Caveat Academy course · Grades 9 to 12

Construction Technology

How a house goes up, from permit to final inspection: who does what, jobsite safety, reading plans, layout and estimating, site work, foundations and concrete, wall, floor and roof framing, roofing, insulation and the plumbing, electrical and HVAC rough-in, finishes, building codes and the apprenticeships that lead into the trades. Every lesson works the math, at your own pace, with a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Career and trades courses, $79 for 18 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 12 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: The industry and jobsite safety

    Explain the roles and sequence of a building project and apply OSHA's Focus Four, ladder rules and tool safety practices to jobsite situations.

    • How a building project works
    • Jobsite safety
    • Tools and equipment safety
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Plans, measurement and estimating

    Read scaled construction drawings, square a layout with the 3-4-5 method and estimate concrete, lumber, drywall and roofing quantities.

    • Reading construction drawings
    • Measurement and layout
    • Estimating materials
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Site work, foundations and concrete

    Explain site preparation, foundation types and concrete behavior, and compute footing volumes and water-cement ratios.

    • Preparing the site
    • Footings and foundations
    • Concrete basics
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Framing

    Identify the parts of wall, floor and roof framing, compute stud counts and rafter lengths, and trace a load path.

    • Wall framing
    • Floor and roof framing
    • Loads, engineered lumber and steel
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: The building envelope and systems

    Explain how the envelope controls water, air and heat and how MEP systems are roughed in and finished, using R-value, U-factor and slope.

    • Roofing and exterior walls
    • Insulation, air sealing and energy
    • Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Finishes, codes and careers

    Plan finish sequences and inspections under model building codes, and compare pathways into construction careers.

    • Interior finishes
    • Building codes and inspections
    • Careers and pathways in construction
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 4 · Floor and roof framing

Worked example: rafter length for a 6/12 roof

  1. Building width: 24 feet, so the run is 12 feet.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Vocations · Trades & Technical$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished course in residential construction: you can put a project's stages in order and name who does each, apply OSHA's Focus Four and the 4 to 1 ladder rule, read a scaled plan, square a corner with 3-4-5, estimate concrete in cubic yards, lumber in board feet, drywall in sheets and roofing in squares, explain footings, frost depth and the water-cement ratio, frame a wall with headers, king and jack studs, find a rafter's length from its pitch, trace a load path, explain flashing, R-value, U-factor and drain slope, schedule inspections and compare apprenticeship and college paths into the trades. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 9 to 12 in or considering a construction, carpentry or architecture and construction pathway, students weighing an apprenticeship, and homeschool families who want a complete trades course. It teaches concepts, vocabulary and math; it is not a substitute for hands-on training, a teacher or supervised shop work, and it certifies no one to work on a jobsite.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 12 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Career and trades courses ($79) and the Vocations Suite pass ($99), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Trades & Technical space in Caveat Vocations.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, construction industry standards, fall protection, ladders and the Focus Four: osha.gov/construction
  2. Common Ground Alliance and 811, call before you dig: call811.com
  3. International Code Council, the International Residential Code and International Building Code: iccsafe.org
  4. U.S. Department of Energy, insulation, air sealing and R-values: energy.gov/energysaver
  5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, construction and extraction occupations: bls.gov/ooh
  6. Apprenticeship.gov, U.S. Department of Labor, registered apprenticeships: apprenticeship.gov

Construction Technology is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It teaches concepts, not hands-on skills, and does not replace safety training, a teacher or supervised shop work; take formal safety training, such as an OSHA 10-hour construction course, before working on a site. Safety rules are described in general federal terms, building codes are adopted and amended locally, and dollar amounts are examples. It does not replace a school course and awards no credit. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.