[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":88},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-chase-sarah-payment":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":54,"prev":86,"next":87},{"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},"payments-change-orders","Deposits, Payments & Change Orders",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":35,"speakerAvatar":36,"audioUrl":37,"choices":38,"citations":53},"chase-sarah-payment","How do you collect an overdue progress payment?","Send a written notice that cites the payment schedule in your contract and sets a reasonable deadline, then negotiate, and turn to legal remedies only if…","Send a written notice that cites the payment schedule in your contract and sets a reasonable deadline, then negotiate, and turn to legal remedies only if needed. Stopping work without a contract provision can look like abandonment.",[32,33],"You paid Tony out of pocket. Now you need to collect from Sarah. Her progress payment of $8,000 is two weeks overdue.","She's been avoiding your calls.","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/chase_sarah_payment.mp3",[39,44,49],{"text":40,"verdict":41,"label":42,"explanation":43},"Send a professional written notice referencing the payment schedule in your contract, with a reasonable deadline","best","Correct","Your written contract (which you properly executed) includes a payment schedule. A professional written notice creates a paper trail and references specific contract terms. If Sarah still doesn't pay, you have clear documentation for any legal action. This is exactly why proper contracts matter.",{"text":45,"verdict":46,"label":47,"explanation":48},"Stop all work until she pays — she's in breach of the contract","partial","Legal but risky","You may have the contractual right to stop work, but it escalates the situation and delays the project. Check your contract terms carefully — does it include a stop-work provision for non-payment? If not, stopping work could be considered abandonment. A written notice first is always the better approach.",{"text":50,"verdict":46,"label":51,"explanation":52},"Threaten to file a mechanics lien on her property","Aggressive","While contractors can file liens in Maryland, jumping straight to threats before a written notice is unprofessional and may damage the relationship beyond repair. Follow the proper sequence: written notice, reasonable deadline, negotiation, then legal remedies if necessary. Also ensure your contract has the proper lien notice as required.",[],[55,58,61,64,65,68,71,74,77,80,83],{"slug":56,"title":57,"topic":24},"deposit-too-large","How large a deposit can a Maryland contractor take?",{"slug":59,"title":60,"topic":24},"payment-schedule-dispute","Can you accept full payment up front for a home improvement job?",{"slug":62,"title":63,"topic":24},"deposit-refund-demand","Must you refund a deposit if the homeowner cancels before work starts?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":66,"title":67,"topic":24},"final-payment-holdback","Can a homeowner hold back part of the final payment?",{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},"payment-by-credit-card","Who pays the fee when a homeowner pays by credit card?",{"slug":72,"title":73,"topic":24},"change-order-dispute","Does added work need a written change order?",{"slug":75,"title":76,"topic":24},"change-order-blowup","Can you collect for extra work that was never put in writing?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},"rain-delay-dispute","How do you handle a weather delay past the contract completion date?",{"slug":81,"title":82,"topic":24},"insurance-adjuster-dispute","What if the insurance payout is lower than your estimate?",{"slug":84,"title":85,"topic":24},"newlyweds-budget-panic","How do you handle a client whose vision is bigger than the budget?",{"slug":62,"title":63,"topic":24},{"slug":66,"title":67,"topic":24},1792184484118]