DemoDisk hit on a raw nerve in the 'singing axle' thread. It seems like anything that you want someone to do for you, for some outrageous cost ($100/hr for a mechanic or a plumber?), usually leaves you with NO confidence that they are doing any better job than you could do yourself with a little research. This has led me to do just about everything myself, from home wiring and plumbing to computer repair. I have impossibly high standards: I want things done right. Not mostly right, but, well, RIGHT. Correctly. And precious few people of any profession are willing to take the time to do that these days. I am a mechanic, ASE cert master, and KICK ASS at what I do, but people still are skeptical of me, and defer to the judgment of their shade-tree mechanic friend to save a few dollars. So, in general, it is hard to find a good someone because when you find them, you may well not know it. When you do find one, keep them. Treat them well. Listen to what they say. If you always want to take the easy and cheap way out, you are eventually going to have to pay the piper.
-Mike