CSLB General Building (B): Planning and Estimating
Section 1 of CSLB’s General Building (B) study guide · about 15% of the exam
110 questions across every section on the 3½-hour clock, with a score for planning and estimating so you know where you stand.
Free planning and estimating drillA floor plan is drawn at a scale of 1/4 inch = 1 foot 0 inches. A wall with no written dimension measures 5 3/8 inches on the plan. What is the wall's actual length?
Planning and Estimating on the General Building (B) exam
Scope and code compliance, reading plans and specifications, catching errors, inspections, coordinating trades and estimating materials, equipment and labor.
- Share of the exam
- About 15% (CSLB study guide); 17 of the 110 questions in our practice exam
- CSLB’s topics
- Scope of work and code compliance · Design and construction error identification · Shop drawings, plans, and specifications · Field inspection performance · Coordination of project · Cost estimation for materials, equipment, and labor
- Our drill
- 10 questions from 62 planning and estimating questions, untimed, an explanation after every answer; one free attempt, unlimited with a pass
What planning and estimating questions test
- Scope and code compliance: which California code governs the work (Residential, Building, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy, Fire or Green Building Code) and when permits and inspections are needed
- Plans, specifications and shop drawings: reading scales and symbols, and resolving a conflict between drawings and specifications
- Error identification: catching design and construction errors before they are built in
- Inspections and coordination: inspection sequence and scheduling trades so each one’s work is ready for the next
- Estimating: quantity takeoffs for concrete, framing lumber, drywall, roofing and paint, waste factors, labor hours and equipment costs
Sit the full exam under the real clock
110 questions across every section on the 3½-hour clock, with a score for planning and estimating so you know where you stand.
Free planning and estimating drillHow to study it
- Practice the estimating math until it is quick: cubic yards of concrete, board feet, sheets of drywall, roofing squares and gallons of paint.
- Learn the order of inspections on a typical building, from foundation to final.
Common questions
Is there math on the General Building exam?
Yes. CSLB’s study guide says some questions require mathematical computation and that a calculator is provided. Expect area, volume and quantity questions, mostly in planning and estimating and in framing.
Which code editions does the B exam use?
CSLB’s current B study guide lists the 2025 California codes in Title 24: the Building, Residential, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, Energy, Fire and Green Building Standards Codes.
110 questions across every section on the 3½-hour clock, with a score for planning and estimating so you know where you stand.
Free planning and estimating drillThe other General Building (B) sections
Section topics and weight from CSLB study guide: General Building (B) (13E-B, 03-2026), checked November 2026.
Original independent practice questions written to CSLB’s published study guide outline. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) or PSI.