# residential plan review



## eaton89 (Feb 1, 2010)

I need some pointers for taking the residential plan review certificate test. what to study. I have my combo certificate but looking to add res plan review. How much is this test structured like the ICC's other tests? Is there a lot of question off of plans? Give me some ideas so I dont have to sacrifice the first test so I can study more. Nothing worse than missing a test by 1 question. I did that once and have never had to experiance that again. but I havent taken any of there tests in a while so I'm rusty.


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## ccbuilding (Feb 1, 2010)

Re: residential plan review

Same style as the rest of the test - very similar in context and questions to Residential Inspector Cert test - with a couple of extra concrete questions. I found that the ICC study course was really close to the actual test.


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## eaton89 (Feb 3, 2010)

Re: residential plan review

is there a residential plan review online course? I will have to look I didnt think there was.


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## eaton89 (Feb 3, 2010)

Re: residential plan review

Nope! I think we will try the IRC Inspector practice course.


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## TJacobs (Feb 3, 2010)

Re: residential plan review

When I took it it was a paper and pencil test only.  I did not consider it much different from the res. bldg. inspector test except it was more questions.


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## rktect 1 (Feb 4, 2010)

Re: residential plan review

I agree with tjacobs.  Relatively the same thing.  A handful of questions from the provided plans.  Make certain you can look up and know where to find the information instead of trying to memorize the code book.


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## Daddy-0- (Nov 3, 2012)

Also taking this in a few weeks. Can I assume that the test is still similar to the BI test? Anyone taken this lately? Advice? I am very familiar with the IRC.


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## ICE (Nov 3, 2012)

Way back when, it was one test for both residential and commercial.

Recently I heard someone say that all of the certification exams are now entirely open book.

Is that true?


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## Daddy-0- (Nov 3, 2012)

All of the ICC exams are open book if you use the approved book for the test (IRC, IBC, NEC, IPC, etc.) the book must not be altered except for highlighter or bookmark type tabs. The tests are usually an exercise in finding answers quickly in the book NOT in knowing every answer off the top of your head.


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## Sifu (Nov 3, 2012)

Res. plan review was indistinguishable from inspector exam for me.  I don't think I even had a single question off of a plan!  Go figure!  On the other hand I took an M2 exam and had at least 10 questions from provided plans.  You can never tell what test you will get, they mix and match questions and weight the score according the difficulty.  And yes ICE, as far as I know all the certifications are open book.


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## ICE (Nov 3, 2012)

Sifu said:
			
		

> And yes ICE, as far as I know all the certifications are open book.


There were closed book questions when I went through it.

I don't recall how many questions there were but obviously, things were tougher then.

You new guys have it too easy.

We were tested in a foreign language, under water, in the dark, after drinking a six-pack of Pabst.

How do you prepare for that?

There was the optional up to your armpits in snakes, but I don't know of anybody that did that.

I'm not even gonna tell you what the fire guys went through.  You wouldn't believe me anyway.

If after finding out what was involved, and you declined, you were given the opportunity to sit for the electrical inspector exam in a quiet room with a table and chair.

If you could pass that test, you were granted all of the other certifications.

I wouldn't have known about that if I didn't hate Pabst.


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## Daddy-0- (Nov 18, 2012)

Harder than I thought it would be but I did pass. I had a lot of questions on mechanical, plumbing and electric in addition to the structural type and building planning questions. That was a surprise! I had lots of questions from the computerized plans also.


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## Daddy-0- (Nov 18, 2012)

It was considerably different from the R1 Residential Building Inspector test.


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## fatboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Well, congrats! I didn't think you would have a problem, having passed the inspector certs. Good job!


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