ARE 5.0 COMMUNITY QUESTION - I NEED YOUR HELP
Hi ARE 5.0 Community.
I need your help.
I am taking PDD in 5 weeks for the umpteenth time and am on a good study track that works for me.
See below.
My question is in regards to 5.Construction Cost Estimates - what are some good study resources for that section?
1.Bldg Systems - Amber book review for this week almost done
2.Construction Documents - I will review Architectural Graphic Standards, Architect's Studio Companion, Building Construction by Mehta, Building Construction Illustrated by Ching
3.Project Manual - I will review Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice & Building Construction has a little bit on Specs
4.Codes & Regs - I am reviewing 2024 IBC Study Companion
5.Construction Cost Estimates - ?
Thanks in advance any study tips are appreciated.
Good luck to you all.
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I studied using amber book only. Adequately studying the flashcards section can take you up to a week or more. For cost estimating, you would need to know the different between life cycle cost analysis, life cycle costing, embodied energy. Know which structural systems are cheapest and most appropriate for each program type. Know what cladding materials are cheapest, and don't forget to account for labor. This is all covered in the PPD and PDD flashcards for amber book.
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Try the Project Management Section of the AHPP, and here is a handy read: https://content.aia.org/sites/default/files/2017-03/EPC_Construction_Cost_2C.pdf
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I always tell people to ignore Content Area 5. Construction Cost Estimates - it is at most 8% of PDD, and can be as little as 2%. That means, with 100 questions on the exam, you'll see 2-8 questions. You don't have to pass every content area to pass the exam, you just need to get enough total questions correct to exceed the cut score.
Area 5's description is: Analyze construction cost estimates to confirm alignment with project design (A/E). Most people can use process of elimination having seen a couple of those kinds of questions on practice exams to have a good chance of getting about half of those cost estimating questions correct. In my experience, that's good enough.
Cost estimating is a fairly involved and time-consuming topic to learn well enough to have good odds of getting more than half of the questions correct, your study time is better spent on almost any other topic for PDD.
Best,
Ralph, the Amber Book Team
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