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Free NASCLA Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style NASCLA (NASCLA) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free NASCLA practice test to study every exam domain.

Question 1

A contractor's total job cost is $60,000. The owner of the firm wants the project to yield a 25% profit margin on the final contract price. What contract price must the contractor quote to achieve that margin?

  1. $80,000
  2. $75,000
  3. $72,000
  4. $78,000
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - $80,000

Question 2

An employee must enter a 6-foot-deep trench in Type C soil to make a pipe connection. Which statement correctly reflects the OSHA requirement governing the sloping of this excavation?

  1. No protective system is required because the trench is shallower than 8 feet
  2. Sloping is not allowed at this depth; only shoring or a trench shield is permitted
  3. A protective system is required, and Type C soil is sloped no steeper than 1.5:1 (horizontal:vertical)
  4. A protective system is required, and Type C soil is sloped no steeper than 0.75:1 (horizontal:vertical)
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - A protective system is required, and Type C soil is sloped no steeper than 1.5:1 (horizontal:vertical)

Question 3

An owner will reimburse the contractor for the actual cost of the work plus a fixed fee, but also wants assurance that the total project cost will not exceed an agreed-upon ceiling. Which contract arrangement BEST meets both of these requirements?

  1. Cost-plus with a guaranteed maximum price
  2. Stipulated lump sum based on complete plans
  3. Unit price tied to measured field quantities
  4. Time and materials billed at published rates
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Cost-plus with a guaranteed maximum price

Question 4

A continuous footing is 24 feet long, 30 inches wide, and 12 inches deep. How many cubic yards of concrete are required to place it, before adding any waste allowance?

  1. 60.0 cubic yards
  2. 3.3 cubic yards
  3. 2.2 cubic yards
  4. 1.8 cubic yards
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - 2.2 cubic yards

Question 5

On a commercial project, a subcontractor properly completes its work but is never paid by the general contractor. Which surety bond is specifically intended to protect that subcontractor's right to payment?

  1. The bid bond submitted with the proposal
  2. The performance bond held by the owner
  3. The payment bond furnished for the project
  4. The contractor's license bond on file
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - The payment bond furnished for the project

Question 6

In a CPM schedule, one activity has an early start of day 10 and a late start of day 14, while the overall project duration is unchanged. What does this difference tell the project manager about that activity?

  1. It lies on the critical path and therefore cannot be delayed at all
  2. It carries 4 days of float and may slip up to 4 days without delay
  3. It is currently 4 days behind schedule and must be expedited now
  4. It must begin by day 10 or liquidated damages will be assessed
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - It carries 4 days of float and may slip up to 4 days without delay

Question 7

A specification requires the mortar with the HIGHEST compressive strength for a structural, load-bearing masonry wall. Which mortar type should the mason use?

  1. Type M
  2. Type S
  3. Type N
  4. Type O
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Type M

Question 8

A new exterior ramp is being constructed to provide accessible entry to a commercial building. According to the accessibility standard, what is the MAXIMUM running slope permitted for the ramp run?

  1. 1:8 (steepest allowed for new construction)
  2. 1:10 (allowed for short rises only)
  3. 1:12 (one inch of rise per foot of run)
  4. 1:20 (below this, it is not a ramp)
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - 1:12 (one inch of rise per foot of run)

Question 9

A glazed panel sits in a hazardous location next to a door. The contractor needs safety glazing that, if broken, holds together and stays in the opening instead of falling out as fragments. Which glazing product BEST satisfies this requirement?

  1. Tempered glass, which breaks into small cubes
  2. Laminated glass, with an interlayer bonding the panes
  3. Annealed glass, with no special heat treatment
  4. Float glass, cut to size from standard stock
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Laminated glass, with an interlayer bonding the panes

Question 10

A material supplier has not been paid for goods delivered to a commercial jobsite and plans to secure the debt by filing a mechanic's lien. Which statement reflects a fundamental principle the supplier must observe?

  1. A lien may be filed any time the debt is unpaid, with no statutory deadline
  2. Statutory notice and filing deadlines apply, or the lien right can be lost
  3. Only the general contractor, not a supplier, may ever assert lien rights
  4. Filing the lien by itself guarantees payment without further court action
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Statutory notice and filing deadlines apply, or the lien right can be lost

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