2021 International Building Code

This code applies to all buildings except detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses up to three stories. The 2021 IBC® contains many important changes such as:

• Puzzle rooms (escape rooms) are now defined and regulated as special amusement areas, requiring compliance with Section 411 and special means of egress requirements.
• For the purposes of determining the allowable number of control areas in a building, each portion separated by one or more fire walls is now considered as a separate building.
• In Group E occupancies, enhanced classroom acoustics in compliance with ICC A117.1 are to be provided in all classrooms having of volume of 20,000 cubic feet or less.
• The requirements for metal composite materials and systems (MCM) installed on the exterior walls of Types I, II, III and IV construction were simplified and sprinkler allowances were deleted
• The use of intermodal shipping containers as buildings is now specifically addressed through provisions intended to supplement existing applicable IBC requirements.
• Automatic sprinkler protection is now required in Group S-2 open parking garages where any fire area exceeds 48,000 square feet.
• The 2017 edition of ICC A117.1 was adopted.
• Parapets of a minimum height are now required for aggregate-surfaced roofs to prevent blow-off.
• Mixed occupancy buildings with assembly spaces are placed in Risk Category III when the total public assembly occupant load is greater than 2500 people.
• The 2021 IBC snow map is updated to match ASCE 7-16 snow maps by adding a reference to ASCE 7 snow tables in states with large case study areas.
• Secondary rain loads are updated to be consistent with ASCE 7.
• Special inspection requirements were added to address the anchorage and connection of mass timber structural elements.
• Installation of firestop, fire-resistant joint systems and perimeter fire barrier systems in residential-use buildings now requires special inspection in Group R fire areas having an occupant load exceeding 250 people.
• Frost protection for egress doors was added to the foundation requirements.
• ACI standards ACI 117 and ITG 7 were added by reference to provide acceptable tolerances for concrete construction.
• Three new types of construction (Types IV-A, IV-B, and IV-C) allow mass timber buildings of taller heights, more stories above grade, and greater allowable areas compared to existing provisions for heavy timber buildings.

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:

1. Table of Contents – Identify the general section
2. Precision Tabs – Jump directly to the exact topic
3. 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!