[reedjosh]

Adding to this, institutions make the work between free individuals all but impossible.

If I just want someone to help me plumb a bathroom, they have to have license and insurance, they need to file to be a corporation themselves, they need to file a permit to start the work, they need to have a final inspection, and they have to pay taxes on what I pay them.

On top of this supplies are becoming ever more expensive unless you're a big enough buyer, so the little company or one independent plumber can't even compete with larger companies on cost of materials and tools.

I basically do all my household remodeling myself as the cost is extremely prohibitive.