For old folks, I think we did a bang-up job on our house. We contracted the outside. Steel framing, steel roof, steel outside walls. We did all of inside work except Sheetrock and cabinets. We did all plumbing, wiring, laid hardwood flooring, carpet (Wish we had done all hardwood except bathrooms). Love the hardwood in kitchen that was a suggestion of sister-in-law. Cut, routed and stained all window frames, baseboards, door frames and chair rail. Hubby first laid all tile (not ceramic) in bathrooms and did a horrible job. I relaid it and did much better job (he's good, just not at tile). There are a few things I'd do differently, but nothing major.
We worked different shifts (I worked a day job and him a night job). We lived in a camper on property with our dog. I came in one afternoon and was supposed to repaint living room wall that compressor had exploded oil onto. He had "Kilzed" it that morning. It was dark and he had reminded me to wash out the roller very well and make sure it was relatively dry before repainting. The ceiling in the room is 14 ft. I did wash the roller, shook it, etc., and came inside to start painting that section. I rolled the paint onto the wall and then saw water running down the wall. I almost cried. I was so tired. As we neared completion of house (8 months' worth), it was early January. The heater in the camper quit and I was trying to stay warm by the gas burners of the stove. I heard the heat pump warming the house. I called a friend who came down and helped me move a mattress into the house, called hubby at work and told him we had moved in. Praise the Lord we finished it and have had nine years of life in what is truly our house.