More Hell with Remodeling

It seemed like a good idea at the time, thought that gave me no comfort during the hell that followed.
The plan was simple enough. I'd just bought a very nice, though dated, house situated beside a prestine expanse of Southwestern desert on the sunny slope of a mountain preserve. I'd have no new, or even old, neighbors obstructing my view, and could enjoy the striking scenery as well as the myriad wildlife that populated the area. My plan was to take what was already a basically sound house design, expand on it, and landscape and remodel the remainder, turning the totality into my dream home....
Sounds like a wonderful venture right? Wrong! I spent the next two years with bumbling contractors, plumbers, electricians and loafs and ended up with a lovely home and a pool that still doesn't work as it should. Talk about touching the burner. But for those of the adventerous mind or the valiant DIY-ers much like myself there's something to be said for making your own dreams. Or perhaps in my case building my dream. Following these funny annectodal stories is my "Salvation" guide, an assemeblance of FAQs and common problems with all the right answers. Trust me when I say I could have only wished and hoped for this information during my own remodeling hell.
Read and enjoy!