Free ARE Construction and Evaluation Practice Test
Here are 45 original, unofficial practice questions for the ARE 5.0 Construction & Evaluation (CE) division, weighted like NCARB's four sections, with a sourced explanation under every answer. Free, no signup; choose an answer, then check the explanation.
Practice questions
Question 1 · Bidder question
Eleven days before the bid date on a design-bid-build library, a bidder submits a written clarification request by the required method. The bidding documents require requests at least seven calendar days before bids. The door schedule shows a hollow-metal frame at Room 112, but the interior elevation shows an aluminum storefront. What should the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 1
Answer: B. B101-2017 §3.5.2.2 has the architect answer bidder questions through addenda, so everyone prices the same documents.
- A hands one bidder information the others don't have, instead of issuing the clarification to all bidders.
- C can leave bidders pricing different assumptions.
- D is wrong on the deadline. The stated bidding rule requires seven calendar days, so this request is on time.
Review focus: Bidding: who answers, and how. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample, §3.5.2.2.
Unless a question says otherwise, contract questions assume unmodified AIA A201-2017 general conditions and the B101-2017 owner–architect agreement. Real projects often modify these. Bidding deadlines and acknowledgment requirements are stated in the relevant questions.
Question 2 · Error found two days out
Two days before the bid date, the architect finds a structural steel grade error that will change prices. The bidding rules require price-affecting addenda at least four calendar days before bids; a later addendum may withdraw or postpone bidding. What is the best course?
Show answer and explanation, Question 2
Answer: C. Under the stated bidding rule, the correction cannot be issued with the existing bid date. An addendum may postpone that date. Postponing keeps the pricing fair and comparable.
- A issues an addendum inside the four-day window.
- B knowingly signs a contract with an error in it and invites a price fight later.
- D changes the deal for one bidder after the competition is over.
Review focus: Bidding: addendum timing. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample, §3.5.2.2 (addenda); timing rule supplied in the question.
Question 3 · Bidding services
Under B101-2017, which are the architect's basic services during competitive bidding? Select 3.
Show answer and explanation, Question 3
Answer: A, B and E. B101 §3.5.2 lists these procurement tasks.
- C: the owner awards the contract. The architect assists (§3.5.1).
- D: when the bidding documents permit substitutions, the architect considers them during bidding as an Additional Service, with the owner's written authorization (§3.5.2.3).
- F: the architect doesn't guarantee bids.
Review focus: Bidding: who answers, and how. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample.
Question 4 · Negotiated proposals
Instead of bidding, the owner invites three general contractors to submit negotiated proposals. Which is part of the architect's basic services under B101-2017?
Show answer and explanation, Question 4
Answer: D. B101 §3.5.3 has the architect distribute the proposal documents, take part in selection interviews and negotiations, issue addenda, and summarize the results.
- A and C: selecting the contractor and signing the contract are the owner's decisions.
- B: proposals are the contractors' work. An architect who wrote them would be working for both sides.
Review focus: Delivery method: what changes for the architect. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample.
Question 5 · Prequalification
A private owner wants each invited contractor's experience, financial capacity, safety record and references before bidding. Which AIA document collects this?
Show answer and explanation, Question 5
Answer: C. A305 (2020 edition), with the appropriate exhibits, is AIA's contractor qualification statement.
- A is bid security addressing the selected bidder's failure to enter the contract or furnish required bonds. B addresses construction performance and payment obligations. Neither is the contractor's qualification statement.
- D marks Substantial Completion at the end of the job.
Review focus: Contractor selection. Source: AIA summary of A305-2020; AIA summary of A310-2010; AIA summary of A312-2010.
Question 6 · Which bond
The owner worries that unpaid subcontractors and suppliers could leave it facing liens on the property. Which instrument speaks to that risk?
Show answer and explanation, Question 6
Answer: A. AIA describes the payment bond as assurance that labor and material bills for the construction contract will be paid. Those unpaid bills are where lien risk comes from.
- B: a performance bond assures that the work will be performed and completed.
- C: a bid bond addresses a selected bidder's failure to enter the contract or furnish required bonds; it does not secure payment of construction labor and material bills.
- D: G707 is a closeout consent, not protection while the job runs.
Review focus: Contractor selection. Source: AIA summary of A312-2010; AIA summary of A310-2010.
Question 7 · Missing addendum acknowledgment
The apparent low bidder did not acknowledge Addendum 2, which added a storm-water vault. The bidding documents require acknowledgment of every addendum in the bid. What should the architect advise?
Show answer and explanation, Question 7
Answer: C. The stated bidding documents require acknowledgment. Because the omitted acknowledgment concerns added scope, the owner should not assume it is a waivable informality. B101 §3.5.1 has the architect help the owner confirm responsiveness. The call is the owner's under the bidding requirements and applicable law.
- A ignores scope that may not be in the price.
- B lets one bidder change its acknowledgment after the bid deadline.
- D overreacts. One irregular bid doesn't spoil the others.
Review focus: Contractor selection. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample, §3.5.1; acknowledgment rule supplied in the question.
Question 8 · Bid alternates
The budget for the Contract for Construction is $2,400,000. The low bid is: base bid $2,310,000; Add Alternate 1 (sunshades) +$65,000; Add Alternate 2 (upgraded flooring) +$48,000; Deduct Alternate 3 (simplified paving) −$30,000. Which combination includes both additive alternates and stays within budget?
Show answer and explanation, Question 8
Answer: D. Work it out:
- 2,310,000 + 65,000 + 48,000 = 2,423,000. That is $23,000 over budget.
- Taking the deduct alternate brings it to 2,423,000 − 30,000 = 2,393,000, which is within $2,400,000.
Alternates exist for exactly this: matching scope to the money at bid time.
- A and C each drop one of the additive alternates.
- B is over budget.
Review focus: Rework the numbers. Source: worked from the figures given in the question.
Question 9 · Cost-saving substitution
Twelve days before the bid date, a bidder submits a complete written request to substitute a less expensive rooftop unit. The bidding documents permit substitutions and require requests at least ten calendar days before bids. The owner wants it considered. What does the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 9
Answer: B. B101 §3.5.2.3 treats reviewing permitted substitutions during bidding as an Additional Service that needs the owner's written authorization. It also requires addenda identifying approved substitutions to all prospective bidders, so every bidder can use them.
- A: a private approval does not follow the required addendum process.
- C: the stated bidding rule sets a ten-calendar-day deadline, so 12 days is on time.
- D: waiting until after award throws away the competitive pricing.
Review focus: Bidding: who answers, and how. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample, §3.5.2.3; timing rule supplied in the question.
Question 10 · How often on site
The owner asks the architect to attend every concrete placement at no added fee. Under B101-2017 and A201-2017, what is the best response?
Show answer and explanation, Question 10
Answer: A. B101 §3.6.2.1 and A201 §4.2.2 call for visits at intervals appropriate to the stage of construction. They are expressly not exhaustive or continuous. The owner and architect can contract for more; whether this request adds services depends on their agreed scope.
- B states a duty the contracts specifically disclaim.
- C isn't helpful. The architect can still visit at appropriate stages, including some pours.
- D: the superintendent's contractor-side duties do not replace the architect's agreed observation services.
Review focus: The architect's role in construction. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample; AIA A201-2017.
Question 11 · Shoring layout
The contractor sends its temporary shoring layout and demolition sequence, marked “for architect's approval.” The Contract Documents don't require this submittal. What should the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 11
Answer: B. Under these agreements, the architect has no control over, and no responsibility for, construction means, methods, sequences or safety (A201 §4.2.2; B101 §3.6.1.2). A201 §3.12.4 lets the architect return submittals the documents don't require without taking action on them.
- A: approving it suggests the architect took on that responsibility.
- C turns the design team into the designer of temporary works it never contracted for.
- D: it isn't the owner's decision either.
Review focus: The architect's role in construction. Source: AIA A201-2017; AIA B101-2017 sample.
Question 12 · Architect's authority
Under A201-2017, which actions are within the architect's authority during construction? Select 3.
Show answer and explanation, Question 12
Answer: B, D and F. A201 §4.2.6 covers rejecting Work and requiring testing. §4.2.8 covers ordering minor changes. Additional testing under §13.4.2 requires the owner's written authorization.
- A is means and methods (§4.2.2), and subcontractors answer to the contractor.
- C: authorizing this new priced change requires the owner’s participation through a Change Order signed by owner, contractor and architect, or a Construction Change Directive signed by owner and architect (§7.2.1, §7.3.1).
- E: a deviation needs specific written approval as a minor change, or authorization by Change Order or CCD (§3.12.8).
Review focus: The architect's role in construction. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 13 · Wrong roofing installed
On a site visit, the architect sees a roofing membrane from a manufacturer other than the two specified. No substitution was submitted or approved. The contractor says it's “equal.” What should the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 13
Answer: D. A201 §4.2.6 gives the architect authority to reject Work that doesn't conform. B101 §3.6.2.1 has the architect report known deviations to the owner. The contractor's assertion that the product is equal does not authorize the substitution.
- A has no contractual basis.
- B: the architect cannot unilaterally revise the contract to accept the product, and the owner hasn't agreed to it.
- C checks one property. A tape measure says nothing about warranty, compatibility or code listing.
Review focus: Compare the Work to the requirement. Source: AIA A201-2017; AIA B101-2017 sample.
Question 14 · Uncovering conforming work
Nobody asked to see the underslab plumbing before the slab was poured, and the documents didn't require an observation. Later the architect asks for part of the slab to be opened up, and the plumbing turns out to conform. Who bears the cost of uncovering and replacement?
Show answer and explanation, Question 14
Answer: A. Under A201 §12.1.2, when Work was covered without a prior request and it turns out to conform, the cost of uncovering and replacement goes to the owner through an adjustment. If the Work had not conformed, the contractor would pay to uncover and correct it.
- B: the contractor didn't ignore any request or requirement.
- C and D: the contract doesn't share the cost that way.
Review focus: Compare the Work to the requirement. Source: AIA A201-2017, §12.1.2.
Question 15 · Design omission found in the field
On a site visit, the architect realizes a stair handrail, built exactly as drawn, is missing a code-required extension the drawings should have shown. The contractor had not recognized or been informed of the omission before installation. What is the best next step?
Show answer and explanation, Question 15
Answer: C. The handrail follows the drawings, but the code deficiency still requires correction. Under A201 §3.2.2, the contractor reviews the documents as a contractor, not as a licensed design professional. The architect can issue supplemental drawings (§4.2.14) and prepare a Change Order or CCD for any cost or time (§4.2.8, §7.2, §7.3).
- A assumes responsibility for correction costs without establishing the contractual basis. A contractor must report code issues it discovers, and knowingly performing noncompliant Work carries different consequences (§3.2.3, §3.7.3).
- B knowingly leaves a deficiency in place and invites a failed inspection.
- D: a minor change can't carry a change in cost (§4.2.8 refers to §7.4).
Review focus: Separate information from authorization. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 16 · Brick vs. the approved sample
The approved brick sample panel is a warm red. The brick being laid is noticeably browner. The contractor argues that samples aren't Contract Documents. What should the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 16
Answer: B. A201 §3.12.3 defines Samples as physical examples that set the standard by which the Work will be judged. §4.2.6 lets the architect reject Work that doesn't conform.
- D: submittals are indeed not Contract Documents (§3.12.4). An approved Sample still sets the standard for judging the Work.
- A: if the owner wants to keep nonconforming work, that is a formal owner decision, not a field preference.
- C: a blend isn't the approved standard either.
Review focus: Compare the Work to the requirement. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 17 · Old foundation in the excavation
During excavation, the contractor uncovers an old concrete foundation that is not shown on the drawings. The Contract Documents indicated that this excavation area was free of buried structures; the foundation materially differs from that indication. What should the contractor do first?
Show answer and explanation, Question 17
Answer: A. A201 §3.7.4 requires notice to the owner and architect before concealed or unknown conditions are disturbed, and no later than 14 days after first observing them. The architect promptly investigates before recommending whether a cost or time adjustment is justified.
- B destroys the evidence and risks losing the adjustment.
- C: this scenario calls first for notice and investigation; nothing here calls for stopping all work.
- D is design work, and it's premature.
Review focus: Separate information from authorization. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 18 · Lender wants more in the certificate
The owner's lender asks the architect to add a line to each Certificate for Payment: “all subcontractors have been paid from prior payments.” What should the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 18
Answer: D. B101 §3.6.3 says issuing a Certificate for Payment doesn't mean the architect has checked how or for what purpose the contractor used money already paid. Payment affidavits and lien releases are the tools for that question.
- A and B would stretch the architect's certification, and its liability, beyond what it can know.
- C isn't a basic service.
Review focus: What a certificate does and doesn't say. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample, §3.6.3.2; AIA A201-2017, §§9.6.4 and 9.10.2.
Question 19 · Percent complete
The masonry line on the schedule of values is $180,000. The contractor reports 70% complete. The architect's evaluation supports 55% complete. No stored materials are included. What cumulative value of completed masonry does that evaluation support, before retainage?
Show answer and explanation, Question 19
Answer: C. 0.55 × $180,000 = $99,000. This is cumulative completed-work value; the current payment amount would also account for prior certificates, retainage, and other applicable adjustments.
- A ($126,000) is the contractor's 70% claim.
- B ($27,000) is the gap between the two figures.
- D ($81,000) is the 45% still to do.
Review focus: Rework the numbers. Source: AIA instructions for G702-1992; AIA B101-2017 sample, §3.6.3.1.
Question 20 · Behind schedule
At the monthly visit, the architect sees that framing is about three weeks behind the contractor's schedule. What should the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 20
Answer: B. The architect visits to become generally familiar with progress and quality and to keep the owner informed (A201 §4.2.2; B101 §3.6.2.1). The schedule, and how to recover it, belong to the contractor.
- A is means and methods.
- C takes over the contractor's schedule.
- D: these facts do not establish sufficient grounds or the required process for termination.
Review focus: The architect's role in construction. Source: AIA A201-2017; AIA B101-2017 sample.
Question 21 · Changes in floor level
Hotspot. A new public circulation route is subject to the 2010 ADA Standards. The figure shows four small changes in floor level, labeled A to D. None is in a required clear floor or turning space, or at a doorway, ramp or other element with its own rule. Select the transition that does NOT comply with §303.
Show answer and explanation, Question 21
Answer: C. Under §303.2, a change in level up to 1/4 inch may be vertical. Under §303.3, a change over 1/4 inch and up to 1/2 inch must be beveled no steeper than 1:2. Under §303.4, anything over 1/2 inch must be ramped. A 3/8-inch square edge needs a bevel.
- A and B are within the 1/4-inch vertical allowance.
- D is beveled at exactly the steepest slope allowed, within the 1/2-inch limit.
In the field, the architect reports C as nonconforming Work.
Review focus: Compare the Work to the requirement. Source: U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards ch. 3.
Question 22 · Commissioning tests
On a commissioned project, who typically performs the functional performance tests, and who witnesses them?
Show answer and explanation, Question 22
Answer: B. In WBDG's description of the process, contractors usually conduct the functional tests. The commissioning provider (CxP) witnesses them and records the results in the commissioning reports.
- D: operators are trained before turnover. Some seasonal tests do wait until after occupancy, but they are still witnessed and reported.
- A and C assign the job to the wrong party.
Review focus: Closeout and performance. Source: WBDG, Roles and Responsibilities in the Commissioning Process; AIA, Design for Discovery.
Question 23 · When construction administration ends
Under B101-2017 §3.6.1.3, subject to its stated qualifications and exception, when do the architect's construction-phase services end?
Show answer and explanation, Question 23
Answer: D. B101 §3.6.1.3, subject to §4.2 and except as provided in §3.6.6.5, says the architect's construction-phase responsibility starts when the Contract for Construction is awarded and ends on the date the architect issues the final Certificate for Payment.
- C: §3.6.6.5 is an express exception to this endpoint; it does not make the entire construction phase run until the correction period ends.
- A and B end it too early.
Review focus: The architect's role in construction. Source: AIA B101-2017 sample, §3.6.1.3.
Question 24 · Contractor finds a conflict
While laying out walls, the contractor finds that the architectural and structural column grids differ by 4 inches on one line. What must the contractor do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 24
Answer: A. A201 §3.2.2 requires the contractor to report errors, inconsistencies or omissions it discovers to the architect, as a request for information. Its review is in its capacity as a contractor, not as a design professional.
- B and C guess or redesign instead of asking.
- D breaches the reporting duty and can leave the contractor paying for the result.
Review focus: Separate information from authorization. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 25 · Changed work, no agreed price
An owner-directed change within the general scope of the Contract requires additional fire-stopping beyond the existing requirements. The owner and contractor can't agree on a price, but the work can't wait. Which instrument fits?
Show answer and explanation, Question 25
Answer: C. A201 §7.3.1: a CCD directs a change in the Work before the parties agree on the adjustment to Contract Sum or Time. The owner and architect sign it.
- A and B: a minor change can't change the Contract Sum (§4.2.8, §7.4). AIA says to use a different form when cost or time is involved.
- D: a Change Order records agreement, so it also needs the contractor's signature (§7.2.1).
Review focus: Change documents: CO, CCD, minor change. Source: AIA A201-2017; AIA summary of G710-2017.
Question 26 · Pricing the directive
An additive CCD is issued. The parties never agree on a lump sum, unit prices or a cost-plus-fee method, and the Agreement states no overhead-and-profit allowance. How is the adjustment set?
Show answer and explanation, Question 26
Answer: A. A201 §7.3.3 lists the agreed pricing methods. When none applies, §7.3.4 has the architect determine the adjustment from reasonable expenditures and savings, using the overhead-and-profit allowance stated in the Agreement, or a reasonable allowance for an additive change if none is stated. This Agreement states none.
- B and C: neither side's number wins automatically.
- D: the contract provides a method, so nobody has to wait for a court.
Review focus: Change documents: CO, CCD, minor change. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 27 · What counts as a Modification
Under A201-2017, which are Modifications to the Contract Documents? Select 4.
Show answer and explanation, Question 27
Answer: A, C, E and F. A201 §1.1.1 lists these four as Modifications issued after the contract is signed.
- B: submittals aren't Contract Documents (§3.12.4).
- D: addenda issued before the contract is signed are Contract Documents, but they aren't Modifications.
Review focus: Change documents: CO, CCD, minor change. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 28 · Is the bid part of the contract?
The contractor points to an exclusions list in its bid form to refuse some work. When is that bid part of the Contract Documents?
Show answer and explanation, Question 28
Answer: D. A201 §1.1.1 leaves the bidding requirements and the contractor's bid out of the Contract Documents unless the Agreement lists them.
- C: “never” is wrong, because the parties can choose to list the bid.
- A and B: accepting a bid, or its being the lowest, doesn't make it part of the contract.
Review focus: Change documents: CO, CCD, minor change. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 29 · Quantity error after approval
A shop drawing the architect approved showed 42 joists. The framing plan needs 46. The fabricator ships 42. Who is responsible for the shortfall?
Show answer and explanation, Question 29
Answer: B. The architect reviews submittals for the limited purpose of checking conformance with the information given and the design concept. That review doesn't cover the accuracy of quantities or dimensions (A201 §4.2.7). Approval also doesn't relieve the contractor of errors in its own submittals (§3.12.8).
- A and D treat submittal approval as a quantity check, which it isn't.
- C: the owner had no part in the error.
Review focus: Submittals: who checks what. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 30 · Installed before approval
The Contract Documents require submission and approval of product data before rooftop-unit installation. The contractor sets the units before that approval. Where does that leave things?
Show answer and explanation, Question 30
Answer: C. A201 §3.12.7 says Work requiring submittal and review of Shop Drawings, Product Data or Samples may not proceed until the architect approves the required submittal. §4.2.6 lets the architect reject Work that doesn't conform.
- A and B reward skipping review. Installation doesn't force approval.
- D: the risk sits with the contractor, who skipped the step.
Review focus: Submittals: who checks what. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 31 · Unrequired submittal
The contractor sends a manufacturer's marketing binder for a product for which the Contract Documents require no submittal. What may the architect do?
Show answer and explanation, Question 31
Answer: A. A201 §3.12.4 lets the architect return submittals the documents don't require, without action.
- B: stamping it invites someone to rely on a review that never needed to happen.
- C wastes the consultants' time on something nobody asked for.
- D: a binder isn't a change request. Changes go through the change process.
Review focus: Submittals: who checks what. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 32 · Delegated design
The specifications require the curtain-wall contractor to engineer its anchors, with calculations sealed by its own licensed engineer. How should the architect review that submittal?
Show answer and explanation, Question 32
Answer: D. A201 §3.12.10 lets the documents delegate design to the contractor. The owner and architect must spell out the performance and design criteria. The architect may rely on the sealed professional's work and reviews it for conformance with the information given and the design concept expressed in the Contract Documents.
- B: delegating design is expressly allowed.
- A takes on responsibility that belongs to the contractor's engineer.
- C adds a cost the contract already allocated to the contractor.
Review focus: Submittals: who checks what. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 33 · Spot the Product Data
Which of these are Product Data under A201-2017? Select 3.
Show answer and explanation, Question 33
Answer: A, C and E. §3.12.2 lists illustrations, standard schedules, performance charts, instructions, brochures and diagrams as Product Data.
- B: a drawing specially prepared for the Work is a Shop Drawing (§3.12.1).
- D: a physical example is a Sample (§3.12.3).
- F: the specifications are Contract Documents.
Review focus: Submittals: who checks what. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 34 · Contract Sum to date
The original Contract Sum is $1,250,000. Change Order 1 adds $18,500. Change Order 2 deducts $7,200. A CCD has been issued with a proposed $22,000 adjustment. The contractor has not agreed to that adjustment, and no architect's interim determination or other Modification has adjusted the Contract Sum for the CCD. What is the Contract Sum to date?
Show answer and explanation, Question 34
Answer: C. 1,250,000 + 18,500 − 7,200 = 1,261,300.
A Change Order records an agreed adjustment to the Contract Sum (A201 §7.2.1). A CCD can also lead to an adjustment before a Change Order: contractor agreement is effective immediately (§7.3.7), and an architect's interim determination adjusts the Contract Sum on the same basis as a Change Order (§7.3.9). Here neither has occurred, so the proposed $22,000 is not included.
- A adds the proposed CCD amount despite the stated absence of an effective adjustment.
- B adds the deduct instead of subtracting it.
- D leaves out Change Order 2.
Review focus: Rework the numbers. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 35 · Materials stored off site
The contractor wants payment for curtain-wall panels stored at the fabricator's yard across the state. Assume the panels are suitably stored and protected. Under A201-2017 §9.3.2, which conditions apply to paying for materials stored off site? Select 3.
Show answer and explanation, Question 35
Answer: B, D and F. As AIA's counsel explains §9.3.2, off-site materials can be paid for only if the owner approves in advance, they are stored at a location agreed on in writing, and the contractor follows procedures satisfactory to the owner to protect the owner's title or interest. Payment then includes insurance, storage and transportation to the site.
- A: an invoice shows a price, not ownership or protection.
- C: materials stored on site or off site can both be paid for.
- E: the owner's advance approval is the owner's to give.
Review focus: What a certificate does and doesn't say. Source: AIA Contract Documents, “The payment problem with modular construction” (May 20, 2022).
Question 36 · Low test results
The 28-day cylinder-test results for one elevated slab fail the project's specified acceptance criteria. No immediate instability has been identified. What is the architect's best first step?
Show answer and explanation, Question 36
Answer: A. NRMCA's CIP 9 calls for review of the test records, testing procedures and structural requirements before deciding on further investigation. ACI's low-strength-cylinder guidance likewise makes further investigation depend on the likelihood of low-strength concrete and its effect on structural adequacy. A201 §4.2.6 gives the architect testing authority, with the owner's written authorization for additional testing under §13.4.2. Whether the slab stays, gets strengthened or comes out depends on that evidence and the engineer's evaluation.
- B and C both skip the evidence, in opposite directions.
- D: cutting a structural requirement isn't a minor change. It isn't consistent with the design intent.
Review focus: Compare the Work to the requirement. Source: NRMCA, CIP 9: Low Concrete Cylinder Strength; ACI, Low-strength cylinder test results; AIA A201-2017, §§4.2.6 and 13.4.2.
Question 37 · Leak after move-in
Eight months after Substantial Completion, a storefront leaks. Investigation confirms deficient contractor installation, and the owner has not accepted that condition in writing. What does A201-2017 require of the contractor?
Show answer and explanation, Question 37
Answer: D. A201 sets a one-year correction period, running from Substantial Completion, for nonconforming Work found after completion (§12.2.2). The owner should give prompt written notice. Warranties and other remedies are separate and keep running on their own terms.
- A and B forget the correction period.
- C: the architect didn't build the storefront.
Review focus: Closeout and performance. Source: AIA A201-2017, §§12.2.2.1 and 12.2.5; AIA Contract Documents, “Rejection and correction of work” (Apr. 25, 2022).
Question 38 · Final payment paperwork
On a bonded project, the agreement requires affidavits covering payment of debts and claims and release of liens, plus the surety’s consent to final payment. Which AIA forms belong to that package? Select 3.
Show answer and explanation, Question 38
Answer: B, D and F. AIA places these three in the final payment workflow, with G707 used on bonded projects. A201 §9.10.2 identifies final-payment evidence, including surety consent when applicable and other payment and lien documentation required by the owner.
- A and C are used during construction.
- E belongs to bidding.
Review focus: Closeout and performance. Source: AIA Contract Documents, “Construction contract closeout”; AIA A201-2017, §9.10.2.
Question 39 · Post-occupancy evaluation
A client wants to learn how its new clinic actually works for staff and patients. In the National Research Council framework cited below, when is a post-occupancy evaluation done, and why?
Show answer and explanation, Question 39
Answer: B. The National Research Council report puts the evaluation loop about 6 to 12 months after occupancy, with repeats at 2 to 5 years. The point is feedback for the building and “feedforward” into the next one.
- A: the punch list is a closeout task.
- C: the evaluation needs a building people have been using.
- D: POE is routine feedback, not only forensics.
Review focus: Closeout and performance. Source: National Research Council, Learning from Our Buildings (2001), ch. 2, pp. 12 and 14–15.
Question 40 · Using the Basis of Design
After occupancy, a clinic's measured energy use exceeds its recorded target, and staff report afternoon overheating. The commissioning provider is investigating whether the building performs as intended. Which approach should the architect take?
Show answer and explanation, Question 40
Answer: B. Per WBDG, the BOD records how the design team plans to meet the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR). The owner sets and accepts the OPR, and the commissioning provider checks the BOD against it.
Actual performance needs to be compared with those goals and design assumptions, including operating conditions and user feedback. AIA's post-occupancy guidance calls for reviewing the OPR, listening to users and operators, and comparing measured consumption with targets and predictions.
- A and C: requirements and design-review records are not measurements of actual performance.
- D: the supplied facts do not establish what caused the discrepancy.
Review focus: Closeout and performance. Source: WBDG, Commissioning Documents; AIA, Design for Discovery.
Case study: Harrowgate Branch Library (Questions 41–45)
On the real exam, a case study gives you a scenario and one or two resources, and every question in the case draws on them. This one works the same way. Each question stands on its own, so a miss on one won't carry into the next.
The project
Harrowgate is a two-story, 18,000-square-foot branch library, delivered design-bid-build.
- Owner–contractor: AIA A101-2017, stipulated sum, with unmodified A201-2017 general conditions.
- Owner–architect: B101-2017.
- Retainage: 5% of work completed and materials stored, as set by the Agreement.
- Original Contract Sum: $4,800,000.
All names and figures are invented for practice.
Resource 1: Application for Payment No. 6 (summary)
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Contract Sum | $4,800,000 |
| Net change by Change Orders | +$96,000 |
| Contract Sum to date | $4,896,000 |
| Total completed and stored to date (includes $150,000 of storefront units stored on site) | $2,450,000 |
| Retainage (5%) | $122,500 |
| Total earned less retainage | $2,327,500 |
| Less previous Certificates for Payment | $1,881,000 |
| Current payment due | (see Question 41) |
Resource 2: Architect's Field Report 14 (excerpts) and RFI log
- North curtain wall. Sealant joints are installed at about ½ inch. The approved shop drawing shows ¾ inch. The submittal didn't identify any deviation.
- East curtain wall, level 2. The cracked glazing units noted in Field Report 12 have not been replaced.
- Storefront units. They are stored in a locked container on site. The quantity matches the application.
- RFI-31. The door hardware specification calls for one lever finish, but the hardware schedule lists another. The contractor states there is no cost or time difference and asks which governs. The design intent is the specification finish.
- Progress. The building enclosure is scheduled to be complete in three weeks.
Question 41 · Harrowgate: payment due
Harrowgate case resources (Resources 1 and 2), Question 41
The project
Harrowgate is a two-story, 18,000-square-foot branch library, delivered design-bid-build.
- Owner–contractor: AIA A101-2017, stipulated sum, with unmodified A201-2017 general conditions.
- Owner–architect: B101-2017.
- Retainage: 5% of work completed and materials stored, as set by the Agreement.
- Original Contract Sum: $4,800,000.
All names and figures are invented for practice.
Resource 1: Application for Payment No. 6 (summary)
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Contract Sum | $4,800,000 |
| Net change by Change Orders | +$96,000 |
| Contract Sum to date | $4,896,000 |
| Total completed and stored to date (includes $150,000 of storefront units stored on site) | $2,450,000 |
| Retainage (5%) | $122,500 |
| Total earned less retainage | $2,327,500 |
| Less previous Certificates for Payment | $1,881,000 |
| Current payment due | (see Question 41) |
Resource 2: Architect's Field Report 14 (excerpts) and RFI log
- North curtain wall. Sealant joints are installed at about ½ inch. The approved shop drawing shows ¾ inch. The submittal didn't identify any deviation.
- East curtain wall, level 2. The cracked glazing units noted in Field Report 12 have not been replaced.
- Storefront units. They are stored in a locked container on site. The quantity matches the application.
- RFI-31. The door hardware specification calls for one lever finish, but the hardware schedule lists another. The contractor states there is no cost or time difference and asks which governs. The design intent is the specification finish.
- Progress. The building enclosure is scheduled to be complete in three weeks.
Using Resource 1, what is the current payment due on Application 6, before any adjustment by the architect?
Show answer and explanation, Question 41
Answer: C. Work it out:
- Earned less retainage: 2,450,000 − 122,500 = 2,327,500.
- Less previous certificates: 2,327,500 − 1,881,000 = 446,500.
Check, if the earlier certificates applied the same 5% retainage with no other adjustments: previous certificates of $1,881,000 equal 95% of $1,980,000 of earlier work. This period's work is 2,450,000 − 1,980,000 = 470,000, and 470,000 × 0.95 = 446,500.
- A forgets the previous certificates.
- B ignores retainage.
- D applies retainage after subtracting previous certificates. Apply 5% retainage to total completed and stored first, then subtract previous certificates.
Review focus: Rework the numbers. Source: worked from the figures in Resource 1.
Question 42 · Harrowgate: uncorrected glazing
Harrowgate case resources (Resources 1 and 2), Question 42
The project
Harrowgate is a two-story, 18,000-square-foot branch library, delivered design-bid-build.
- Owner–contractor: AIA A101-2017, stipulated sum, with unmodified A201-2017 general conditions.
- Owner–architect: B101-2017.
- Retainage: 5% of work completed and materials stored, as set by the Agreement.
- Original Contract Sum: $4,800,000.
All names and figures are invented for practice.
Resource 1: Application for Payment No. 6 (summary)
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Contract Sum | $4,800,000 |
| Net change by Change Orders | +$96,000 |
| Contract Sum to date | $4,896,000 |
| Total completed and stored to date (includes $150,000 of storefront units stored on site) | $2,450,000 |
| Retainage (5%) | $122,500 |
| Total earned less retainage | $2,327,500 |
| Less previous Certificates for Payment | $1,881,000 |
| Current payment due | (see Question 41) |
Resource 2: Architect's Field Report 14 (excerpts) and RFI log
- North curtain wall. Sealant joints are installed at about ½ inch. The approved shop drawing shows ¾ inch. The submittal didn't identify any deviation.
- East curtain wall, level 2. The cracked glazing units noted in Field Report 12 have not been replaced.
- Storefront units. They are stored in a locked container on site. The quantity matches the application.
- RFI-31. The door hardware specification calls for one lever finish, but the hardware schedule lists another. The contractor states there is no cost or time difference and asks which governs. The design intent is the specification finish.
- Progress. The building enclosure is scheduled to be complete in three weeks.
Given item 2 in Resource 2, the architect determines that the amount reasonably necessary to protect the owner is less than the otherwise supported application amount. For this question, no other condition requires withholding. What should the architect do with Application 6?
Show answer and explanation, Question 42
Answer: D. A201 §9.4.1 gives the architect three choices: certify the full application, certify part of it with written reasons, or withhold all of it with written reasons. Defective Work not remedied is a ground for withholding the amount needed to protect the owner (§9.5.1). Partial certification fits a specific, limited problem.
- A would tell the owner the Work is in better shape than it is.
- B withholds more than the stated amount reasonably necessary to protect the owner.
- C: paying subcontractors directly isn't the architect's call.
Review focus: What a certificate does and doesn't say. Source: AIA A201-2017, §§9.4.1 and 9.5.1.
Question 43 · Harrowgate: sealant joints
Harrowgate case resources (Resources 1 and 2), Question 43
The project
Harrowgate is a two-story, 18,000-square-foot branch library, delivered design-bid-build.
- Owner–contractor: AIA A101-2017, stipulated sum, with unmodified A201-2017 general conditions.
- Owner–architect: B101-2017.
- Retainage: 5% of work completed and materials stored, as set by the Agreement.
- Original Contract Sum: $4,800,000.
All names and figures are invented for practice.
Resource 1: Application for Payment No. 6 (summary)
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Contract Sum | $4,800,000 |
| Net change by Change Orders | +$96,000 |
| Contract Sum to date | $4,896,000 |
| Total completed and stored to date (includes $150,000 of storefront units stored on site) | $2,450,000 |
| Retainage (5%) | $122,500 |
| Total earned less retainage | $2,327,500 |
| Less previous Certificates for Payment | $1,881,000 |
| Current payment due | (see Question 41) |
Resource 2: Architect's Field Report 14 (excerpts) and RFI log
- North curtain wall. Sealant joints are installed at about ½ inch. The approved shop drawing shows ¾ inch. The submittal didn't identify any deviation.
- East curtain wall, level 2. The cracked glazing units noted in Field Report 12 have not been replaced.
- Storefront units. They are stored in a locked container on site. The quantity matches the application.
- RFI-31. The door hardware specification calls for one lever finish, but the hardware schedule lists another. The contractor states there is no cost or time difference and asks which governs. The design intent is the specification finish.
- Progress. The building enclosure is scheduled to be complete in three weeks.
Given item 1 in Resource 2, what is the status of the sealant joints?
Show answer and explanation, Question 43
Answer: A. Approval doesn't excuse a deviation unless the contractor specifically told the architect about it in writing and got specific written approval as a minor change, or a CO or CCD authorized it (A201 §3.12.8). Here the installed joint doesn't even match what was approved.
- D: it's true that submittals aren't Contract Documents (§3.12.4), but that doesn't help. The Work must still conform, and the approved submittal shows how the contractor proposed to make it conform.
- B and C read the approval as covering something it never showed.
Review focus: Submittals: who checks what. Source: AIA A201-2017.
Question 44 · Harrowgate: RFI-31
Harrowgate case resources (Resources 1 and 2), Question 44
The project
Harrowgate is a two-story, 18,000-square-foot branch library, delivered design-bid-build.
- Owner–contractor: AIA A101-2017, stipulated sum, with unmodified A201-2017 general conditions.
- Owner–architect: B101-2017.
- Retainage: 5% of work completed and materials stored, as set by the Agreement.
- Original Contract Sum: $4,800,000.
All names and figures are invented for practice.
Resource 1: Application for Payment No. 6 (summary)
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Contract Sum | $4,800,000 |
| Net change by Change Orders | +$96,000 |
| Contract Sum to date | $4,896,000 |
| Total completed and stored to date (includes $150,000 of storefront units stored on site) | $2,450,000 |
| Retainage (5%) | $122,500 |
| Total earned less retainage | $2,327,500 |
| Less previous Certificates for Payment | $1,881,000 |
| Current payment due | (see Question 41) |
Resource 2: Architect's Field Report 14 (excerpts) and RFI log
- North curtain wall. Sealant joints are installed at about ½ inch. The approved shop drawing shows ¾ inch. The submittal didn't identify any deviation.
- East curtain wall, level 2. The cracked glazing units noted in Field Report 12 have not been replaced.
- Storefront units. They are stored in a locked container on site. The quantity matches the application.
- RFI-31. The door hardware specification calls for one lever finish, but the hardware schedule lists another. The contractor states there is no cost or time difference and asks which governs. The design intent is the specification finish.
- Progress. The building enclosure is scheduled to be complete in three weeks.
Which document can the architect issue on its own authority to resolve RFI-31 (item 4 in Resource 2)?
Show answer and explanation, Question 44
Answer: B. The answer changes neither the Contract Sum nor the Contract Time, and it's consistent with the design intent. That makes it a minor change the architect can order (A201 §4.2.8), answered in writing (§4.2.14). AIA describes G710 as the form for additional instructions, interpretations or minor changes. A201-2017 also says a contractor who believes a minor change affects cost or time must give notice and not proceed.
- A and C require participation by other parties; the stated no-cost, no-time resolution consistent with design intent is within the architect’s minor-change authority.
- D: an addendum is a bidding-document instrument, not the construction-phase instrument for this response.
Review focus: Change documents: CO, CCD, minor change. Source: AIA A201-2017; AIA summary of G710-2017; AIA summary of A201-2017.
Question 45 · Harrowgate: Substantial Completion
Harrowgate case resources (Resources 1 and 2), Question 45
The project
Harrowgate is a two-story, 18,000-square-foot branch library, delivered design-bid-build.
- Owner–contractor: AIA A101-2017, stipulated sum, with unmodified A201-2017 general conditions.
- Owner–architect: B101-2017.
- Retainage: 5% of work completed and materials stored, as set by the Agreement.
- Original Contract Sum: $4,800,000.
All names and figures are invented for practice.
Resource 1: Application for Payment No. 6 (summary)
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Contract Sum | $4,800,000 |
| Net change by Change Orders | +$96,000 |
| Contract Sum to date | $4,896,000 |
| Total completed and stored to date (includes $150,000 of storefront units stored on site) | $2,450,000 |
| Retainage (5%) | $122,500 |
| Total earned less retainage | $2,327,500 |
| Less previous Certificates for Payment | $1,881,000 |
| Current payment due | (see Question 41) |
Resource 2: Architect's Field Report 14 (excerpts) and RFI log
- North curtain wall. Sealant joints are installed at about ½ inch. The approved shop drawing shows ¾ inch. The submittal didn't identify any deviation.
- East curtain wall, level 2. The cracked glazing units noted in Field Report 12 have not been replaced.
- Storefront units. They are stored in a locked container on site. The quantity matches the application.
- RFI-31. The door hardware specification calls for one lever finish, but the hardware schedule lists another. The contractor states there is no cost or time difference and asks which governs. The design intent is the specification finish.
- Progress. The building enclosure is scheduled to be complete in three weeks.
As Harrowgate nears Substantial Completion, which statement is correct?
Show answer and explanation, Question 45
Answer: C. This follows A201 Article 9 and AIA's instructions for G704-2017.
- A: the list is the contractor's. The architect checks and adds to it.
- B: by default, warranties start at Substantial Completion.
- D: a certificate of occupancy is the authority's permission to occupy. It's a different document from a different party.
Review focus: Closeout and performance. Source: AIA instructions for G704-2017; AIA Contract Documents, “Construction contract closeout”.
Untimed. For exam pace, allow about 108 minutes: NCARB gives 3 hours for 75 items, or 2.4 minutes per item (Guidelines, p. 8).
How did you do?
Your result covers these 45 questions only. It isn't an NCARB score, and it doesn't predict whether you'll pass. For context, NCARB says the passing score on a real CE form falls between 58% and 66% of scored items, depending on the form, and its own practice exams use a fixed cut of about 68% (NCARB cut-score explanation; NCARB practice exams).
With only 4 closeout questions, one miss swings that section a lot, so read section results as clues rather than measurements.
| If you missed… | Do this next |
|---|---|
| 1–9 (bidding and selection) | List the deadlines and acknowledgment rules stated in the bidding documents, and who decides each step: owner or architect. |
| 10–12, 18, 20, 22, 23 (the architect's role) | Write two columns: what the architect does during construction, and what it expressly doesn't (means, methods, safety, continuous inspection). |
| 13–17, 21, 24, 36, 43 (conformance) | Before choosing a response, compare the observed Work with the exact requirement: drawing, sample, approved submittal or code section. |
| 25–28, 44 (changes) | First identify the information or authorization needed. Then check design intent, cost/time effects, agreement, and whose signatures or authority are required to distinguish a Change Order, CCD or minor change. |
| 29–33 (submittals) | Separate what the contractor certifies (quantities, dimensions, coordination) from what the architect reviews (conformance with the information given and design concept). |
| 8, 19, 34, 35, 41, 42 (payment and numbers) | Rework each calculation without the key, naming every deduction. Then restate what a Certificate for Payment does and doesn't represent. |
| 22, 37–40, 45 (closeout and performance) | Put Substantial Completion, final payment, the correction period and post-occupancy evaluation on one timeline. |
Take NCARB's free CE practice exam next
NCARB offers a free, full-length practice exam for each division, including CE. It has the same number of items and is tied to the same objectives as the real division (NCARB practice exams).
- With active exam eligibility: log in to your NCARB Record, open the Exams tab, and go to Additional Resources for the Practice Exam Dashboard.
- Without eligibility yet: in your NCARB Record, select Practice the ARE.
- Two modes: test mode mimics exam conditions. Practice mode shows correct responses and rationales as you go. Both end with a section-by-section breakdown and the rationale for every item.
- About the PDF: NCARB's PDF version is meant for supervisors and mentors, and it leaves out the case-study resources. Use the version in your Record.
These directions come from NCARB's published instructions. We haven't taken the exam inside an NCARB account.
ARE Construction & Evaluation at a glance
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Length | 75 items, 3 hours of testing, 30 minutes of break time, 3 hours 40 minutes total appointment, including 10 minutes of intro and exit screens (Guidelines, p. 8) |
| Sections | Preconstruction Activities 17–23%. Construction Observation 32–38%. Administrative Procedures & Protocols 32–38%. Project Closeout & Evaluation 7–13%. NCARB says these describe a typical form (NCARB CE page). |
| Item types | Multiple choice (3 or 4 options, pick one). Check-all-that-apply (6 options; you must pick every correct one). Hotspot (click an area of an image). Case studies, each with one or two resources (NCARB). |
| Scoring | One point per scored item, no partial credit, no penalty for guessing. CE has 68 scored items and 7 unscored pretest items you can't identify. Pass or fail is decided on the whole division, not section by section (Guidelines, pp. 40, 106). |
| Breaks | After a break, items you've already viewed lock, including flagged ones (Guidelines, p. 22) |
| Where you test | PSI test centers or PSI online proctoring (Guidelines, p. 11) |
| Cost | $263 per attempt; each retake also costs $263 (NCARB fees) |
| Retakes | At least 60 days after a failed attempt at the same division, with no more than 3 attempts at that division in any 12-month period (Guidelines, p. 41) |
| Pass rate | 61% in 2025 and in 2024, counting all candidates, first-time and repeat (NCARB pass rates) |
Passing CE is one step toward a license, not the license itself. Each jurisdiction's licensing board decides who gets licensed.
What this set does and doesn't cover
The 45 questions follow NCARB's section weights: 9 Preconstruction, 16 Construction Observation, 16 Administrative Procedures & Protocols and 4 Closeout & Evaluation. Each of NCARB's 12 CE objectives has at least two tagged practice items, including foundational recall as well as applied questions.
The set has one original hotspot diagram with a text equivalent and one case study. It is shorter than the 75-item CE division and does not reproduce its full breadth or difficulty. NCARB's hotspots use drawings, photographs or other images, and its CE division can include up to 7 case studies and up to 16 case-study items (question types; Guidelines, p. 106).
More free ARE practice
Answer key
Show answer key
1 B · 2 C · 3 A,B,E · 4 D · 5 C · 6 A · 7 C · 8 D · 9 B · 10 A · 11 B · 12 B,D,F · 13 D · 14 A · 15 C · 16 B · 17 A · 18 D · 19 C · 20 B · 21 C · 22 B · 23 D · 24 A · 25 C · 26 A · 27 A,C,E,F · 28 D · 29 B · 30 C · 31 A · 32 D · 33 A,C,E · 34 C · 35 B,D,F · 36 A · 37 D · 38 B,D,F · 39 B · 40 B · 41 C · 42 D · 43 A · 44 B · 45 C
Sources
Exam facts
- NCARB, ARE 5.0 Guidelines, effective October 1, 2026: pp. 8, 11, 22, 40, 41, 105–110
- NCARB, Construction & Evaluation division page: sections, weights and objectives
- NCARB, ARE 5.0 question types
- NCARB, free practice exams
- NCARB, cut-score explanation, updated June 30, 2025
- NCARB, fees
- NCARB, pass rates
Teaching sources for the explanations
- AIA, A201-2017 preview (including Articles 9, 12 and 13) and summary of A201-2017
- AIA, B101-2017 sample
- AIA, the A305 qualification-statement summary and A310 bid-bond summary
- AIA, the A312 and G710 summaries, the G704 instructions, the G-series list and the document list
- AIA Contract Documents articles on off-site stored materials, rejection and correction of work and contract closeout
- U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 3 (§303)
- WBDG, Roles and Responsibilities in the Commissioning Process and Commissioning Documents
- AIA, Design for Discovery: occupant engagement and post-occupancy evaluations
- NRMCA, CIP 9: Low Concrete Cylinder Strength, pp. 1–2; ACI, Low-strength cylinder test results, discussing ACI 318-19 §26.12.6.1
- AIA, G702 payment-application instructions
- National Research Council, Learning from Our Buildings (2001), ch. 2, pp. 12 and 14–15
By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. Exam facts last verified October 13, 2026, against NCARB's ARE 5.0 Guidelines (effective October 1, 2026) and NCARB's CE, fees, pass-rate and practice-exam pages. We researched and wrote this page with AI assistance and checked the facts against the sources linked above. It has not been reviewed by a licensed architect.
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by NCARB or the American Institute of Architects. These practice questions are original and unofficial; they are not NCARB exam questions. ARE, AIA and other exam, credential and document names identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their respective owners.