[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":127},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-stormwater-management":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},"stormwater-management","When does a patio trigger stormwater management in Maryland?","When it adds enough impervious surface to cross your county's threshold. Maryland's Chesapeake Bay rules are strict; permeable pavers, rain gardens, or…","When it adds enough impervious surface to cross your county's threshold. Maryland's Chesapeake Bay rules are strict; permeable pavers, rain gardens, or French drains can meet them, and some counties count existing surfaces too.",[32,33],"You're planning a large patio — 800 square feet of impervious surface. The county permit reviewer says the project may trigger stormwater management requirements because of the total impervious area on the property.","\"You might need a stormwater management plan before I can issue the building permit.\"",null,"/media/voices/stormwater_management.mp3",[37,42],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Work with the county to understand the stormwater requirements. You may need to incorporate permeable pavers, a dry well, or a rain garden to manage runoff. Adjust the estimate and timeline to include stormwater compliance","best","Correct","Maryland has some of the strictest stormwater regulations in the country due to Chesapeake Bay protection. Large impervious surfaces require stormwater management plans in many jurisdictions. Permeable pavers, rain gardens, or French drains can satisfy requirements while enhancing the project. This adds cost but it's not optional. Working with the county rather than around them keeps the project legal and your license clean.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"Use smaller patio sections with grass strips between them to stay under the impervious surface threshold","partial","Creative but verify","Reducing impervious surface to stay below the threshold can work, but verify with the county that your design actually satisfies the requirement. Some jurisdictions calculate total impervious area cumulatively (existing + new). Gaming the threshold with grass strips that will eventually be paved over won't fool an inspector. If the design genuinely reduces impervious surface, it's a legitimate approach.",[],[49,52,55,58,61,64,67,70,73,76,79,82,85,88,91,94,97,100,103,106,109,112,115,116,119,122],{"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":110,"title":111,"topic":24},"load-bearing-wall-question","What is required before removing a load-bearing wall?",{"slug":113,"title":114,"topic":24},"building-on-easement","Can you build a deck over a utility easement?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"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":113,"title":114,"topic":24},{"slug":117,"title":118,"topic":24},1792184485296]