MA General Contractor flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

780 CMR

Citation for the Massachusetts State Building Code, which adopts the International Building Code with state amendments and governs construction statewide, with separate residential provisions for one- and two-family dwellings.

Building Code Appeals Board

State board that hears appeals of local building officials' code decisions; an appeal generally must be filed within 30 days of the local decision.

521 CMR

Massachusetts Architectural Access Board regulations requiring accessible design in public and commercial buildings; in several respects they are stricter than the federal ADA standards.

Permit action deadlines

The local building official must grant or deny a building permit application within 30 days for one- and two-family dwellings and within 45 days for all other buildings.

Certificate of occupancy

Issued by the building official after final inspection; no new building, and no building with a changed use, may be occupied before it is issued.

Zoning appeal period

An appeal of a building permit or zoning decision to the local board of appeals must be filed within 20 days of the permit issuance or decision date.

Statute of frauds

Legal rule requiring certain contracts, including those that cannot be performed within one year, to be in writing and signed by the party to be charged.

Chapter 93A demand letter

Massachusetts consumer protection statute; a written demand for relief must be sent at least 30 days before suit, and violations can support multiple damages.

Home improvement contract

Written agreement required for residential work on owner-occupied one- to four-family homes; it must show the contractor's registration number and the three-business-day cancellation right.

Mechanic's lien deadline

Under M.G.L. c. 254 a lien must be recorded in the registry of deeds within 90 days after the last day labor or materials were furnished to the project.

Massachusetts independent contractor test

Three-part ABC test: the worker must be free from control, perform work outside the usual course of the employer's business, and be independently established in that trade.

Drawing scale notation

A 1/4 inch equals 1 foot plan means one quarter inch on paper equals twelve inches in reality; always confirm with the graphic scale if the sheet is resized.

Section and detail callouts

References such as 3/A-501 point to the sheet and detail number of the enlarged view; the plan shows location while the detail shows assembly and materials.

Board foot formula

Board feet equals thickness in inches times width in inches times length in feet, divided by 12; it is the basis for pricing rough lumber.

Concrete volume in cubic yards

Multiply length by width by depth, all in feet, then divide by 27; add roughly five to ten percent for waste and over-excavation.

Excavation protective system threshold

OSHA requires a protective system for trenches five feet or deeper unless the excavation is entirely in stable rock; twenty feet or deeper requires a registered engineer's design.

Dig Safe notice

Massachusetts law requires calling 811 and giving at least 72 hours notice before excavation so underground utilities can be located and marked.

Massachusetts frost depth

Footings must bear below the frost line, roughly 42 to 48 inches in most of Massachusetts, and at least 12 inches below finished grade.

Concrete 28-day strength

Specified compressive strength is measured on standard-cured cylinders tested at 28 days; field cylinders are made per ASTM C31 and tested per ASTM C39.

Slump test

ASTM C143 test that measures concrete workability; adding water on site to raise slump increases the water-cement ratio and lowers strength.

Weep holes

Openings at the base of an anchored veneer wall, just above the flashing, that drain trapped moisture; they are spaced not more than 24 inches on center.

Joist notch limits

End notches may not exceed one quarter of the joist depth; notches elsewhere may not exceed one sixth of the depth, and no notching is allowed in the middle third of the span.

Joist hole limits

Holes may not exceed one third of the joist depth, must be at least 2 inches from the top and bottom edges, and are limited to the outer thirds of the span.

Joist bearing length

Joists must bear at least 1-1/2 inches on wood or metal and at least 3 inches on masonry, with an approved connection resisting lateral displacement.

Ice barrier requirement

An ice-dam protection membrane is applied along the eaves, extending from the roof edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line where ice damming is expected.

Minimum shingle slope

Asphalt shingles need at least a 2:12 slope with double underlayment; between 2:12 and 4:12 special underlayment rules apply, and below 2:12 a membrane roof is required.

Blower door test

Whole-house air leakage test required by the energy code; results are reported in air changes per hour at 50 pascals, with lower numbers indicating a tighter envelope.

225 CMR 22

Massachusetts residential energy code, based on the IECC with state amendments; the Stretch Code applies in Green Communities and requires higher efficiency than the base code.

Fall protection trigger height

OSHA construction rules require fall protection, such as guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems, at six feet above a lower level.

Massachusetts workers' compensation

Virtually every Massachusetts employer with at least one employee must carry workers' compensation insurance; there is no small-employer exemption for construction businesses.

Smoke and CO alarms

Smoke alarms are required in each bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level and must be interconnected; carbon monoxide alarms go near sleeping areas where fuel-fired appliances exist.

DWV slope

Horizontal drain pipe 3 inches and smaller must slope at least one quarter inch per foot, while larger horizontal drains may slope one eighth inch per foot.