[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":110},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-estimating-challenge":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":52,"prev":108,"next":109},{"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":34,"speakerDescription":34,"speakerAvatar":34,"audioUrl":35,"choices":36,"citations":51},"estimating-challenge","Should you give a homeowner a ballpark or a written estimate?","A detailed written estimate. It lets the homeowner compare contractors and leads into a contract that must state the total price or how it is calculated.","A detailed written estimate. It lets the homeowner compare contractors and leads into a contract that must state the total price or how it is calculated. A verbal ballpark is not illegal, but it breeds disputes.",[32,33],"A potential client asks for a written estimate for a bathroom renovation. She wants to compare three contractors.","\"Just ballpark it — I don't need anything fancy. What are we looking at?\"",null,"/media/voices/estimating_challenge.mp3",[37,42,47],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Provide a detailed written estimate breaking down materials, labor, permits, and contingency. Explain that the final price will be in the contract","best","Best practice","A detailed written estimate demonstrates professionalism and helps the homeowner make an informed comparison. Under Maryland law, the contract must include the total price or method of calculation. Starting with a thorough estimate sets the tone. Include: demolition, plumbing, electrical, fixtures, tile, labor, permits, and a contingency for unknowns.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"Give her a verbal range over the phone — \"somewhere between $15K and $25K\"","partial","Risky","A $10K range doesn't help her compare contractors and suggests you haven't thought through the scope. While verbal estimates aren't illegal, they can create misunderstandings that lead to disputes later. If she remembers '$15K' and you come in at $24K, you've already lost trust. Written estimates are always better.",{"text":48,"verdict":39,"label":49,"explanation":50},"Tell her you need to see the bathroom first before giving any numbers","Acceptable","Refusing to estimate without seeing the space is honest and professional. Bathrooms vary wildly in scope. However, you could still provide typical ranges for similar projects to show expertise while scheduling the site visit. The key: always get the written estimate right before signing the contract.",[],[53,56,59,62,65,68,71,74,77,80,81,84,87,90,93,96,99,102,105],{"slug":54,"title":55,"topic":24},"sarah-estimate-visit","Is a handshake deal legal for home improvement work in Maryland?",{"slug":57,"title":58,"topic":24},"sarah-contract-details","What must a Maryland home improvement contract include?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},"required-contract-notice","Which MHIC notice must every home improvement contract include?",{"slug":63,"title":64,"topic":24},"contract-without-completion-date","What if a signed contract is missing the completion date?",{"slug":66,"title":67,"topic":24},"arbitration-clause","Can a Maryland home improvement contract require arbitration?",{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},"no-contract-consequences","What happens in a scope dispute when nothing is in writing?",{"slug":72,"title":73,"topic":24},"scope-creep-neighbor","Does a small cash side job need a written contract?",{"slug":75,"title":76,"topic":24},"realtor-pressure","Does a $2,000 job need a written home improvement contract?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},"emergency-repair-shortcut","Can you start emergency repairs before signing a contract?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":82,"title":83,"topic":24},"scope-of-work-unclear","How do you fix a vague scope of work before it becomes a dispute?",{"slug":85,"title":86,"topic":24},"attorney-contract-review","How should you respond when a client redlines your contract?",{"slug":88,"title":89,"topic":24},"newlyweds-contract-signing","How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?",{"slug":91,"title":92,"topic":24},"seasonal-contract-timing","How do you price a contract for work that starts months later?",{"slug":94,"title":95,"topic":24},"multi-year-project-planning","Should a multi-year renovation be one contract or several?",{"slug":97,"title":98,"topic":24},"contract-with-minor","Can you sign a home improvement contract with a 17-year-old?",{"slug":100,"title":101,"topic":24},"homeowner-fires-you","What happens when a homeowner fires you partway through a job?",{"slug":103,"title":104,"topic":24},"material-substitution","Can you substitute materials named in the contract?",{"slug":106,"title":107,"topic":24},"homeowner-provides-materials","How should you handle materials the homeowner supplies?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},{"slug":82,"title":83,"topic":24},1792184484118]