[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":113},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-material-substitution":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":55,"prev":111,"next":112},{"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":35,"speakerAvatar":36,"audioUrl":37,"choices":38,"citations":54},"material-substitution","Can you substitute materials named in the contract?","Not without the homeowner's written approval. Even an equal or better product breaches the contract if it is not the one specified, so present the…","Not without the homeowner's written approval. Even an equal or better product breaches the contract if it is not the one specified, so present the alternative, its specs, and any cost impact, and let the homeowner decide.",[32,33],"Your contract with Sarah specifies Anderson 400 Series windows for the kitchen renovation. Your supplier is backordered — 8-week wait. A comparable Pella window is available immediately at a similar price.","Swapping would keep the project on schedule.","Sarah Mitchell","A first-time homeowner who wants a kitchen renovation. Excited but nervous about hiring a contractor.","/media/characters/homeowner_sarah.png","/media/voices/material_substitution.mp3",[39,44,49],{"text":40,"verdict":41,"label":42,"explanation":43},"Contact Sarah, explain the backorder, present the Pella alternative with specs comparing both, and get written approval before substituting","best","Correct","Material substitution without homeowner approval is a contract violation. Even if the substitute is equivalent or better, the contract specifies the original material. Written approval protects you from 'I never agreed to that' disputes. Present it professionally: here's why, here's the alternative, here are the specs, here's the cost impact (if any). Let the homeowner decide.",{"text":45,"verdict":46,"label":47,"explanation":48},"Swap in the Pella windows — they're the same quality and she'll never know the difference","wrong","Wrong","Substituting specified materials without consent is a contract breach regardless of quality equivalence. If Sarah notices (and homeowners often do), you've destroyed trust. If she complains to the MHIC, you have no defense — the contract says Anderson, you installed Pella. Material substitution without written approval is one of the most common and easily avoidable contractor complaints.",{"text":50,"verdict":51,"label":52,"explanation":53},"Wait the 8 weeks for the Anderson windows — the contract is the contract","partial","Honorable but impractical","Strict adherence to the contract is safe, but an 8-week delay has real costs: extended project timeline, crew scheduling disruptions, and a frustrated homeowner. The professional approach is to present options and let the homeowner choose. Documenting the backorder and offering alternatives shows you're both honest and solution-oriented.",[],[56,59,62,65,68,71,74,77,80,83,86,89,92,95,98,101,104,107,108],{"slug":57,"title":58,"topic":24},"sarah-estimate-visit","Is a handshake deal legal for home improvement work in Maryland?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},"sarah-contract-details","What must a Maryland home improvement contract include?",{"slug":63,"title":64,"topic":24},"required-contract-notice","Which MHIC notice must every home improvement contract include?",{"slug":66,"title":67,"topic":24},"contract-without-completion-date","What if a signed contract is missing the completion date?",{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},"arbitration-clause","Can a Maryland home improvement contract require arbitration?",{"slug":72,"title":73,"topic":24},"no-contract-consequences","What happens in a scope dispute when nothing is in writing?",{"slug":75,"title":76,"topic":24},"scope-creep-neighbor","Does a small cash side job need a written contract?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},"realtor-pressure","Does a $2,000 job need a written home improvement contract?",{"slug":81,"title":82,"topic":24},"emergency-repair-shortcut","Can you start emergency repairs before signing a contract?",{"slug":84,"title":85,"topic":24},"estimating-challenge","Should you give a homeowner a ballpark or a written estimate?",{"slug":87,"title":88,"topic":24},"scope-of-work-unclear","How do you fix a vague scope of work before it becomes a dispute?",{"slug":90,"title":91,"topic":24},"attorney-contract-review","How should you respond when a client redlines your contract?",{"slug":93,"title":94,"topic":24},"newlyweds-contract-signing","How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?",{"slug":96,"title":97,"topic":24},"seasonal-contract-timing","How do you price a contract for work that starts months later?",{"slug":99,"title":100,"topic":24},"multi-year-project-planning","Should a multi-year renovation be one contract or several?",{"slug":102,"title":103,"topic":24},"contract-with-minor","Can you sign a home improvement contract with a 17-year-old?",{"slug":105,"title":106,"topic":24},"homeowner-fires-you","What happens when a homeowner fires you partway through a job?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":109,"title":110,"topic":24},"homeowner-provides-materials","How should you handle materials the homeowner supplies?",{"slug":105,"title":106,"topic":24},{"slug":109,"title":110,"topic":24},1792184484118]