Totally agree. I started saying "let's work on the feel of it" instead of "this is damaged." Like last week, I had a client with dry ends and I said "the ends are feeling a bit thirsty, let's give them a drink" and her whole face changed. It's not about hiding the truth, it's just a nicer way to talk about fixing it. Makes the whole process feel more positive.

Totally agree with @umaadams, those surprise issues can ruin your whole plan. Makes you want to add a "wildlife tax" to every quote just in case.

My buddy bought this fancy new drill, said it was a total game changer. Honestly, he used it once and went right back to his old beat up one that just feels right. Tbh I think he just likes the weight of it.

My buddy did the same thing with a cheap tile saw for Arizona petrified wood. The motor burned out after three months of heavy use, and he lost a few nice pieces to bad cuts. Sometimes the upfront savings just cost you more in broken material and frustration later on.

Yeah, that one's a classic. Trail registers are full of bad intel from people who got lucky once. Stick to the map.