I simply want to offer a second opinion should you need it.

If you build (via managing a general contractor), you should (ideally) know more about how the property was built than if you bought an existing home--you know what's behind the walls, and ideally you might avoid anything wrong with buying an existing home with issues you and your inspector didn't catch.I understand there's risk to building--it just seems right now that the risk is lower than buying an existing house--a house where you simply cannot know every detail without tearing it down to the studs and doing a complete remodel.

Are based on their capabilities rather than what is ideally offered to you (for example, if a lawyer is only licensed in Texas, they might recommend structuring in Texas even when it's more advantageous to establish, say, a Wyoming holding company, simply because they cannot facilitate the latter).Comparing this to the medical field, as discussed in this thread, physicians generally provide more consistent advice.

Even if I entertained the idea of allowing a tenant to do work on a property, I would simply pay them for work completed and they could either receive payment or apply it to the rent.

It's hard to tell simply from the information provided.

Its getting to the point where the rates almost have to be so astronomical that people simply can't afford them. 

It is simply a disclaimer of interest in property. 

It might be simply forfeiting the deposit assuming no damage to the unit or a flat fee payment in addition to the deposit.

If you have it under contract  and tell them You’ll be having the  work done in the next 2 months most of the time it’s a free estimate since they’re trying to win the business.

It can be the difference between losing money and owning a winning property.