three ground conditions to suitable foundation types

Position and size service runs (soil stack, water main, consumer unit, boiler or heat pump) on your project plan and check for clashes

Annotate your project drawings with a services layout and a site-constraint overlay

Complete two full timed mock papers under exam conditions and record the score by domain to expose weak areas

Re-teach your three weakest domain areas using your own notes, then re-attempt the missed questions without looking at the answers

Condense all eight weeks of notes into a single two-page revision sheet of facts, formulae and detail sketches

Rehearse the drawing task once more at exam pace, finishing a labelled detail within the time allowance