Exercises: Module 01 — Introduction to Construction in Brazil¶

Instructions¶

Complete each exercise in order. Exercises increase in difficulty. Submit your answers by editing this file directly or committing a solutions file. No tools, materials, or special equipment required — these are knowledge and observation exercises.

Easy Exercises (1–3)¶

Exercise 1¶

Difficulty: Easy Objective: Identify construction system types

A friend tells you: "My house is older, built in the 1980s. The walls are thick and solid, and there are no concrete columns visible anywhere — the walls just run straight through at the corners." Based on this description, which construction system is most likely?

A) Alvenaria convencional (pillar-and-beam) B) Alvenaria estrutural (structural masonry) C) Wood frame D) Steel frame

Explain your reasoning in 2–3 sentences. What are the implications for renovation if your friend wants to open a large doorway between the living room and dining room?

Your answer:

Exercise 2¶

Difficulty: Easy Objective: PPE selection for specific tasks

For each of the following renovation tasks, list the minimum PPE required and briefly explain why each item is needed:

a) Mixing a 20 kg bag of cement-sand mortar b) Cutting ceramic floor tiles with an angle grinder c) Painting interior walls with acrylic latex paint

Your answer:

Exercise 3¶

Difficulty: Easy Objective: Understanding ABNT NBR norms

Match each norm number with its subject area:

Your answer:

Medium Exercises (4–6)¶

Exercise 4¶

Difficulty: Medium Objective: Plan reading and material quantity calculation

You have a floor plan showing a bathroom with internal dimensions of 1.80 m × 2.20 m. The ceiling height is 2.60 m. The bathroom has one door (0.70 m wide × 2.10 m tall) and one window (0.60 m wide × 0.60 m tall). You plan to tile the floor completely and tile the walls to full ceiling height.

Calculate: a) The floor area to be tiled b) The wall area to be tiled (all four walls, subtracting door and window) c) The total tile quantity to purchase (floor), assuming a 10% waste factor and tiles come in boxes covering 1.5 m² d) The total tile quantity to purchase (walls), assuming 10% waste and boxes covering 1.44 m² (36×40 cm tiles)

Show your calculation steps clearly.

Your answer:

Exercise 5¶

Difficulty: Medium Objective: Identifying structural vs. non-structural elements

Describe the step-by-step inspection process you would use to determine whether a wall in a house is a parede de vedação (non-structural infill) or a parede estrutural (load-bearing). What visual clues would you look for? What tools would you use? When would you stop your own assessment and call a professional?

Your answer:

Exercise 6¶

Difficulty: Medium Objective: Understanding permit requirements

For each of the following renovation scenarios, state whether you believe a building permit (alvará) would typically be required in Brazil, and explain your reasoning:

a) Replacing the bathroom tiles without changing the layout b) Adding a new bedroom by enclosing an existing open covered terrace (varanda) c) Replacing the electrical panel (quadro de luz) with a new one of the same capacity d) Demolishing an interior wall between the kitchen and living room in a pillar-and-beam house e) Painting the exterior of a house a different color

Your answer:

Hard Exercises (7–8)¶

Exercise 7¶

Difficulty: Hard Objective: Comprehensive material estimation from a floor plan description

You are renovating a studio apartment with the following layout (note: this is a text description of a floor plan):

• Main room: 4.50 m × 5.00 m, ceiling height 2.70 m
• 1 window: 1.20 m wide × 1.20 m tall
• 1 entry door: 0.90 m wide × 2.10 m tall
• 1 internal door to bathroom: 0.70 m wide × 2.10 m tall
• Bathroom: 1.50 m × 2.00 m, ceiling height 2.70 m
• 1 window: 0.40 m wide × 0.40 m tall
• 1 door (already counted above)

You will: - Tile the bathroom floor and walls completely (to ceiling) - Paint all walls and ceiling in the main room with acrylic latex (2 coats), using PVA primer first

Calculate: 1. Bathroom floor tile quantity (10% waste, tiles in 1.5 m²/box) 2. Bathroom wall tile quantity (10% waste, tiles in 1.44 m²/box) 3. Main room paintable area (walls + ceiling, subtracting openings) 4. Litres of PVA primer needed (1 coat, yield 9 m²/litre) 5. Litres of acrylic latex needed (2 coats, yield 11 m²/litre per coat)

Your answer:

Exercise 8¶

Difficulty: Hard Objective: Risk assessment and decision-making

You are inspecting a 1970s-era single-story house in a neighborhood of São Paulo. You observe the following:

• The walls at the perimeter are 19 cm thick (confirmed with a tape measure at a window reveal)
• There are no visible concrete columns at wall intersections
• The interior layout has two thick walls (19 cm) running across the center of the house, supporting what appears to be a concrete slab above
• Fiber cement roof tiles are visible on an exterior addition that was built approximately 1990

A potential buyer wants to: a) Remove the two central thick walls to create an open-plan living/kitchen area b) Cut through the fiber cement roof tiles to add a skylight

For each intervention: 1. Identify the specific risks involved 2. State what professional expertise is required before proceeding 3. Describe what you would expect a proper assessment to include 4. Note any particular safety precautions for the preliminary investigation

Your answer:

Expert Exercise (9)¶

Exercise 9¶

Difficulty: Expert Objective: Synthesis — full pre-renovation assessment protocol

Design a complete pre-renovation assessment protocol for a house you are considering purchasing for renovation. The protocol should be written as a step-by-step checklist that a knowledgeable homeowner could use before making a purchase offer.

Your protocol must cover: 1. Structural system identification (minimum 5 steps) 2. Safety hazard assessment (asbestos, lead paint, electrical panel condition) 3. Water infiltration and foundation condition assessment 4. Initial tool and PPE inventory for the anticipated renovation scope 5. Identification of which elements require professional assessment (with reasoning) 6. A decision framework: given the findings, when is the property renovation-viable vs. when does it represent unacceptable risk?

The protocol should be specific enough that someone who has read Module 01 could follow it without additional guidance.

Your answer:

Complete at least Easy (1–3) and Medium (4–6) before taking the Module 01 test.