doing a 1031 without using a QI

[Jackson Long]

We did a flurry of 1031 stuff a few years ago and parts went well and other parts were a hot mess.  We are getting ready to sell one of the houses and buy a different one and I don't want to pay the piper.  But I've determined the math on using QIs, in addition to the parts that were a hot mess, is such I don't want to use one.  I assumed this was like "doing your taxes" where you are taking your life in your hands without a dedicated professional- but then I read some stuff that sounded like you were LITERALLY NOT ALLOWED to do it without one.  Can someone shed some light?