[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":108},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-realtor-pressure":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":50,"prev":106,"next":107},{"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},"realtor-pressure","Does a $2,000 job need a written home improvement contract?","Yes. There is no dollar threshold, so a $2,000 job needs a written contract with your MHIC number, the work, the price, dates, and the required notices…","Yes. There is no dollar threshold, so a $2,000 job needs a written contract with your MHIC number, the work, the price, dates, and the required notices, signed by the property owner rather than the realtor.",[32,33],"Victor Chen calls with an 'emergency.' His listing is going live in 10 days and the seller needs cosmetic updates — paint, new hardware, fix a leaky faucet, patch some drywall holes.","\"Don't worry about a contract for this — it's $2,000 max. Just knock it out as a favor and I'll send you three referrals next month.\"","Victor Chen","A top-producing real estate agent who refers clients to you for pre-sale renovations. Great source of leads, but pushes you to cut corners so listings go up faster.","/media/characters/realtor_chen.png","/media/voices/realtor_pressure.mp3",[39,44],{"text":40,"verdict":41,"label":42,"explanation":43},"Happy to help with a quick turnaround, but you still need a written contract — even for $2,000. You can use a simplified version, but it must include your MHIC number, scope, price, and the required notices","best","Correct","There is no dollar threshold below which Maryland's contract requirements don't apply. A $2,000 job needs a written contract just like a $200,000 job. It can be simpler and shorter, but it must contain the legally required elements: your MHIC number, work description, price, dates, and required notices. Also: the contract is with the homeowner, not the realtor. Make sure the actual property owner signs.",{"text":45,"verdict":46,"label":47,"explanation":48},"Do it as a favor — $2,000 cash, no paperwork, and collect those referrals later","wrong","Wrong","'Quick favor' jobs without contracts are MHIC violations regardless of the amount. Cash payments without documentation are also tax compliance issues. And those 'three referrals next month'? Victor says that to every contractor. Without a contract, if the seller disputes the work or the price, you have no documentation. One $2,000 shortcut can cost you your license.",[],[51,54,57,60,63,66,69,72,73,76,79,82,85,88,91,94,97,100,103],{"slug":52,"title":53,"topic":24},"sarah-estimate-visit","Is a handshake deal legal for home improvement work in Maryland?",{"slug":55,"title":56,"topic":24},"sarah-contract-details","What must a Maryland home improvement contract include?",{"slug":58,"title":59,"topic":24},"required-contract-notice","Which MHIC notice must every home improvement contract include?",{"slug":61,"title":62,"topic":24},"contract-without-completion-date","What if a signed contract is missing the completion date?",{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},"arbitration-clause","Can a Maryland home improvement contract require arbitration?",{"slug":67,"title":68,"topic":24},"no-contract-consequences","What happens in a scope dispute when nothing is in writing?",{"slug":70,"title":71,"topic":24},"scope-creep-neighbor","Does a small cash side job need a written contract?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":74,"title":75,"topic":24},"emergency-repair-shortcut","Can you start emergency repairs before signing a contract?",{"slug":77,"title":78,"topic":24},"estimating-challenge","Should you give a homeowner a ballpark or a written estimate?",{"slug":80,"title":81,"topic":24},"scope-of-work-unclear","How do you fix a vague scope of work before it becomes a dispute?",{"slug":83,"title":84,"topic":24},"attorney-contract-review","How should you respond when a client redlines your contract?",{"slug":86,"title":87,"topic":24},"newlyweds-contract-signing","How should a contract handle upgrades during the project?",{"slug":89,"title":90,"topic":24},"seasonal-contract-timing","How do you price a contract for work that starts months later?",{"slug":92,"title":93,"topic":24},"multi-year-project-planning","Should a multi-year renovation be one contract or several?",{"slug":95,"title":96,"topic":24},"contract-with-minor","Can you sign a home improvement contract with a 17-year-old?",{"slug":98,"title":99,"topic":24},"homeowner-fires-you","What happens when a homeowner fires you partway through a job?",{"slug":101,"title":102,"topic":24},"material-substitution","Can you substitute materials named in the contract?",{"slug":104,"title":105,"topic":24},"homeowner-provides-materials","How should you handle materials the homeowner supplies?",{"slug":70,"title":71,"topic":24},{"slug":74,"title":75,"topic":24},1792184484118]