Free Practice Questions for Construction Specifications Institute CDT Exam

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation (CSI-aligned, paraphrased)

In CSI’s MasterFormat® (2004 and later), the divisions are grouped approximately as:

Division 01 – General Requirements

Divisions 02–19 – Facility Construction Subgroup (sitework and building construction trades: existing conditions, concrete, masonry, metals, wood, finishes, etc.)

Divisions 20–29 – Facility Services Subgroup (mechanical, electrical, communications, fire suppression, etc.)

Divisions 30–39 – Site and Infrastructure (utilities, site improvements, transportation, etc.)

Divisions 40–49 – Process Equipment and related categories (where applicable)

The question asks what is not included in Divisions 02–49.

Concrete – is in Division 03 (in 02–49).

Finishes – are in Division 09 (in 02–49).

Utilities – are addressed in the 30s divisions such as Division 33 – Utilities and similar, clearly within 02–49.

However:

General Requirements – by CSI definition, belong to Division 01, which is outside the 02–49 range. Division 01 covers administrative and procedural requirements that apply across the technical sections.

Therefore, the item not included in Divisions 02–49 is:

A. General requirements

Key CSI-Related References (titles only):

CSI MasterFormat® publication – division list and grouping.

CSI Construction Specifications Practice Guide – explanation of Division 01 vs. technical divisions (02–49).

CSI CDT Study Materials – MasterFormat division breakdown and use.

In CSI-based project delivery and typical general conditions (such as those coordinated with CSI practices), contract documents are described as “complementary”. This means the drawings, specifications, and other contract documents are intended to be read together as a unified whole, and requirements shown or stated in one document are binding as if they appeared in all.

CSI’s CDT body of knowledge and practice guides explain that:

The project manual (including the specifications and conditions of the contract) and the drawings together form the contract documents used to describe the work.

These documents are interrelated and mutually supportive; no single document is intended to stand alone.

The concept of “complementary” means that if a requirement is found in any contract document, it applies, unless it has been consciously modified by a change in the contract (e.g., via addenda, change order, or supplementary conditions).

Therefore, statement A. Contract documents are complementary reflects the core CSI teaching on how contract documents function together.

Why the other options are incorrect (from a CSI/CDT perspective):

B. Requirement of one of the contract documents may be superseded by othersCSI teaches that the contract documents should be coordinated, not competing. While modifications can be made through proper instruments (addenda, change orders, supplementary conditions), the baseline rule is not that any document “supersedes” another by default. Instead, the emphasis is on coordination and consistency across the entire set of documents. Precedence is only established where explicitly written into the conditions or supplementary conditions, and even then it is a last resort, not a standard operating principle.

C. Specifications take precedence over drawingsCSI specifically cautions against blanket “order of precedence” clauses (such as “specifications govern over drawings”), because they encourage sloppy coordination and can lead to disputes rather than preventing them. CSI promotes the idea that both drawings and specifications must be coordinated so they do not conflict. While some owners or agencies may include precedence clauses in their own conditions, this is not a CSI best practice and is not the general rule taught in CDT-preparation materials.

D. The architect/engineer may require the contractor to perform at a higher level than the contract documents requireUnder standard contract principles presented in CSI’s practice guides, the architect/engineer (A/E) cannot unilaterally change the contractor’s obligations beyond what the contract documents require, except through properly authorized changes (e.g., change orders) that include appropriate adjustments to cost and/or time if applicable. The A/E administers the contract and interprets the documents but cannot simply demand higher performance than what the contract documents specify without formal change mechanisms.

In summary, the CSI-aligned view is that contract documents are complementary and intended to be interpreted together, which is best represented by Option A.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract (CSI-aligned, paraphrased)

In CSI/CDT terminology, there is an important distinction between participants and stakeholders in a project:

Project participants are those who are formally part of the project delivery process, typically through a contractual or professional role. Examples: the owner, architect/engineer, contractor, and sometimes construction manager, commissioning authority, or key consultants. They:

Have direct responsibilities for planning, designing, constructing, administering, or managing the facility.

Are directly affected by project decisions and outcomes under the contracts and agreements.

Stakeholders are a broader group of parties who have an interest in the project, but many of them are not directly involved in performing the work or administering the contract. Examples include:

Users/occupants

Neighbors and surrounding community

Authorities having jurisdiction (from a public-interest standpoint)

Facility management staff, investors, or the general public

Their interest is often indirect—they are affected by the project’s performance, appearance, safety, cost, or impact, but they are not all active participants in day-to-day project execution or contract administration.

Because of this CSI distinction:

Participants → direct interests (active roles)

Stakeholders → often indirect interests (affected by, but not always performing, the work)

That matches Option A: Participants have direct interest in the project while stakeholders have indirect interest.

Key CSI-Related References (titles only, no links):

CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide – discussions of project participants vs. stakeholders and their roles throughout the facility life cycle.

CSI CDT Exam Study Materials – sections defining owner, design professional, contractor as participants, and users/community as stakeholders.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation (CSI-aligned, paraphrased)

CSI has several coordinated formats, each with a specific purpose:

UniFormat® – organizes information by building systems and assemblies (e.g., substructure, superstructure, interiors), used for early design and cost models.

PPDFormat® (Preliminary Project Description Format) – organizes preliminary descriptions of the project using a system-based structure for early-phase documentation.

SectionFormat® – organizes the content of each specification section into three parts: Part 1 – General, Part 2 – Products, Part 3 – Execution.

PageFormat® – defines the layout and composition of information on the printed page of specifications, including margins, headers/footers, article arrangement, and typography conventions so that the document is easy to read and navigate quickly.

The question specifically asks for:

“the compositional format for standardizing the presentation of specification information on a printed page… easy to read and quick to navigate.”

That is exactly what PageFormat® is for, so the correct answer is:

C. PageFormat®

Why the others are incorrect in this context:

A. UniFormat® – classification system for systems / assemblies; it does not prescribe how the text is positioned on a printed page.

B. PPDFormat® – used for structuring preliminary project descriptions, not for page layout.

D. SectionFormat® – structures the logical content within a spec section (Part 1–3), but does not itself define margins, columns, headers, or the graphic layout of the printed page—that’s PageFormat’s role.

Key CSI-Related References (titles only):

CSI Construction Specifications Practice Guide – chapters on SectionFormat® and PageFormat®.

CSI MasterFormat / UniFormat / PPDFormat publications – introductions describing each standard’s purpose.

CSI CDT Study Materials – overview of CSI formats and how they interact.

Under CSI’s project delivery and contracting principles, the contract documents are only one part of the legal framework that governs construction. Regulatory approvals and permits are a separate, critical requirement that must be satisfied before construction begins, regardless of contract award or the owner’s desire to proceed.

Key CSI-aligned concepts:

Building codes and other regulations are enforced by authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs)—in this case, both city and state agencies.

The owner, often via the design professional, must obtain the required permits from all AHJs before construction activities are started.

Contract award to a general contractor does not authorize construction to proceed without permits; doing so exposes the owner and contractor to violations, stop-work orders, penalties, and liability.

Therefore, the correct advice in a CSI-consistent framework is:

Construction may begin only after both city and state permits have been issued. (Option D)

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Construction may begin immediately … if a safety manager is present and excavation is avoided.Safety management and the type of work do not override permit requirements. Work without required permits is typically prohibited regardless of safety measures.

B. Since the state approval is more critical … proceed after the state permits are issued.CSI acknowledges that all applicable jurisdictions must be satisfied. One jurisdiction is not “more critical” such that the other can be ignored. If both city and state approvals are required, the project must have both before construction starts.

C. Since the city approval is more critical … proceed after city permits are issued.Same issue as B. If both city and state have regulatory authority, both sets of permits are required; neither is optional or subordinate in this sense.

CSI-aligned references (no external links):

CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide – sections on regulatory requirements and authorities having jurisdiction.

CSI CDT Study materials – discussions of permits, code compliance, and the relationship between AHJ approvals and the start of construction.

Typical General Conditions of the Contract as discussed in CSI materials – provisions requiring compliance with laws, codes, and permits.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract (CSI-based)

According to CSI’s Project Delivery Practice Guide and CDT body of knowledge, the Contractor is typically required—by the conditions of the Contract—to maintain record drawings during construction. These are sometimes called “as-built” or “marked-up” drawings.

CSI explains that:

The Contractor must keep on site a current set of drawings and, as the work progresses, mark changes, deviations, and concealed conditions that differ from the original contract drawings.

This responsibility is usually stated in the General Conditions and/or Division 01, and is part of the contractor’s obligation to provide Project Record Documents at closeout.

At the end of the project, these contractor-maintained record drawings and related record information are typically delivered to the Architect/Engineer and then to the Owner as part of closeout, but the party maintaining them during the project itself is the Contractor.

The Architect uses the contractor’s record information to prepare formal record documents only if required by the contract, but the day-to-day updating and maintenance during construction is assigned to the Contractor in standard CSI-aligned practice.

Relevant CSI concepts (paraphrased):

CSI Project Delivery Practice Guide – sections on “Construction Phase” and “Project Record Documents” explaining that the contractor keeps a set of marked-up record drawings during the work.

CSI CDT Study Materials – topic on roles and responsibilities for record documents and closeout.