2018 International Residential Code The IRC contains many important changes such as: An updated seismic map reflects the most conservative Seismic Design Category (SDC) based on any soil type and a new map reflects less conservative SDCs when Site Class A, B or D is applicable. The townhouse separation provisions now include options for using two separate fire-resistant-rated walls or a common wall. An emergency escape and rescue opening is no longer required in basement sleeping rooms where the dwelling has an automatic fire sprinkler system and the basement has a second means of egress or an emergency escape opening. The exemption for interconnection of smoke alarms in existing areas has been deleted. New girder/header tables have been revised to incorporate the use of #2 Southern Pine in lieu of #1 Southern Pine. New tables address alternative wood stud heights and the required number of full height studs in high wind areas. This book is offered in a Loose Leaf OR Softbound format. You can purchase it new, or professionally Highlighted & Tabbed for your exam. Why Most Highlighted & Tabbed Books Fall Short? Many contractor exam prep schools sell highlighted and tabbed books. Only one created the system—and perfected it through real-world use. That system was created by Rob Estell, a licensed contractor, President, and Founder. Open-book contractor exams don’t test how much you know. They test how quickly you can locate the correct answer inside dense reference manuals. Rob learned this firsthand by taking exams himself and later confirmed it through years of feedback from thousands of exam candidates. While other schools offer highlighted and tabbed books, most: Use minimal or generic highlights Rely heavily on the existing Table of Contents and Index Miss exam-tested material that isn’t clearly referenced Provide tabs that point to broad sections, not precise answers The result? Students still waste time searching. Rob decided that “good enough” wasn’t good enough. Why The Exam Pros ORIGINAL, detailed-driven highlighted and tabbed books? Thousands of contractors have passed their exams using Rob Estell’s highlighted and tabbed books because they solve the real problem: Knowing the answer But not being able to find it fast enough Built from Contractor Experience & Student Feedback Rob Estell’s system is built using: His own experience as a licensed contractor Personal exam feedback from real testing environments Thousands of data points from exam students nationwide A Proven, Detail-Oriented Navigation System Each book follows Rob’s proven 3-step method: Table of Contents – Identify the general section Precision Tabs – Jump directly to the exact topic Strategic, Detailed Highlights – Land on the answer instantly Our highlights are thorough and detail-oriented, guiding your eye exactly where exam answers are located—not just coloring pages for appearance. Every highlight is intentional. Every tab exists because the book failed to guide the reader quickly enough. If a topic cannot be found efficiently through the Table of Contents or Index, it gets a custom tab and targeted highlight. These books are designed to help you outperform the clock, not just prepare! IRC 2018
