CLC Project Planning & Scheduling 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When creating a project schedule, what is the purpose of identifying the critical path?
- To list all tasks alphabetically
- To determine the longest sequence of dependent tasks that dictates project duration (Correct answer)
- To calculate total material costs
- To assign crew members to each task
Correct answer: To determine the longest sequence of dependent tasks that dictates project duration
The critical path identifies the longest sequence of dependent tasks, meaning any delay on it directly delays project completion.
Question 2: A client requests that a deck addition be completed before their July 4th party. What scheduling technique best communicates daily progress targets to the crew?
- A Gantt chart with milestone markers (Correct answer)
- A simple materials list
- A punch list
- A lien waiver schedule
Correct answer: A Gantt chart with milestone markers
A Gantt chart visually displays tasks, durations, and milestones on a timeline, making daily progress targets clear to the crew.
Question 3: Which document formally establishes the agreed-upon scope of work, timeline, and payment terms before a project begins?
- Change order
- Written contract (Correct answer)
- Material takeoff sheet
- Daily log
Correct answer: Written contract
A written contract establishes scope, timeline, and payment terms and protects both the contractor and the client legally.
Question 4: During pre-construction planning, a lead carpenter discovers the project requires an engineering stamp for a load-bearing beam removal. What is the correct next step?
- Proceed without the stamp to save time
- Hire a structural engineer before pulling the permit (Correct answer)
- Ask the homeowner to decide
- Skip the beam removal from scope
Correct answer: Hire a structural engineer before pulling the permit
A structural engineer must review and stamp drawings before a permit for load-bearing work can be issued.
Question 5: What does 'float' (slack) mean in project scheduling?
- The number of workers available on a given day
- The amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the overall project (Correct answer)
- The buffer added to material quantities for waste
- The contingency money in a budget
Correct answer: The amount of time a task can be delayed without delaying the overall project
Float is the amount of time a non-critical task can be delayed without impacting the project's finish date.
Question 6: A remodeling project is behind schedule due to a subcontractor delay. What is the most effective first action for the lead carpenter to take?
- Immediately bill the client extra
- Reassess the schedule, identify impacts, and notify the client with a revised timeline (Correct answer)
- Hire a new subcontractor without notifying anyone
- Stop all other work until the subcontractor arrives
Correct answer: Reassess the schedule, identify impacts, and notify the client with a revised timeline
Reassessing impacts and communicating a revised timeline to the client maintains trust and allows informed decision-making.
Question 7: Which scheduling method links tasks so that Task B cannot begin until Task A is fully complete?
- Finish-to-Start (FS) dependency (Correct answer)
- Start-to-Start (SS) dependency
- Fast tracking
- Resource leveling
Correct answer: Finish-to-Start (FS) dependency
A Finish-to-Start dependency means the successor task cannot begin until the predecessor task is finished.
CLC Project Planning & Scheduling 2
When creating a project schedule, what is the purpose of identifying the critical path?