TN General Contractor study plan

Identify the required elements of a valid construction contract and the point at which each becomes binding

Distinguish the roles, risks, and payment mechanics of design-bid-build, design-build, and construction-manager delivery methods

Interpret common contract clauses covering changes, differing site conditions, delay, suspension, and termination

Sequence the notice-and-claim steps a contractor must follow to preserve time and cost entitlements

Compare sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, and corporation on liability exposure, taxation, and continuity

Read a balance sheet and income statement and compute the ratios that signal liquidity and solvency trouble

Build a job cost breakdown that separates direct cost, overhead, and markup, then recalculate a bid after a labor-rate change

Explain how retainage, progress billings, and change orders flow through job cost records

Draft a written response to a breach or default scenario citing the governing contract clause

Summarize Tennessee licensing thresholds, license classifications, and the penalties for contracting without a valid license

Outline board procedures for license application, renewal, continuing education, and complaint handling

Perform a quantity takeoff for excavation, concrete, and formwork from written dimensions

Assemble a bid with labor, material, equipment, and indirect costs, then compare it against a computed break-even price

Produce a critical-path network and identify float, critical activities, and the schedule impact of a two-week weather delay

Apply lien filing, notice, and foreclosure timing rules to a fact pattern with a subcontractor and an owner

Explain how payment bonds and performance bonds are triggered and what a claimant must document

Identify the OSHA recordkeeping, fall protection, and hazard-communication obligations that apply to a residential-to-commercial contractor

Distinguish employee from independent contractor and apply wage-and-hour and workers' compensation rules to a crew situation

Calculate cut and fill quantities and select the right compaction test for a given soil description

Sequence footing, foundation wall, and waterproofing operations and name the inspection holds between them

Specify concrete mix parameters, curing methods, and testing frequency for a given structural element

Compare masonry reinforcement, flashing, and grouting requirements against structural steel connection and fireproofing requirements

Diagnose three common field defects and state the corrective action for each

Detail the flashing, underlayment, and ventilation layers of a sloped roof assembly and the failure modes of each

Explain the control layers of a wall assembly and where the air, vapor, and water barriers belong in a given climate

Identify framing connections and sheathing requirements that affect structural and wind resistance

Trace the water path in three common envelope leak scenarios and name the repair

Build a project closeout checklist covering punch list, substantial completion, final lien waivers, as-builts, and warranty turnover

Set up a quality-control inspection log with hold points and documentation standards

Re-test the two lowest-scoring domains from earlier weeks and log the reason for each remaining error

Recalculate overhead allocation and cash flow for a project that is 60% complete with a pending change order

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under test-day conditions

Review every missed question and group errors by root cause: knowledge gap, misread, or calculation slip

Recite from memory the licensing, lien, and contract-notice deadlines most likely to be tested

Re-drill calculation types, including markup versus margin, quantity takeoff, and schedule float