The APSP Builder Education and Certification Program

YOU'RE A PRO!  HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO PROVE IT.

Stand out from the competition with your CBP Certified Building Professional® designation!

       Click here to download a brochure that details the importance of choosing a CBP

 New CBP exam prep option - online webinars - now available 24/7 in your home or office!
      

WHY BE A CBP?

• Improve your skills and knowledge through the education process
• Boost your confidence in your abilities as a pool industry professional
• Learn the most efficient ways to use your time on each project
• Maximize your career potential

These are just a few of the many benefits described by pool/spa industry professionals who have participated in the CBP Program.  Successfully completing the APSP CBP Certified Building Professional® Program also enhances the professional identity of the APSP builder member in the eyes of the consumer and can provide a competitive advantage in a challenging business environment.  The program requires that the builder adhere to strict ethical standards and have a commitment to the highest standards of workmanship and construction, business stability, and superior customer relations. This designation is held by an elite subset of pool and spa builders in the country who have met all of the program requirements and continue to advance their knowledge by participating in ongoing industry continuing education as a requirement of re-certification.  So, the real question is, “Why wouldn’t I want to become a CBP?” 

Click here to view a current list of CBP's - listed by state, then alphabetically by last name.  Note that other individuals who have passed the exam will not be listed if their company is not a current APSP member.  Only APSP members may use the CBP logo and designation.  

HOW DO I BECOME A CBP? 

The APSP CBP Certified Building Professional® Program is an education and certification program designed for experienced pool and spa builders, foremen, and contractors. You must have at least five years in the pool/spa industry and meet the continuing education requirement to qualify to participate*. Builders use the APSP Builders Manual, 3^rd Edition to prepare for an objective examination that tests both technical knowledge as well as business experience.  Purchase of the Manual is mandatory to ensure every CBP candidate has the textbook on which the exam is based – a valuable and comprehensive resource for your business.

(*Contact APSP Career Institute staff if you need assistance documenting your continuing education credit.  Manufacturer and distributor training courses, regional and chapter education meetings, online education, and trade show education programs could all qualify. )

 A CBP Exam Prep Course is available at selected locations around the country in advance of testing and is strongly recommended as a final review prior to testing. The Prep Course is held the day prior to the exam date, at the same location.  Facilitated by an industry expert, the 5 hour Prep Course covers key points from the Manual, provides sample test questions, and is conducted in an interactive manner that allows for participants to get their questions answered before sitting for the exam.  Participants then have the evening to go over their prep course notes, and then test the following morning at the same location.  Individuals who meet the experience requirement and pass the examination are awarded the CBP Certified Building Professional® designation.

NEW! Take the CBP Exam Prep Course at Your Home or Office!

A webinar-based version of the Exam Prep Course is now available as an alternative to the live sessions for those unable to get to those programs.  The course consists of 5 1-hour recorded webinars, presented by an industry expert, that can be accessed at any time wherever you have internet access.  This is the same course content that is given at the live courses - but, in this venue, you can go back and listen again!  Once you've completed the webinars, testing is generally done at your local community college test center by appointment.  A small additional proctor fee may be required at some community colleges. The webinars are only available to individuals who have applied for and been approved to take the CBP exam....so you won't find them listed for purchase with our other webinars.  Just select "webinar" on the registration form when you apply to take the test and you'll be sent the activation links with your exam acceptance letter. 

Click here to download the CBP application package to learn more about the process.

 WHEN AND WHERE CAN I TAKE THE LIVE PREP COURSE AND EXAM?

The pool and spa industry “education season” runs from November through March and so most live CBP Prep Courses and exams will be held during those months at industry conferences or in conjunction with an APSP Chapter/Region training school. The next live prep course and group exam events will be held:

Though strongly recommended, the Prep Course is not mandatory and approved applicants may take the exam at any of these exam locations without taking the Prep Course, or by scheduling an exam through the APSP Career Institute at a certified testing center near your home.  Contact the APSP Career Institute at 703-838-0083, ext. 274 for more information on this option.

HOW DO I APPLY AND REGISTER?

Submitting the CBP application form is the necessary first step in pursuing the CBP designation.  Click here to download the application package.  The document is in pdf format and details the program requirements, provides test taking advice and 25 sample exam questions, and contains both the application form you must submit to qualify for the exam and the registration form to be used to submit your fee and set your exam date/location.  You must also purchase the APSP Builders Manual, 3^rd Edition ($299/member cost, $449/non-member) in order to prepare for the exam, and may do that at any time by contacting APSP Member Services at 703-838-0083, ext. 301. 

Most applicants submit the application form together with the registration form when ready to schedule the exam.  You have two options at that point:

Register for exam only – Cost of exam is $150 at an APSP testing event (as detailed above) or $150 plus proctor fee (generally $20-40) if scheduled at a certified test center close to home. (Purchase Manual separately at the cost identified above)

Register for Prep Course and Exam – Bundled cost of APSP Builders Manual, 3^rd Edition, Live Prep Course, and Exam for APSP members is $495. Bundled cost of the APSP Builder's Manual 3rd Edition, Online Webinar Prep Course, and Exam for APSP members is $645.  The cost for non-members is $699 and $850, respectively. 

If you are unable to download the application document or have any questions at all about the program, please contact Jennifer Heinz at jheinz@apsp.org or 703-838-0083, ext. 274 to request an application or seek assistance with your questions.

 WHAT HAPPENS DURING AND AFTER THE EXAM?

The exam is held in a controlled, classroom-type setting.  Three hours are permitted to complete the exam, which is usually more than adequate time to complete the 150 question, multiple-choice exam.  The exam is “closed book” so no papers, notes or manuals are permitted to be used.  An APSP approved and trained test proctor will provide all the necessary instructions for examinees and will ensure a secure and quiet test environment.  Once the exams session is finished the exams are sent to the APSP Career Institute for grading.

Within 3 weeks of taking the exam you’ll receive your results package.  As is the standard with certification exams, the result will be either Pass or Fail, with no numeric score provided.  (However, if you do not pass, a strength/weakness report will be available should you wish to re-test, to assist you in preparing.)  When you pass, you’ll receive a letter of congratulations, a wall certificate, wallet certificate and logo patch.  Our Member Services department will also prepare a special personalized “Why Choose a CBP” certificate for your use in your sales portfolio.  You’ll receive 3 years of certification and no additional certification fees will be required until such time as you re-certify.  It will be your obligation to then start to accumulate at least 8 hours of continuing education credit each year, so that you can meet the re-certification requirement of 24 hours of credit over the 3 year certified period.  Finally, as an APSP member, if you are the first in your company to be certified, a notation will be made in our Member Locator service that your company employs a nationally certified builder.  Additional benefits and promotional materials are under development and will be available soon.

This is the year to take control of your professional development and enhance your career potential by becoming a CBP Certified Building Professional®!

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More about the Builders Manual, 3rd Edition

Applicants for the CBP Certified Building Professional® certification are required to own the APSP Builders Manual, 3^rd Edition. The manual covers a comprehensive range of topics related to residential pool and spa construction, including business and finance, insurance, preliminary planning, project layout, excavation, hydraulics, circulation and piping, filters, basic electricity, pool and spa lighting, pool structures, water features, deck work, coping and tile, safety features, heaters and accessories, interior surfaces, startups, and loss control. This 500-page reference manual is available to APSP members for $299 (product #02-600). Whether you're applying for the certification or not, you can order your copy of the APSP Builders Manual by visiting the APSP Store online or by contacting the APSP Member Services Center (memberservices@APSP.org or 703.838.0083, ext. 301).

Please check here periodically for updates/changes to your Builders Manual.

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