[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":109},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-no-contract-consequences":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":51,"prev":107,"next":108},{"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":49},"no-contract-consequences","What happens in a scope dispute when nothing is in writing?","You usually lose. Without a written contract the MHIC typically sides with the homeowner, and working without one is itself a violation of Business…","You usually lose. Without a written contract the MHIC typically sides with the homeowner, and working without one is itself a violation of Business Regulation §8-501, whoever is right about the scope.",[32,33],"Three weeks into Sarah's kitchen renovation, a dispute erupts over the scope of work. She says you agreed to replace all the countertops. You say it was only the island countertop.","There's nothing in writing. Sarah threatens to file an MHIC complaint.","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/no_contract_consequences.mp3",[39,44],{"text":40,"verdict":41,"label":42,"explanation":43},"Do the additional countertops at your expense to avoid the complaint — lesson learned about contracts","note","Lesson learned","You absorbed the cost, but this could have been avoided entirely with a written contract detailing the exact scope. Without documentation, the MHIC typically sides with the homeowner in disputes. The cost of a proper contract: 20 minutes. The cost of this mistake: thousands in free countertops.",{"text":45,"verdict":46,"label":47,"explanation":48},"Stand your ground — you know what you agreed to, verbal or not","wrong","Bad outcome","Sarah files a complaint with the MHIC. Without a written contract, you've already violated Maryland Business Regulation §8-501. The Commission will find that you operated without a required written contract, which is an independent violation regardless of the scope dispute. You'll face a hearing, possible fine, and license action.",[50],"Business Regulation §8-501",[52,55,58,61,64,67,68,71,74,77,80,83,86,89,92,95,98,101,104],{"slug":53,"title":54,"topic":24},"sarah-estimate-visit","Is a handshake deal legal for home improvement work in Maryland?",{"slug":56,"title":57,"topic":24},"sarah-contract-details","What must a Maryland home improvement contract include?",{"slug":59,"title":60,"topic":24},"required-contract-notice","Which MHIC notice must every home improvement contract include?",{"slug":62,"title":63,"topic":24},"contract-without-completion-date","What if a signed contract is missing the completion date?",{"slug":65,"title":66,"topic":24},"arbitration-clause","Can a Maryland home improvement contract require arbitration?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},"scope-creep-neighbor","Does a small cash side job need a written contract?",{"slug":72,"title":73,"topic":24},"realtor-pressure","Does a $2,000 job need a written home improvement contract?",{"slug":75,"title":76,"topic":24},"emergency-repair-shortcut","Can you start emergency repairs before signing a contract?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},"estimating-challenge","Should you give a homeowner a ballpark or a written estimate?",{"slug":81,"title":82,"topic":24},"scope-of-work-unclear","How do you fix a vague scope of work before it becomes a dispute?",{"slug":84,"title":85,"topic":24},"attorney-contract-review","How should you respond when a client redlines your contract?",{"slug":87,"title":88,"topic":24},"newlyweds-contract-signing","How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?",{"slug":90,"title":91,"topic":24},"seasonal-contract-timing","How do you price a contract for work that starts months later?",{"slug":93,"title":94,"topic":24},"multi-year-project-planning","Should a multi-year renovation be one contract or several?",{"slug":96,"title":97,"topic":24},"contract-with-minor","Can you sign a home improvement contract with a 17-year-old?",{"slug":99,"title":100,"topic":24},"homeowner-fires-you","What happens when a homeowner fires you partway through a job?",{"slug":102,"title":103,"topic":24},"material-substitution","Can you substitute materials named in the contract?",{"slug":105,"title":106,"topic":24},"homeowner-provides-materials","How should you handle materials the homeowner supplies?",{"slug":65,"title":66,"topic":24},{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},1792184484118]