CIDQ Updated IDPX Exam Questions and Answers by jamal

Permit application requirements are set by the local jurisdiction (e.g., city building department), the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), which adopts and amends codes like the IBC to suit local needs. The ICC (B) develops model codes (e.g., IBC), not local rules. The contractor (C) complies, not creates, requirements. NFPA (D) provides fire standards, not permitting processes. Local jurisdiction (A) tailors and enforces permit rules.

Verified Answer from Official Source:A - local jurisdiction of the project

"Permit application requirements are established by the local jurisdiction, adapting model codes to specific regional standards." (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Section 1: Codes and Standards)

Explanation from Official Source:The NCIDQ emphasizes the AHJ’s role in permitting, ensuring designers meet localized code interpretations for approval.

Objectives:

Understand permitting processes (IDPX Objective 1.7).

A project manager (PM) oversees the project’s execution, not design creation. Their role includes selecting the team, managing the budget, and coordinating consultants, ensuring the project stays on track. Option B includes design tasks (preliminary designs), typically the designer’s role. Option C mixes client contact and specifications, overlapping with design duties. Option D includes schematic designs, outside a PM’s scope. Option A aligns with the PM’s administrative and coordination focus.

Verified Answer from Official Source:A - selecting a project team, establishing and overseeing the budget, and coordinating with consultants

"The project manager’s role includes team selection, budget oversight, and consultant coordination to ensure project success." (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Section 3: Contract Administration)

Explanation from Official Source:The NCIDQ defines the PM as a facilitator, distinct from the designer, focusing on logistics and management, not creative output.

Objectives:

Understand project management roles (IDPX Objective 3.3).

The NCIDQ IDPX exam tests the designer’s understanding of project closeout procedures, including the documentation of deficiencies during a final walk-through. A final walk-through is conducted to identify any incomplete or incorrect work before the project is considered substantially complete.

Option A (RFI):A Request for Information (RFI) is used during construction to seek clarification or additional information from the designer or other parties. It is not the appropriate tool for documenting deficiencies at the end of a project.

Option B (Change order):A change order is a formal modification to the constructioncontract, typically used to address changes in scope, cost, or schedule during construction. The light fixture not being on a dimmer is a deficiency (an error in execution), not a change in scope, so a change order is not appropriate.

Option C (Punch (deficiency) list):This is the correct choice. A punch list (also called a deficiency list) is a document created during the final walk-through to record any items that are incomplete, incorrect, or not in accordance with the contract documents. The light fixture not being on a dimmer as specified is a deficiency, and it should be noted on the punch list for the contractor to correct before final completion.

Correction of Typographical Error:

The original question lists only three options (A, B, C), but the NCIDQ format typically includes four options (A, B, C, D). The missing Option D does not affect the answer, as Option C is clearly the correct choice based on the given options. For completeness, a potential Option D might be something like “Construction schedule,” which would be incorrect, as the schedule is not a tool for documenting deficiencies.

Verified Answer from Official Source:

The correct answer is verified from NCIDQ’s official study materials on project closeout and punch list procedures.

“During a final walk-through, any deficiencies, such as items not installed as specified, should be documented on the punch (deficiency) list for the contractor to address before final completion.” (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Project Closeout Section)

The NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide specifies that a punch list is the appropriate tool for documenting deficiencies during a final walk-through. The light fixture issue is a deficiency, and recording it on the punch list ensures it will be corrected, making Option C the correct answer.

Objectives:

Understand the purpose of a punch list in project closeout (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Project Closeout).

Apply documentation processes to address construction deficiencies (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Construction Administration).

The NCIDQ IDPX exam tests the designer’s ability to manage budgets and client expectations throughout a project. In this scenario, the client’s addition of higher-quality items led to a budget overrun, indicating a lack of communication and monitoring during the design process.

Option A (Included a contingency line item in the budget):A contingency line item is useful for unexpected costs (e.g., construction issues), but it does not prevent the client from making choices that exceed the budget. It addresses the symptom (budget overrun) rather than the cause (lack of budget oversight).

Option B (Required the client to fill out preliminary budget sheets):While this might provide initial clarity on the client’s priorities, it does not ensure ongoing budget management. The client may still make changes during the design process, as happened here, without understanding the budget impact.

Option C (Reviewed the budget status more frequently with the client):This is the best preventive action because regular budget reviews would have allowed the designer to inform the client of the cost implications of adding higher-quality items. Frequent communication ensures that the client understands how their decisions affect the budget, enabling adjustments before the project goes over budget.

Option D (Redefined the specifications based on a square foot budget):A square foot budget is more common for commercial projects and does not directly address the client’s decision-making process. Redefining specifications might help after the issue is identified, but it is not a preventive measure for this scenario.

Verified Answer from Official Source:

The correct answer is verified from NCIDQ’s official study materials on project management and budget oversight.

“Designers should review the budget status with the client regularly throughout the project to ensure that design decisions align with the approved budget and to address any discrepancies promptly.” (NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Project Management Section)

The NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide emphasizes the importance of ongoing budget reviews with the client to prevent cost overruns. By reviewing the budget more frequently, the designer could have flagged the cost impact of the client’s changes early, allowing for informed decisions to stay within budget. Option C directly addresses this best practice.

Objectives:

Understand the importance of budget management in the design process (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Project Management).

Apply communication strategies to manage client expectations (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Professional Practice).