Site Preparations, Foundation, and Basement Walls

What this subtopic covers

Preparation of the area within foundation walls; stem walls correctly sized with sufficient height above grade; foundation wall materials, reinforcement, anchor bolts and fasteners of correct type, size and grade placed per code; dampproofing and waterproofing where required; maximum unbalanced fill height; bracing before backfill.

Paraphrased from the certification content outline published by the International Code Council for the B1 exam. This page cites no code sections and reproduces no code text: your code book carries the requirements, and the skill this site trains is finding them fast.

How to drill it

• Find the chapter of the International Residential Code that carries this subject and read it once for structure, not retention: what lives here, what gets sent elsewhere, which tables exist.
• Write your own plain-language phrases for what this subtopic covers, then note the code's terms beside them. Mismatches between the two columns are exactly where exam questions cost you time.
• Run timed lookups: pick a requirement named in the descriptor above, start a stopwatch, find the governing text in your book, stop. Log the seconds. Past two minutes is a miss even when the answer is right.
• Weight your reps to the number above. Roughly 3 questions means this subtopic deserves a dedicated drill session of its own.

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The rest of area 03: Footings and Foundations (16%)

The kit that goes on the table

2024 IRCThe book itself2021 IRCIf you register on 20212024 Fast-TabsPlace them yourselfConstruction Master ProFeet-inch math, no errors

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