I've been down both roads, and honestly, neither is a walk in the park. Had a project once where investors got cold feet halfway through—suddenly want...

I get the appeal of leaving things to chance, but honestly, I've had way too many "creative chaos" moments turn into expensive regrets. Like when I fe...

Ha, been there myself. Found what seemed like the perfect hidden gem—cheap, secluded, great views—but turned out it was smack in the middle of a flood...

Went down this road myself a few years back. Thought homeowner's would have me covered, but when a contractor accidentally flooded the basement (long ...

Had a similar experience with veneer—looked fantastic at first, but after about 10 years, some sections started loosening up. Could've been installati...

You make a fair point about the environmental angle, but honestly, after years on job sites, I've seen both sides. I remember one project where we tri...

Had a similar nightmare a few years back when I was subdividing a lot. Thought I'd done everything by the book, but zoning and utilities couldn't agre...

I've definitely been burned by DIY enthusiasm before. A few years back, I thought I'd save a chunk of change by handling some site grading myself—rent...

Yeah, perforated pipe can definitely help, especially if you're dealing with stubborn clay. Had a similar situation a few years back—thought gravel al...

That's a fair point about contractors and suppliers. Reminds me of this one lender I dealt with a while back—seemed great at first, friendly, responsi...