[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":82},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-final-payment-holdback":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":48,"prev":80,"next":81},{"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":34,"speakerAvatar":34,"audioUrl":35,"choices":36,"citations":47},"final-payment-holdback","Can a homeowner hold back part of the final payment?","Not without a contractual basis. If the final payment is due at completion, a vague \"just in case\" holdback is not the homeowner's right.","Not without a contractual basis. If the final payment is due at completion, a vague \"just in case\" holdback is not the homeowner's right. Do a walkthrough, fix any punch-list items, then collect what the contract says.",[32,33],"The project is 100% complete and passed final inspection. The homeowner owes a final payment of $6,000 but says they're holding back $2,000 'until they're sure everything is fine.'","\"I'll pay the rest in 30 days if nothing goes wrong.\"",null,"/media/voices/final_payment_holdback.mp3",[37,42],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Refer to your contract's payment terms. The final payment is due upon completion and inspection. Offer a formal punch list walkthrough — if there are legitimate concerns, document and address them. But 'just in case' is not a contract term","best","Correct","Your contract specifies payment milestones. If the final payment is due at completion and inspection, it's due now. A vague 'just in case' holdback is not a contractual right. However, the professional approach is: conduct a formal walkthrough, create a punch list if items exist, fix them, and collect payment. If the homeowner has no specific concerns but simply won't pay, your contract and small claims court are your remedies.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"Accept the $2,000 holdback — it's easier than fighting about it","partial","Sets bad precedent","Accepting a holdback without contractual basis teaches clients that final payments are negotiable. If you routinely let clients hold back 15-30% 'just in case,' your cash flow suffers and it becomes expected. Better to address it professionally: walkthrough, punch list, resolution, payment. Your contract is the agreement — enforce it politely but firmly.",[],[49,52,55,58,61,62,65,68,71,74,77],{"slug":50,"title":51,"topic":24},"deposit-too-large","How large a deposit can a Maryland contractor take?",{"slug":53,"title":54,"topic":24},"payment-schedule-dispute","Can you accept full payment up front for a home improvement job?",{"slug":56,"title":57,"topic":24},"deposit-refund-demand","Must you refund a deposit if the homeowner cancels before work starts?",{"slug":59,"title":60,"topic":24},"chase-sarah-payment","How do you collect an overdue progress payment?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":63,"title":64,"topic":24},"payment-by-credit-card","Who pays the fee when a homeowner pays by credit card?",{"slug":66,"title":67,"topic":24},"change-order-dispute","Does added work need a written change order?",{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},"change-order-blowup","Can you collect for extra work that was never put in writing?",{"slug":72,"title":73,"topic":24},"rain-delay-dispute","How do you handle a weather delay past the contract completion date?",{"slug":75,"title":76,"topic":24},"insurance-adjuster-dispute","What if the insurance payout is lower than your estimate?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},"newlyweds-budget-panic","How do you handle a client whose vision is bigger than the budget?",{"slug":59,"title":60,"topic":24},{"slug":63,"title":64,"topic":24},1792184484118]