[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":89},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-diy-sticker-shock":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":49,"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},"running-your-business","Running a Compliant Business",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":29,"situation":30,"speaker":33,"speakerDescription":34,"speakerAvatar":35,"audioUrl":36,"choices":37,"citations":48},"diy-sticker-shock","How do you handle a client's sticker shock?","Give them time and your documented assessment with photos, and let them compare other estimates. Do not cut the price below what code-compliant work costs.",[31,32],"Your estimate to demolish Carl's work and rebuild properly: $42,000. Carl nearly has a stroke.","\"$42,000?! I already spent $8,000 on materials! You contractors are all the same — just trying to rip people off. I'll find someone who'll work with what I've got.\"","Carl Brennan","A retired engineer who started a renovation himself, made it worse, and is now calling you to fix it. Convinced he knows more than you but clearly doesn't. His 'DIY' work is a code nightmare.","/media/characters/diy_disaster.png","/media/voices/diy_sticker_shock.mp3",[38,43],{"text":39,"verdict":40,"label":41,"explanation":42},"Let him shop around. Give him a copy of your assessment with photos showing code violations. Suggest he get two more estimates so he can see the pricing is consistent. Leave the door open","best","Professional","Carl needs to process the sticker shock. Pushing him now will feel like a hard sell. Your documented assessment with photos gives him something concrete to show other contractors — who will tell him the same thing. When the third contractor says '$40-45K,' Carl will realize you were honest, not expensive. The ones who say '$15K, I'll work with what you've got' are the ones who'll put their license (or his safety) at risk.",{"text":44,"verdict":45,"label":46,"explanation":47},"Lower your price to keep the job — maybe you can save some of his framing if you reinforce it","wrong","Compromising code","2x3 framing can't be 'reinforced' into 2x4 code compliance. Lowering your price means either cutting corners or losing money. If you reinforce non-compliant framing and the inspector rejects it, you demo and rebuild anyway — at your cost. Never let a client's budget pressure override code requirements. Your estimate is what proper work costs. Period.",[],[50,53,56,59,62,65,66,69,72,75,78,81,84],{"slug":51,"title":52,"topic":24},"record-keeping","What records should a Maryland contractor keep?",{"slug":54,"title":55,"topic":24},"concurrent-projects-limit","How many projects can you take on before quality suffers?",{"slug":57,"title":58,"topic":24},"flipper-fast-and-cheap","How do you estimate honestly for a flipper on a tight budget?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},"flipper-negotiation","Should you match a lowball bid to win a job?",{"slug":63,"title":64,"topic":24},"flipper-corner-cutting","Who is liable when a client tells your crew to cut corners?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":67,"title":68,"topic":24},"diy-comes-back","How should you structure a payment plan for a returning client?",{"slug":70,"title":71,"topic":24},"attorney-project-management","Are weekly progress reports worth the effort?",{"slug":73,"title":74,"topic":24},"veteran-accessibility","What grants help disabled veterans pay for home modifications?",{"slug":76,"title":77,"topic":24},"contractor-mental-health","How does contractor burnout lead to MHIC complaints?",{"slug":79,"title":80,"topic":24},"final-exam-prep","What is the most important thing to know for the MHIC exam?",{"slug":82,"title":83,"topic":24},"the-right-way-summary","What one habit keeps contractors out of trouble with the MHIC?",{"slug":85,"title":86,"topic":24},"graduation-scenario","What advice would you give a newly licensed Maryland contractor?",{"slug":63,"title":64,"topic":24},{"slug":67,"title":68,"topic":24},1792184485537]