[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":114},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-emergency-repair-shortcut":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":56,"prev":112,"next":113},{"name":5,"tagline":6,"title":7,"description":8,"guideTitle":9,"guideDescription":10,"ogImage":11,"disclaimer":12,"practicePitch":13,"citationsTitle":14},"Free MHIC Training","Maryland home improvement exam prep","Free MHIC Exam Prep: Maryland Home Improvement Contractor Practice","Free, narrated MHIC exam prep: 147 real Maryland contractor scenarios, every choice explained, with the law cited where it applies.","MHIC Exam Study Guide","Every scenario in the free Maryland Contractor Simulator, written out as a practice question: the situation, your options, how each choice plays out, and the Maryland law where it applies.","/og/free-mhic-training.png","Free MHIC Training is free study material for the Maryland home improvement contractor exam. It is not affiliated with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission and is not legal advice.","The free Maryland Contractor Simulator puts you in situations like these across a 40-day contracting career, narrated, with your license on the line. No account needed.","Law and codes cited",{"slug":16,"title":17,"subtitle":18,"description":19,"maxTurns":20,"characterCount":21,"scenarioCount":22},"maryland-contractor-simulator","Maryland Contractor Simulator","Learn the law by living it.","You just got your MHIC license application approved and you're starting your home improvement business in Maryland. Navigate real contractor scenarios — contracts, permits, clients, subcontractors, and inspectors. Every choice teaches you the law through consequence, not memorization. Master all five exam areas to pass.",40,20,147,{"slug":24,"title":25},"contracts","Home Improvement Contracts",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":35,"speakerDescription":36,"speakerAvatar":37,"audioUrl":38,"choices":39,"citations":55},"emergency-repair-shortcut","Can you start emergency repairs before signing a contract?","Only the emergency itself. You can act at once to stop further damage, such as shutting off the water, but the repair work needs a written contract once the…","Only the emergency itself. You can act at once to stop further damage, such as shutting off the water, but the repair work needs a written contract once the situation is stabilized.",[32,33,34],"A pipe burst in Margaret Torres' basement during a cold snap. Water is flooding in. She calls you in a panic at 10 PM.","\"Please, can you come now? Water is everywhere!\"","Emergency work — no time for a written contract before you start.","Margaret Torres","An elderly widow who needs roof repairs. Vulnerable to high-pressure sales tactics.","/media/characters/elderly_client.png","/media/voices/emergency_repair_shortcut.mp3",[40,45,50],{"text":41,"verdict":42,"label":43,"explanation":44},"Go immediately and stop the flooding. But get a written contract signed as soon as the emergency is stabilized — before performing any non-emergency repairs","best","Correct","Emergency stabilization (shutting off water, preventing further damage) is reasonable to start without a contract. But once the emergency is stabilized, you must have a written contract before performing repair work. The emergency doesn't waive Maryland's contract requirements — it just justifies reasonable immediate action. Document the emergency, take photos, and get the contract signed the next morning.",{"text":46,"verdict":47,"label":48,"explanation":49},"Go fix everything — the burst pipe, the water damage, the drywall, the flooring. Send her a bill when it's done","wrong","Wrong","Performing thousands of dollars in non-emergency repair work without a written contract, especially for an elderly homeowner, violates Maryland home improvement law. Stopping the water = emergency. Replacing drywall and flooring = non-emergency work requiring a contract. Sending an after-the-fact bill for undefined work to an elderly widow is exactly the kind of complaint that makes headlines.",{"text":51,"verdict":52,"label":53,"explanation":54},"Tell her to call a plumber — pipe repair isn't covered under your MHIC license","partial","Partially true","Specialized plumbing work requires a master plumber's license. However, shutting off the water main to stop flooding is basic emergency response anyone can do. You could also help coordinate the emergency, call a plumber on her behalf, and handle the restoration work (drywall, flooring) under your MHIC license. Leaving an elderly widow alone with a flooding basement at 10 PM is not a good look.",[],[57,60,63,66,69,72,75,78,81,82,85,88,91,94,97,100,103,106,109],{"slug":58,"title":59,"topic":24},"sarah-estimate-visit","Is a handshake deal legal for home improvement work in Maryland?",{"slug":61,"title":62,"topic":24},"sarah-contract-details","What must a Maryland home improvement contract include?",{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},"required-contract-notice","Which MHIC notice must every home improvement contract include?",{"slug":67,"title":68,"topic":24},"contract-without-completion-date","What if a signed contract is missing the completion date?",{"slug":70,"title":71,"topic":24},"arbitration-clause","Can a Maryland home improvement contract require arbitration?",{"slug":73,"title":74,"topic":24},"no-contract-consequences","What happens in a scope dispute when nothing is in writing?",{"slug":76,"title":77,"topic":24},"scope-creep-neighbor","Does a small cash side job need a written contract?",{"slug":79,"title":80,"topic":24},"realtor-pressure","Does a $2,000 job need a written home improvement contract?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":83,"title":84,"topic":24},"estimating-challenge","Should you give a homeowner a ballpark or a written estimate?",{"slug":86,"title":87,"topic":24},"scope-of-work-unclear","How do you fix a vague scope of work before it becomes a dispute?",{"slug":89,"title":90,"topic":24},"attorney-contract-review","How should you respond when a client redlines your contract?",{"slug":92,"title":93,"topic":24},"newlyweds-contract-signing","How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?",{"slug":95,"title":96,"topic":24},"seasonal-contract-timing","How do you price a contract for work that starts months later?",{"slug":98,"title":99,"topic":24},"multi-year-project-planning","Should a multi-year renovation be one contract or several?",{"slug":101,"title":102,"topic":24},"contract-with-minor","Can you sign a home improvement contract with a 17-year-old?",{"slug":104,"title":105,"topic":24},"homeowner-fires-you","What happens when a homeowner fires you partway through a job?",{"slug":107,"title":108,"topic":24},"material-substitution","Can you substitute materials named in the contract?",{"slug":110,"title":111,"topic":24},"homeowner-provides-materials","How should you handle materials the homeowner supplies?",{"slug":79,"title":80,"topic":24},{"slug":83,"title":84,"topic":24},1792184484118]