I just took the business/finance test about 6 months ago for the first time. I needed a 70 to pass I got a 75%. It was tough but I passed on the first try but it was close. The test was about 8hrs more or less I can't remember exactly. After about the 2nd hour in I was ready to walk out. I was like wtf man I'm not ready for this. But something told me don't walk out maybe the next 75 question are easy. I was told they give you several hard questions at the beginning to discourage you. I took the trade n knowledge test and got a 95% and I finshed about 2.5 hrs early it was cake. But back to the business test. You also have the AIA documents. There were about 10-15 question from there. The contractors manual and the accounting manual are about the same with questions.

 

Thank you for the response, and encouragement. I will keep that in mind. Just doing practice/test prep questions from that accounting book,....ugh! haha

Thanks again,

 

Keep doing the practice tests....I did them online. Then take a class with an instructor. I took a one day class...hate to say it, they pointed out every question area on the test. I nearly aced the silly thing, of course that was ten years ago, but I don't think the business part changed.

I was always good at multiple choice, open book tests....lol...

 

Just took the test on the 31st of December.Learn the math, learn the math.I passed but the math took alot of my time.It's 61/2 hours long.Good luck

 

Thank you. I'm pretty good with math, very good in fact so not so worried about that.

It's the questions about - as an example - what is and isn't an accrural account/what side of the balance sheet does deffered insurance payments go on/reversing certain entries at the end of the year, etc., type of questions.

I've always run a good business and am good at what I do, however, I wrote the checks but the my CPA took care of all of that other stuff. That stuff is at 35,000 feet cruising altitude above my head!

 

If you are taking a class that includes the at home computer tests and can pass the tests, you will be fine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I took an online class that was prety useless EXCEPT for the pratice questions. They don't send them to you, I had to download them and print them out. That's what I'm using on my own. Virtually NO help whatsoever from the school. I give them 1 on a scale of 1-10 only because of the practice questions.

Right now I live in NH (AKA Iceland, USA) so going to a prep class is not an option. The online school I paid for advertises "live on line classes" but all it is, is a recorded audio feed and you can't see anything at all and can barely hear it. So I'm on my own on the study part. It's just the "CPA" type questions I'm worried about.

BTW, the trade knowledge exam was 85 questions with 300 minutes (NOT 330 minutes) and no bathroom break. Man I'm almost 61! c'mon, no bathroom break for five+ hours! lol! I lost 7+ valuable minutes for that, had to check out, go down to the lobby to the men's room, back to Pearsonvue and then had to check back in with ID and sign the book. I hope the longer B&F exam has a P break built into it!!

After all is said and done, I just hope I can find enough work to survive on when I make the move to Florida this Spring. I'm so looking forward to it! Always loved Florida. And always despised the winters.
Thank you.

 

Haha...I couldn't make it thru either at 42.....

I might join a new on line school they can be cheap, mine was online multiple choice very helpful as I remember it.

Yeah I live in northernmost Florida (Jacksonville) and last week it was mid 80s....I ignored the calls from new clients over the Christmas and New Years weekends but it was ridiculous. This week it's getting only up to 60-70 and a blustery low of 47....my children insist this is freezing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I finally took th B&F exam today. I was lost in space, forgot where to reference everything and finally settled down after about 90 minutes. Some how, don't know how, but somehow I passed w/an 80.83%. That time went fast. Glad those exams are over!

 

I took business law, accounting and economics and I'm not saying I did not learn anything but that was a lifetime ago. I forgot any of the old ways with the creations of quick books and other software programs. States and local area can enact about whatever requirements they want but I question why do they really have the tests that you describe. The state can collect their money from the filling fees instead of testing fees. IMO, what the state should be interested in is do you have enough training & knowledge to do the work, have the correct levels of liability insurance, have Workman's Compensation, federal and state tax ID numbers. Having those things will eventually cause the contractor to have the correct level of knowledge in their business by the end of their first tax year. That knowledge may be an accountant or office manager. Anyone ever missed a quarterly tax filling date. They may miss you initially but they will find it, the IRS typically pretty quick to come see where "their" money is. And the state is right there asking where the sales tax payments are as well. You won't be getting any business loans or credit lines if you don't have the books set up correctly.

You know what taught me the most about business finances, was a 5 year State and Federal tax audit at the same time. I came out owing Federal $0 and the state owing me $1,000

 

U

The exam is an overload of information. But to an extent I think they are trying to weed out and not have too many people in the trades. But it's a balancing act. Right now I live in NH and we have a VERY serious shortage of licensed plumbers /tradesmen here. I turned down almost 300k worth of work so far this winter because they were jobs where I need manpower and there just isn't anyone available.

It started back in the early 2000s' when the state went from a 3 to a 4 to a 5 year apprenticeship. There were a LOT of plumbers back then, many of them aging. But in this F****** up state, the powers to be, in their infinite wisdom, didn't pay attention to the fact the population was aging. It was to thin out an overcrowded field. Now many of those plumbers have retired. WHO in their right mind is going to want to get into a trade where you have to go to night school 2 nights a week after working all day, for 5 years making apprentice pay? Then take a state board exam for a journeyman license and still have to work under a master for another year! So it thinned the heards out. Now we have a serious shortage. Glad I'm going to Florida! Oh, by-the-way, before I can hire someone I have to register him/her with the state. If I hire a guy without a license, I get hit for an automatic $1200 fine. Second time is more money and diciplinary action. The state has the "License Gestapo" that is very active. Two years ago I was working on a new home in a small town and it was out in the boonies. At 3:20 PM on a Friday, in came walking the NH License Gestapo! This was in June. He lives an hour north of where I was working, except in the summertime it's easily two hours with traffic because he lives in lakes region, a vacaion area. Talk about busting them. EVERY contractor I know has been visited by these guys whether they were on a remodel job or commercial construction.
But I digress! Lol. I think some states regulate the number of licensees' by the degree of difficulty of the licensing.

 

Yes I have many of the same things here but not the degree of intrusiveness and restrictiveness you described and what I've heard some others I know from the north east and east coast. Proof of training (minimum 4 years), 5 years as journeyman before you can sit for the master contractor test. My master contractor test was 60% code and 40% application but that was in 1999

Any journeyman or apprentices I hire must have a state license or there are fines and potential loss of license. The last one I read about a guy had 2 non licensed gas line installer working for him he was fined $700 for each and placed on a probation for his license

Not a lot of good, but there is one bright side I can go anywhere in the state and work without additional licenses or costs other than the permit. We have had reciprocity agreements with the neighboring states. Right now one adjoining state's democratic governor is PO'd at our republican governor so they killed that for now. But I could go into other neighboring states and do work fairly cheep as long as I bought some additional insurance from within the other state. But if you start doing a lot of traveling the housing and living expenses eat up profits pretty quickly

Good luck to you and hope the move goes well

 

I wish we had reciprocity! I'm in the NH seacoast area,....you cross into NH from MA and 15 miles you cross into ME. So I'm sandwiched between two states and all have different rules. I've had to maintain plumbing & gas licenses in the three seperate states all these years, plus a sheet metal license in MA. And all the anual seminars! I won't miss it.

Thank you for the well wishes, good talking with you, and best to you also.

 

Taking my test next week. Do they let you bring snacks into the exam? 7 hours is a long time to go without eating.

 

When Florida told me I had to prove that the people I received my journeyman hours from got their journeyman hours in under a licensed master I left and never went back. That was just stupid. Some of the people I worked for for years are not even in business anymore lol

 

I was in a similar spot a couple of years ago. Moving into commercial HVAC really helped me grow. Have you considered taking some online courses or certifications to build up your knowledge? There are some great resources out there, and it might be easier to fit into your schedule. Also, relocating could be a great move – areas with a higher demand for HVAC services, like Texas or Florida, might offer more opportunities for growth. Oh, and when I was juggling work and study, I found that using tools like the AI essay writer from ******** helped me manage my time better. It might be useful for you if you decide to take any courses and need help with assignments or projects. Good luck!

 

I've had similar issues in my state. It's crazy how much red tape there is just to get good work done.

I've never seen a state test that insures Good Work!

 

Thansin, I am a licensed Plumbing & Heating Contractor originally from Maine under the Uniform Plumbing Code. They would not accept my license here because they have the International code. I went to school at the Contractor's Institute in Hudson FL. They prepared me very well to take both my plumbing and Business exams. I found both much harder than Maine's exams.

 

Good luck!

 

For the business and finance portion of the Florida contractor test, several online courses offer solid prep. Look for programs that include practice exams and focus on Florida-specific regulations. Courses from providers like Contractor License School or RocketCert are often recommended by others in the industry.