Any home-owner would be grateful for advice from a student who completed yesterday's construction studies papers. Topics included central heating, damp-proofing, insulation and choosing floor finishes for a kitchen.
ASTI convenor Mr Noel O'Neill said the higher-level paper was well balanced. However, students may have been a "little surprised" at question 9, which asked them to draw an inspection chamber/manhole.
At ordinary level, the paper was a "little difficult", he said. Students may have been confused by question 2, which asked them to describe two different types of central heating system.
Mr Lloyd Scott, a representative of the Materials Technology and Graphics Teachers' Association, said students at Ashbourne Community School, Co Meath, were happy leaving the exam. Higher-level students were particularly pleased with the physical-science questions.
There was a good range of questions at ordinary level, though he echoed Mr O'Neill's analysis of question 2.
TUI subject representative Mr Cathal Gallagher said the ordinary-level paper "had something in it for most students". At higher level there were no surprises, though question 10 was for the more academic student.