[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":127},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-load-bearing-wall-question":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":48,"prev":125,"next":126},{"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},"permits-codes","Permits, Inspections & Building Codes",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":34,"speakerAvatar":34,"audioUrl":35,"choices":36,"citations":47},"load-bearing-wall-question","What is required before removing a load-bearing wall?","A structural engineer's design, a permit, and inspections. The engineer confirms the wall carries load, sizes the replacement beam, specifies temporary…","A structural engineer's design, a permit, and inspections. The engineer confirms the wall carries load, sizes the replacement beam, specifies temporary shoring, and checks the foundation can take the new point loads.",[32,33],"The homeowner wants to remove a wall between the kitchen and living room to create an open floor plan. \"My friend did it in their house — just knocked it out with a sledgehammer over a weekend.\"","You suspect it's load-bearing based on its position relative to the roof ridge and floor joists above.",null,"/media/voices/load_bearing_wall_question.mp3",[37,42],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Explain that removing a potentially load-bearing wall without engineering analysis can cause structural failure — sagging floors, cracked walls, or roof collapse. You need a structural engineer's assessment and a permit before touching it","best","Correct","Removing a load-bearing wall without proper engineering is one of the most dangerous things a contractor can do. A structural engineer determines: (1) whether the wall is load-bearing; (2) what loads it carries; (3) what size beam/header replaces it; (4) what temporary shoring is needed during construction; (5) whether the foundation can handle concentrated point loads from new posts. The permit and inspection ensure the work is done safely. Her friend got lucky — or hasn't noticed the damage yet.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"You've been doing this long enough to tell if a wall is load-bearing. No need for an engineer — just size up a big header and you're fine","wrong","Dangerous","Experience helps identify POTENTIAL load-bearing walls, but it doesn't replace engineering calculations for beam sizing, load paths, and foundation adequacy. The IRC requires engineered design for structural modifications. If you undersize the header, the failure may not be immediate — it could be a slow sag that becomes catastrophic months or years later. An engineer's stamp costs $500-1,000. A structural failure lawsuit costs hundreds of thousands.",[],[49,52,55,58,61,64,67,70,73,76,79,82,85,88,91,94,97,100,103,106,109,110,113,116,119,122],{"slug":50,"title":51,"topic":24},"sarah-permit-question","Who is responsible for permits on a Maryland home improvement job?",{"slug":53,"title":54,"topic":24},"dave-wants-no-permit","Can you skip permits if the homeowner asks you to?",{"slug":56,"title":57,"topic":24},"dave-comes-around","How do you build permit costs into a contract?",{"slug":59,"title":60,"topic":24},"permit-exemptions","Which home projects need a permit in Maryland?",{"slug":62,"title":63,"topic":24},"property-manager-volume","Do cosmetic bathroom refreshes in rentals need permits?",{"slug":65,"title":66,"topic":24},"unpermitted-work-discovered","What happens when an inspector finds work without a permit?",{"slug":68,"title":69,"topic":24},"dave-deck-problem","What is your liability when unpermitted work fails?",{"slug":71,"title":72,"topic":24},"inspection-day","How should you handle a problem the inspector finds?",{"slug":74,"title":75,"topic":24},"permit-inspection-sequence","Why do building inspections happen in stages?",{"slug":77,"title":78,"topic":24},"building-dept-permit-rush","How do you get a building permit approved faster?",{"slug":80,"title":81,"topic":24},"fire-blocking-code","Where is fire blocking required under IRC R302.11?",{"slug":83,"title":84,"topic":24},"egress-window-requirement","When does a basement bedroom need an egress window?",{"slug":86,"title":87,"topic":24},"smoke-detector-requirements","Where are smoke alarms required after a renovation?",{"slug":89,"title":90,"topic":24},"gfci-requirements","Can a homeowner refuse GFCI outlets in the kitchen?",{"slug":92,"title":93,"topic":24},"handrail-dispute","When does a deck stairway need a handrail?",{"slug":95,"title":96,"topic":24},"bathroom-ventilation","Does a bathroom need an exhaust fan under the IRC?",{"slug":98,"title":99,"topic":24},"deck-ledger-connection","How must a deck ledger be attached to the house?",{"slug":101,"title":102,"topic":24},"energy-code-compliance","How is energy code compliance checked on an addition?",{"slug":104,"title":105,"topic":24},"accessibility-code-requirements","Does the ADA apply to a single-family bathroom remodel?",{"slug":107,"title":108,"topic":24},"retaining-wall-height","When does a retaining wall need an engineered design?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":111,"title":112,"topic":24},"building-on-easement","Can you build a deck over a utility easement?",{"slug":114,"title":115,"topic":24},"stormwater-management","When does a patio trigger stormwater management in Maryland?",{"slug":117,"title":118,"topic":24},"hoa-interference","Does a building permit override HOA approval?",{"slug":120,"title":121,"topic":24},"abandoned-project","How do you take over a job another contractor abandoned?",{"slug":123,"title":124,"topic":24},"diy-disaster-assessment","How do you assess a homeowner's failed DIY renovation?",{"slug":107,"title":108,"topic":24},{"slug":111,"title":112,"topic":24},1792184485287]