[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":80},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-question-maryland-contractor-simulator-mold-discovery":3},{"site":4,"simulation":15,"topic":23,"question":26,"siblings":52,"prev":78,"next":79},{"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},"safety-hazards","Job-Site Safety & Hazardous Materials",{"slug":27,"title":28,"description":29,"takeaway":30,"situation":31,"speaker":34,"speakerDescription":34,"speakerAvatar":34,"audioUrl":35,"choices":36,"citations":51},"mold-discovery","What should you do when demolition uncovers mold?","Stop work in that area, photograph it, tell the homeowner at once, and get a professional assessment and certified remediation before resuming.","Stop work in that area, photograph it, tell the homeowner at once, and get a professional assessment and certified remediation before resuming. Cover the added cost with a written change order; never tile over it.",[32,33],"While demolishing a bathroom wall, your crew discovers significant black mold behind the tile — likely from a slow leak that went undetected for years. The homeowner's contract is for a cosmetic bathroom renovation.","The mold remediation will add $4,000-6,000 to the project.",null,"/media/voices/mold_discovery.mp3",[37,42,47],{"text":38,"verdict":39,"label":40,"explanation":41},"Stop work in the affected area, document the mold with photos, inform the homeowner, and explain that professional mold remediation is needed before you can continue. Write a change order for the additional scope","best","Correct","Concealed mold is a changed condition that requires immediate disclosure and professional remediation. Do not disturb it further — mold spores become airborne when disturbed. You need: (1) stop work in affected area; (2) photo documentation; (3) immediate homeowner notification; (4) professional mold assessment; (5) certified mold remediation before you resume. A written change order covers the additional cost. Hiding mold behind new tile is negligent and creates massive future liability.",{"text":43,"verdict":44,"label":45,"explanation":46},"Spray it with bleach, install new moisture barrier and tile over it — the new waterproofing will prevent future growth","wrong","Dangerous and negligent","Bleach doesn't kill mold on porous materials like drywall and wood. Tiling over active mold traps moisture and allows continued growth behind the wall. When the homeowner or a future buyer discovers mold spreading behind your 'renovation,' you face: health liability (mold causes respiratory illness), construction defect lawsuit, MHIC complaint, and potential fraud charges for knowingly concealing a hazardous condition.",{"text":48,"verdict":44,"label":49,"explanation":50},"Tell the homeowner you found something but it's 'probably just mildew' and offer to clean it up yourself","Wrong","You cannot visually distinguish between mildew and toxic black mold. Downplaying the discovery to avoid a change order is dishonest and puts the homeowner at risk. Professional mold assessment is needed to determine the species and extent. If it's Stachybotrys (toxic black mold), improper handling exposes your crew and the homeowner to serious health hazards. Disclose, assess, remediate professionally.",[],[53,56,59,62,63,66,69,72,75],{"slug":54,"title":55,"topic":24},"safety-violation-site","When does OSHA require guardrails on scaffolding?",{"slug":57,"title":58,"topic":24},"lead-paint-discovery","What does the EPA RRP rule require when you find lead paint?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},"asbestos-in-basement","Can you remove suspected asbestos during a renovation?",{"slug":27,"title":28,"topic":24},{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},"disposal-of-materials","How must renovation debris be disposed of?",{"slug":67,"title":68,"topic":24},"winter-weather-damage","Are you liable for weather damage to an unprotected job?",{"slug":70,"title":71,"topic":24},"snow-ice-liability","Are you liable when someone slips on ice at your job site?",{"slug":73,"title":74,"topic":24},"neighbor-complaint","What hours can construction start in a Maryland neighborhood?",{"slug":76,"title":77,"topic":24},"neighbor-property-damage","What should you do when your crew damages a neighbor's property?",{"slug":60,"title":61,"topic":24},{"slug":64,"title":65,"topic":24},1792184485406]