One point to keep in mind, when considering that prior thread about cutting square footage: the cut considered was about or less than 10% of the overall square footage and affected everyday living areas, rather than choosing whether or not to have a separate media room or similar occasional-use area. So consider *what* is being cut as well as how much. To opine upon the OP's original question regarding labor-intensive jobs, one must consider the proportion or amount of labor required. Laying tile is far more labor intensive than laying electrical wire. But laying the wires in 4000 sf is comparatively more intensive than for 2000 sf; also, I note that high sf houses often incorporate more advanced or complex wiring issues than in the smaller houses. Complexity =/exceeds intensity in terms of time and cost, if not in actual physical labor. One of the most expensive potentials in any build is the temptation of "change orders." At a wild guess [based upon listening to a lot of builders over the past 40 years], 99% of the change orders are unnecessary. That is, they do not improve upon the original integrity of the structure. That doesn't mean many change orders don't improve comfort or convenience, just that they weren't necessary for accomplishing the build. It is true that change orders will usually cost you several times as much as it would have if the change had been part of the original plan. If you really want to control spending, do your work in advance and don't change your mind once the build is underway. Otherwise, I think "labor intensiveness" is difficult to categorize sufficiently for comparisons. To be fair, the intensiveness must take into consideration the skill and knowledge needed as well as the physical and/or time consuming aspects. Compare laying brick to finishing drywall -- both are physically demanding and both require knowledge of the materials involved and both require a high level of skill. Yet most of us would immediately decide that masonry was far more "labor intensive", which I think may be because a big brick wall is so much more obvious than a level 5 hallway. Our perceptions have influenced our valuation of the intensity. When it comes to saving money in a build the importance is not in comparing the labor intensiveness of different skills, but in preparing all the details. It is true that if you are skilled in some aspects, you can save paying cash out because you've already spent time learning to paint or lay tile or hang drywall or whatever. It is also true that if you aren't skilled enough to please a master mason/tiler/painter/whatever, then you are wasting both time and money because the house will have a higher value if a master does the work. And on exactly the same note, if you take the time and make the effort to learn the skill, then your work on your house will often be better than a master's work... because it IS your house.

I can't believe the ones criticizing sandy for her observations. I had a friend just like what sandy has described. For some reason (being co-dependant) or other, she didn't leave him. He did just what sandy described one time. Friend and I were in her kitchen getting a meal on the table. The guys were outside and friend's husband nudged my husband and said, "Watch this." Then he proceeded to yell that he wanted an iced tea and friend was to get it for him...pronto. Well, like I say, we were busy and the guys were doing nothing. She literally almost jumped out of her skin to get him a glass of tea. I told her to tell him to come in and get it and she said, "Oh no..I couldn't do that!" My husband was livid and we never went back....but, this was just one example of what I witnessed..which I am sure is the same with sandy...just one nail in a board of nails....she was just giving an example. This friend of mine would say, "If you're going to be a door mat, you're going to get stepped on." But..she was a living example of just that. The friend is a friend...you hate to drop out of their lives because of their poor decision to live with a bum, but that's what I finally did...just dropped out. This upset her very much, but I couldn't just go on watching it...now I don't have to see it. But..maybe sandy is a better friend that I was...I think it "is" her business if she is going to remain friends with this woman...it is right that she offers help.

DH & I don't exchange gifts either, but DS gave us both wonderful gifts. This is one of mine. After 40 years without music (I recently received a cochlear implant), DS gave me an MP3 player that can be hooked up directly to my implant's processor. He took the time to download tons of songs that I remember from the late 60s & early 70s. Some of them I can't understand, but the ones I do - it's magical. DS got the idea when he heard me listening to the song by DeeDee99's DH here on GW. We know another couple that exchange only stockings. They put Scrabble letters in a hat & each pull one, but keep their letter secret. The stocking they make for their spouse must contain only things that begin with that letter. Merry Christmas everyone.

I've never used one either. As has been mentioned, the seed contains all the nutrition the new plant needs for a short term until the roots develop. If you apply starter at the same time as the seed, the fertilizer will wash away before the grass roots have time to use it. Fertilizing bare soil makes no sense...unless you are using organic fertilizer.