[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":89},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-flipper-negotiation":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":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":35,"speakerAvatar":36,"audioUrl":37,"choices":38,"citations":48},"flipper-negotiation","Should you match a lowball bid to win a job?","No. A bid far below the true cost forces skipped permits, unlicensed subs, cheap materials, or abandonment.","No. A bid far below the true cost forces skipped permits, unlicensed subs, cheap materials, or abandonment. Offer a reduced scope instead, stated explicitly in the contract and still built to code.",[32,33],"You walk the property with Jordan. Your honest estimate is $38,000 for code-compliant work with permits. Jordan laughs.","\"$38K? I'll find someone who'll do it for $22K. There's always someone.\"","Jordan Price","A real estate investor who flips houses. Wants everything done fast, cheap, and 'good enough to sell.' Doesn't care about quality — cares about margins.","/media/characters/flipper_jordan.png","/media/voices/flipper_negotiation.mp3",[39,44],{"text":40,"verdict":41,"label":42,"explanation":43},"Let him walk. Someone willing to do $38K of work for $22K is either going to cut corners, skip permits, or go broke trying. None of that is your problem","best","Correct","The contractor who takes a $22K bid on $38K of work will either skip permits, use unlicensed subs, install substandard materials, or abandon the project when the money runs out. Six months later, the buyer of Jordan's flip discovers unpermitted work, and SOMEONE gets an MHIC complaint. Better it's not you. Your license is worth more than Jordan's flip margin.",{"text":45,"verdict":41,"label":46,"explanation":47},"Negotiate to $28,000 by reducing the scope — focus on cosmetics that matter for resale, skip structural improvements","Smart compromise","Reducing scope to match budget is professional. Focus on high-impact cosmetics (kitchen, bathrooms, paint, flooring) and exclude structural work that requires engineering and expensive permits. Be explicit in the contract about what IS and ISN'T included. Make sure the reduced scope still meets code for the work you're performing. A smaller job done right beats a big job done wrong.",[],[50,53,56,59,60,63,66,69,72,75,78,81,84],{"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":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":61,"title":62,"topic":24},"flipper-corner-cutting","Who is liable when a client tells your crew to cut corners?",{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},"diy-sticker-shock","How do you handle a client's sticker shock?",{"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":57,"title":58,"topic":24},{"slug":61,"title":62,"topic":24},1792184485525]