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Taking my first ICC Certs...

TimNY

TimNY

Platinum Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2010
Messages
1,133
Location
Charleston, SC
On Sunday I'm taking my Residential Building Inspector and Residential Electrical Inspector tests.

I got the study companion from ICC.. Quizzes seems pretty straight forward. A lot of the administration isn't familiar to me since NY has changed that chapter (apparently quite a bit), but nothing too bad.

For the answers I don't know, I seem to know exactly where to look to find them, so that's a bit comforting.

Not sure what to expect on the Electrical Inspector exam, but I took the quiz in the study companion for ch38-ch42 and did well.

I am bringing the NEC with me, but it seems to me it should not be required to complete the residential exam.

At 2 hours for 60 questions, it seems to me there should be roughly enough time to check every answer against the book (as opposed to looking up every answer)-- as long as you know where to look. Not sure if that holds true IRL.

Guess I'll find out! If you have any tips or suggestions, let me know!
 
The best advice I can give is on the questions that you know for sure answer them and go to the next. On the ones that you are pretty sure on you may want to answer the way you feel is the correct one but "mark" it to verify after you've finished the test. On the questions you don't have a clue on look them up but don't spend a lot of time on them. Use the index to help locate the answers.

Two hours seems like a lomg time for 60 questions but it will go by before you know it. That why I say answer and go on, mark questionable ones, and look up the ones you don't know.

Good luck and let us know how you did!
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If you are taking the computor exam my advice is to go through every question first, answer what you know and mark the ones you want to check or are unsure of to go back to. There has always been one or two question I can never find the answer to even when I get back to the office and use I-Quest so don't get hung up trying to find the answer for every question. You do need to answer them all so I or 2 might be just a WAG. There will be information in the question that will have no bearing on the answer so pay attention to what is being asked. For example

In a 2 story SFR with an ICF foundation wall what is the maximum allowable span for a #2 southern yellow pine floor joist supporting a bedroom? The ICF foundation wall has nothing to do with the answer to the question

GOOD LUCK
 
There is no such thing as over-preparing, so give it your best. The key really is time management and quick use of the code references. Pick out the key terms and context of the question. Find the section, compare the answers, select the best one.

Good luck...
 
Thanks guys.. It's paper and pencil so I won't have the results immediately. The questions in the study companion seem reasonable.. ie questions on stair width, rise, run, projections.. I'm good with.. the maximum width of the top portion of a type II handrail... I will have to look up :)
 
Good luck Tim,

Relax and don't panic; and don't forget to go back and answer all the questions.

Best Wishes,

Uncle Bob
 
Thanks UB!

All testing is done now. Res Building Inspector was not bad at all. Some of the questions were very similar to those in the study guide. Res Electrical Inspector was tough for me, as I don't do electrical inspections and never figured a service load, feeder load or any other of the nitty-gritty in the E chapters. But I had time to muddle through it, so I think I'm ok.

Wishing I had signed up for another test during the afternoon session today instead of taking the afternoon off.

Now I have to find out how long it takes to get results from a pencil+paper exam.

Tim
 
TimNY said:
Now I have to find out how long it takes to get results from a pencil+paper exam.

Tim
Click to expand...
Weeks and weeks, if not months. If your an instant gratification guy (like me) I would suggest in the future you go CBT...
 
Consensus was 3 weeks to get results. The guys that have taken CBT liked pencil and paper better. Less stressful, they said-- not having to stare at a timer ticking down. Never taken CBT, so I can't say one way or the other. I can say I was comfortable at the pencil and paper exam.

Contemplating taking the res mech and plumbing CBT in the near future.
 
I wouldn't count on 3 weeks. It will likely be more than 6 weeks at the least. And passing the exam via CBT doesn't exactly expedite the certificate. I took the Mechanical Plans on 3/27. While I instantly received a passing score, here we are 2 weeks into April and I have not received my certification nor has the website been updated. Even my exam result form indicates 6 to 8 weeks from the LAST DAY of the month for which I tested. (This is one reason I take all my exams via CBT near the end of the month)

Anyway, I strongly suggest you give the CBT a try. I think you will like it. I love it.
 
I checked the ICC website this morning and am proud to say that I am now listed as a certified Residential Building Inspector and Residential Electrical Inspector!
 
Thanks for all the kind words. I had a real good day after I saw that :)

And Bryan.. I hate to say this.. But my wallet cards were in the mail when I got home today. Maybe you should check and see what is going on with yours.

Next up, Res Plumbing, Res Mech.. then Res Plans Examiner.
 
Congrats Tim,

Never over think the questions (in the future)... there are no trick questions. (Well, except for the electrical stuff, since you need to be a fast flipper because of the exceptions, footnotes, etc).. sorry Bryan.

If you aren't sure of the answer (or can't find it right away).. skip it and go back to it.. once you are sure of 75%, guess and finish. My experience is that my gut points me in the right direction in the first place. Don't second guess yourself, or you are prone to melt down.

Welcome to the community!
 
I neglected to post back, but on the day I made my last post on 4/13, the certification popped up on the ICC website. I got the card and wall certificate in the mail three days later. Maybe the certifications office is monitoring this forum?

In all seriousness, that was the fastest I have ever received certification following a test. 1. ICC is getting more streamlined and efficent, and / or 2. Less people taking the exams, so faster turn-over time. Who knows?

Anyway, I s till like the certification process and look forward to MCP...
 
Tim - my experience with the testing is that I've never taken the pencil-and-paper ones, I do love (or have learned to hate) the absolute, immediate feedback of pass or fail that the computer one gives you. One question that I'll always remember from my residential plumbing test talked about the screen being on the vent pipe. One of the answers was to keep out rodents. It is a correct answer, however the exact wording in the code was to keep out rodents and small birds - which was the exact wording used in another possible answer. THAT question taught me (in spades) to ALWAYS read all the possible answers that they throw in front of you and read carefully the code section. Funny, I just don't get to use my residential certs out here on the airfield ... I've always wondered why????
 
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