[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":89},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-rain-delay-dispute":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":55,"prev":87,"next":88},{"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":54},"rain-delay-dispute","How do you handle a weather delay past the contract completion date?","Document the rain days, issue a written change order that moves the completion date, and tell the homeowner early.","Document the rain days, issue a written change order that moves the completion date, and tell the homeowner early. Never rush structural work, such as footings in saturated soil, to meet the deadline.",[32,33],"Two weeks of unexpected rain have delayed Dave's deck project. The contract specified completion by April 15, but you're now looking at April 30.","Dave is threatening to withhold the final payment if you miss the deadline.","Dave Kowalski","A homeowner who wants a deck and basement finished fast. Impatient and wants to cut corners.","/media/characters/homeowner_dave.png","/media/voices/rain_delay_dispute.mp3",[39,44,49],{"text":40,"verdict":41,"label":42,"explanation":43},"Document the weather delays with photos and dated records. Issue a written change order for the revised completion date with a clear explanation. This is a legitimate delay beyond your control","best","Correct","Weather delays are legitimate and common in construction. The key is documentation and communication. A written change order modifying the completion date, with evidence of the rain days, protects you from claims of contract breach. Proactive communication keeps the client informed and prevents surprises. Most well-drafted contracts include a force majeure or weather delay clause.",{"text":45,"verdict":46,"label":47,"explanation":48},"Rush the work to meet the deadline — pour the concrete footings even though the ground is still saturated","wrong","Dangerous","Pouring concrete footings in saturated soil compromises structural integrity. IRC requires footings to be placed on undisturbed, stable soil. Rushing structural work to meet a deadline creates life-safety risks. When the deck shifts or fails because the footings were poured in mud, you face liability far exceeding any late-completion penalty. Never trade safety for schedule.",{"text":50,"verdict":51,"label":52,"explanation":53},"Tell Dave weather isn't your problem — the contract says April 15 and you'll try your best","partial","Poor communication","While weather genuinely isn't your fault, dismissive communication makes it worse. The professional approach is a written notice explaining the delay cause, revised timeline, and documentation. If your contract doesn't have a weather delay clause, that's a lesson for your template — add one. Proactive communication prevents disputes.",[],[56,59,62,65,68,71,74,77,80,81,84],{"slug":57,"title":58,"topic":24},"deposit-too-large","How large a deposit can a Maryland contractor take?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},"payment-schedule-dispute","Can you accept full payment up front for a home improvement job?",{"slug":63,"title":64,"topic":24},"deposit-refund-demand","Must you refund a deposit if the homeowner cancels before work starts?",{"slug":66,"title":67,"topic":24},"chase-sarah-payment","How do you collect an overdue progress payment?",{"slug":69,"title":70,"topic":24},"final-payment-holdback","Can a homeowner hold back part of the final payment?",{"slug":72,"title":73,"topic":24},"payment-by-credit-card","Who pays the fee when a homeowner pays by credit card?",{"slug":75,"title":76,"topic":24},"change-order-dispute","Does added work need a written change order?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},"change-order-blowup","Can you collect for extra work that was never put in writing?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":82,"title":83,"topic":24},"insurance-adjuster-dispute","What if the insurance payout is lower than your estimate?",{"slug":85,"title":86,"topic":24},"newlyweds-budget-panic","How do you handle a client whose vision is bigger than the budget?",{"slug":78,"title":79,"topic":24},{"slug":82,"title":83,"topic":24},1792184484118]