...or hook up only with skilled tradesmen.

What was to have been an affordable repair to fix what I thought was a fairly recent water leak and replacement of a small section of bathroom floor has turned into a major deal with much hidden damage.

The good news is the problems, as bad as they are, were only going to get worse if undetected. Most of the problems could have, and should have been detected before I bought the house by one of several inspectors I paid, including a structural engineering firm. The problems that were detected and for which the previous owners paid to have corrected were done by a shyster who was recommended by the realtor.

Some one like me who tends to trust and who is also remarkably ignorant and unable to evaluate repairs and construction maybe ought never own a home.