With your estimates on payback time, I think you might be underestimating how many things I've built around the house ;) Some examples: * At least five sets o

With your estimates on payback time, I think you might be underestimating how many things I've built around the house ;) Some examples: * At least five sets of shelves, the biggest of which was https://www.jefftk.com/p/built-in-shelves https://www.jefftk.com/p/built-in-shelves * Piano stand, so I could put my keyboard at just the right height on top of a wagon * Folding monitor/TV, that is pretty sturdy and well protected when it's away: https://www.jefftk.com/p/folding-couch-monitor https://www.jefftk.com/p/folding-couch-monitor I expect to keep doing this, and most of my tools aren't even halfway through their useful life. There are some downsides, and you're right that a professional would make a lot of these things look better, but there are also serious downsides to working with a professional aside from the cost. It can be quite hard to get them to come when you want, they may not build exactly what you had in mind since communication is hard, and some people will cheat you (https://www.jefftk.com/p/brendin-lange-is-a-scammer https://www.jefftk.com/p/brendin-lange-is-a-scammer)