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Subjects · Leaving Cert Construction Studies

Leaving Cert Construction Studies: House design & room layout

How often House design & room layout comes up on the Construction Studies papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

OL Asked on 6 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

June 2028 is the first exam on the new Construction Studies course. These come from the 2016–2025 papers, so read them as a guide.

House design & room layout, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on House design & room layout.

(a)Best orientation for the main living spaces of an Irish house?
  1. North to north-east
  2. South to south-west
  3. East to north-east
(b)Rooms best placed on the north side of a house?
  1. Kitchen-dining and conservatory
  2. Living room and sunroom
  3. Utility, stores and bathrooms
(c)Why do designers often place bedrooms or the kitchen on the east?
  1. They get morning sun at waking and breakfast time
  2. It keeps them free of all solar gain during the day
  3. They get the strong evening sun for sleeping
Show the answers

(a) South to south-west

(b) Utility, stores and bathrooms

(c) They get morning sun at waking and breakfast time

Your turn: Higher Level questions on House design & room layout.

Higher Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q3
2024Q3
2023Q3
2022Q3
2021Q3
2019Q3
2018Q3
2017Q3
2016Q3

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More House design & room layout questions

House design & room layout, 2 marks

Usual scale for a house floor plan?

  1. 1:1
  2. 1:2500
  3. 1:50 or 1:100
Show the answer

1:50 or 1:100

At 1:50 or 1:100 a whole floor fits on a sheet with room names and dimensions. 1:5 or 1:10 suits construction details, and much smaller scales suit site maps.

House design & room layout, 2 marks

What is the work triangle in kitchen design?

  1. Window, door and hob lined up in one straight row
  2. Sink, cooker and fridge placed close together
  3. A triangular island unit in the middle
Show the answer

Sink, cooker and fridge placed close together

Keeping the three main work points within a short walk of each other, with no through-traffic crossing them, makes cooking safer and less tiring.

House design & room layout, 2 marks

Why is a draught lobby useful at the main entrance?

  1. Cuts heat loss when the outer door opens
  2. It acts as a second fire escape route from the hall
  3. It keeps radon out of the hall floor
Show the answer

Cuts heat loss when the outer door opens

With two doors and a small space between them, warm air is not lost each time someone comes in. It also gives room for coats and muddy boots.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 6 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q7, Q9
2024Q7, Q9
2023Q7
2022Q4, Q7, Q9
2021Q7, Q8d, Q9
2019Q7, Q9
2018Not asked
2017Not asked
2016Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More House design & room layout questions

House design & room layout, 3 marks

On a plan drawn to a scale of 1:100, 1 cm on the drawing stands for what real length?

  1. 10 cm
  2. 10 m
  3. 1 m
Show the answer

1 m

1:100 means the real thing is 100 times bigger. 1 cm × 100 = 100 cm, which is 1 m. House plans are often drawn at 1:100 or 1:50.

House design & room layout, 3 marks

Best place in a house plan for a utility room?

  1. Between the front door and the living room
  2. Beside the kitchen, near the back door
  3. Off the main bedroom
Show the answer

Beside the kitchen, near the back door

Laundry and outdoor jobs start at the back door and link to the kitchen. Grouping these rooms also keeps water pipes and waste runs short.

House design & room layout, 3 marks

Advantage of an open-plan kitchen and living area?

  1. A brighter, more sociable space
  2. Cooking smells stay in the kitchen
  3. Better sound insulation between rooms
Show the answer

A brighter, more sociable space

With fewer walls, daylight from several windows spreads through the space and the family can talk while cooking. Noise and smells are the downside.

Other Construction Studies topics

All of Leaving Cert Construction Studies