Alabama Hard Tile and Stone Contractor - Books & Courses Rental Package

Alabama Hard Tile and Stone Contractor - Books & Courses Rental Package

If you’re pursuing the Alabama Hard Tile and Stone Contractor classification, this Books & Courses Rental Package is built to help you prepare with the same core references used to develop the PSI trade exam—plus the required Alabama Business & Project Management book for your business exam. Everything is organized around how you’ll actually use materials on test day: locating answers quickly, understanding installation standards, and building the confidence that comes from practicing with the right references.

This package is ideal for contractors who prefer to rent the books rather than purchase a full library up front. You’ll receive the trade references for tile and stone installation, OSHA safety standards used for exam questions, and the NASCLA Alabama business book (highlighted and tabbed) so you can study efficiently and stay focused on what matters most.

What You Get

Pricing

• Package Price: $1,020
• Refundable Deposit: $400
• Total Due Today: $1,420

The refundable deposit helps protect the rental inventory and is intended to be returned based on the rental return terms for your order.

Exam Details

Alabama contractor testing is administered through PSI for the State Licensing Board for General Contractors. For this classification, you will typically be responsible for passing both a trade exam and a business exam after the Board approves your eligibility to test.

• Hard Tile and Stone Contractor (Trade Exam): 50 questions, 120 minutes, 70% required to pass (35 correct).
• Business and Project Management (Business Exam): 50 questions, 120 minutes, 70% required to pass.
• Exam Fee: $96 per examination (each registration).

Both exams are designed to evaluate practical decision-making: selecting correct installation methods, interpreting standards, reading plans, applying safety rules, and handling core business responsibilities that Alabama expects contractors to understand.

Open Book Test

The Alabama Hard Tile and Stone Contractor trade exam is an open book examination. The Alabama Business & Project Management exam is also open book. Because these are open-book exams, your score is strongly influenced by how quickly you can navigate the references—knowing where to look, how chapters are organized, and how key terms are indexed.

Important note for exam-day use: Allowed references may be highlighted, underlined, and/or indexed, but they must be otherwise unmarked (no writing). References may be tabbed/indexed with permanent tabs only; temporary tabs (such as sticky notes) are not allowed.

Licensing Steps

Licensing and testing for Alabama general contractor classifications follows a Board-to-testing workflow. While your specific application path depends on your company structure and classification, the exam process generally follows these steps:

1. Request the appropriate license application for the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors.
2. Submit your completed application to the Board for review.
3. Receive eligibility approval (eligibility to test is determined by the Board).
4. Register and schedule your PSI exams once approved.
5. Pass both required exams (Trade + Business) for your classification.
6. Complete any remaining Board steps needed to finalize licensure after testing.

This package focuses on what you can control right now: preparing for the exams with the correct references and a study structure that supports efficient, open-book performance.

State Requirements

Alabama State law requires contractors in covered classifications to be licensed and regulated by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors, and eligibility to sit for the examination is determined by the Board. In other words, the exam is a key milestone—but it’s part of a larger licensing process managed by the state.

Because requirements can vary by applicant and classification, most candidates should be prepared for a process that includes Board application review, exam eligibility approval, PSI test scheduling, and successful completion of the required exams. This rental package supports the exam portion of that journey by providing the references used to develop the Hard Tile and Stone exam, plus the NASCLA Alabama business reference for the Business & Project Management exam.

Reference Books

• Included Rental Book: Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA)
  A foundational safety reference used for exam questions on safety and employee protection. This is where you’ll confirm compliant practices, definitions, and required protections that show up in trade exam scenarios.
• Included Rental Book: Builders Guide to Floors, 1997
  Supports floor-related knowledge that connects to substrate readiness, underlayment considerations, and best practices that impact tile performance and durability.
• Included Rental Book: Setting Tile, 1995 (USED)
  A practical, hands-on tile reference that helps connect real-world installation methods to the kinds of jobsite decisions that appear in trade exam questions.
• Included Rental Book: ANSI A108/A118/A136.1:2017, American National Standard Specifications for the Installation of Ceramic Tile, 2017
  The core installation standard for ceramic tile methods and material requirements. This is a key reference for correct procedures, acceptable tolerances, and industry-defined installation specifications.
• Included Rental Book: Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tile Installation, 2017
  A widely used tile handbook that supports correct system selection, installation details, and method-based decision-making across ceramic, glass, and stone applications.
• Included Rental Book: NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Alabama General - 3rd Edition (Highlighted and Tabbed)
  The required open-book reference for the Alabama Business & Project Management exam. The highlighted and tabbed format helps you locate answers faster during study and on exam day.

Test Information and Study Materials

The Hard Tile and Stone Contractor trade exam content outline includes the knowledge areas below. These categories help you focus your studying and organize practice sessions around how PSI distributes questions:

• General Knowledge (4 items)
• Plan Reading (4 items)
• Exterior Tile Installation (4 items)
• Tile Cutting and Drilling (2 items)
• Indoor Tile Installation (15 items)
• Shower Pans (10 items, including seats, shelves, accessories, and troubleshooting)
• Shower or Tub Installation (3 items)
• Tile and Marble Restoration (2 items)
• Safety and Employee Protection (6 items)

How to study smart with open-book references: Open-book does not mean “easy book.” The exam clock moves fast, so your goal is to reduce search time. The best approach is to train yourself to recognize which book holds which kind of answer:

• Use ANSI A108/A118/A136.1 when a question asks for an installation specification, standard method, or defined requirement.
• Use the Tile Handbook when you need method selection, application guidance, system recommendations, or installation detail context.
• Use OSHA 29 CFR 1926 when questions involve jobsite safety, protections, or compliance-related responsibilities.
• Use Builders Guide to Floors when questions center on floors, structure, or substrate considerations connected to installation performance.
• Use Setting Tile to reinforce practical technique—especially for installation steps, troubleshooting, and workmanship decisions.

Practice like it’s test day: Set a timer and run short “lookup drills.” Take a prompt (example: shower pan detail, movement joint question, substrate prep scenario, safety requirement) and force yourself to find the answer inside the correct book—fast. Over a week or two, you’ll build a reliable instinct for where information lives, which is exactly what open-book exams reward.

How 1 Exam Prep Helps You Reach Your Goal

1 Exam Prep is built for contractors who want a clear, organized path from “I need to pass these exams” to “I’m ready to test with confidence.” Instead of piecing together random materials and hoping they match the exam, you get a reference set aligned with the PSI exam structure—so your study time stays focused.

Here’s how this package supports your preparation in a realistic, contractor-friendly way:

• Study organization that matches the exam: Your prep stays centered on the actual content outline and the references used to develop the exam questions.
• Reference navigation skills for open-book testing: The goal isn’t to memorize every detail—it’s to become fast and accurate at finding the right information under time pressure.
• Trade-focused review: The tile and stone references help you reinforce correct installation standards, method selection, troubleshooting thinking, and safety practices that show up on the exam.
• Business exam readiness: The included NASCLA Alabama 3rd Edition (highlighted and tabbed) supports efficient study for the Business & Project Management exam.
• Confidence through repetition: When you practice with the same books you’ll use on exam day, you reduce surprises and build consistency in how you approach questions.

FAQ

Is the Alabama Hard Tile and Stone Contractor exam open book?

Yes. The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin for Alabama General Contractors lists the Hard Tile and Stone Contractor exam as an OPEN BOOK examination, and it provides the allowed reference list for the exam.

Is the Alabama Business & Project Management exam open book?

Yes. The Alabama Business & Project Management exam is also listed as an OPEN BOOK examination, with the NASCLA Alabama 3rd Edition shown as an allowed reference for that exam.

How many questions are on the Hard Tile and Stone Contractor trade exam?

The Hard Tile and Stone Contractor trade exam lists 50 questions with 120 minutes allowed, and 70% (35 correct) required to pass.

How many questions are on the Business & Project Management exam?

The Alabama Business & Project Management exam lists 50 questions with 120 minutes allowed, and a 70% passing requirement.

Which reference books are allowed into the exam room for Hard Tile and Stone?

The PSI bulletin lists these references as allowed for the Hard Tile and Stone Contractor exam: OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926, Builders Guide to Floors (1997), Setting Tile (1995), ANSI A108/A118/A136.1:2017, and the Handbook for Ceramic, Glass, and Stone Tile Installation (2017). This package includes those titles as rentals.

Are highlighted and tabbed books allowed?

References may be highlighted, underlined, and/or indexed, and they may be tabbed with permanent tabs only. The books must be otherwise unmarked (no writing), and temporary tabs such as sticky notes are not allowed.

Does this package include the NASCLA Alabama business book?

Yes. This package includes the NASCLA Alabama, 3rd Edition business reference in a Highlighted and Tabbed format to support faster navigation during study and on exam day.

How long do I get access to the course?

You receive 6 months of course access with this Books & Courses Rental Package.

What is the refundable deposit for?

The refundable deposit helps protect the rental book inventory and supports the return process. Your deposit is intended to be refundable based on the rental return terms for your order.

Do I still have to apply with the Alabama Licensing Board for General Contractors?

Yes. Eligibility to take the examinations is determined by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors, and candidates generally must be approved before registering and scheduling their PSI exams.