Unless, of course, you’re into character-building experiences.

Withoutknowing the details I can not suggest which would be right to add on.Several you should pay attention to are:- Ordinance & Law: Provides additional building coverage to deal with rebuilding costIncreases due to changes in Zoning or Building laws- Personal Injury Liability: Libel, defamation of character, wrongful imprisonment, etc.

It's usually best to talk with your neighbors about your plans and get their support as one of the variance tests is that the requested relief does not cause a public health issue or alter the essential character of the neighborhood.Try googling "tests for a variance in [your state]" and talk with your local zoning department.

Can't imagine being in business with characters like this. 

There are a lot of regs, but at least they are well defined.

U can check out  ivyridgeestatescanby dot com for my 90 home project in Oregon that I did with my oregon bank and then my website for pictures of homes we built in Charleston SC which is the only market I tagged HML ( lima one) and only one time the rest were done with Ameris bank or Service first bank that is local in the market. its all about the three C's  Character Collateral and capacity..

I love the DIY approach—it adds so much character to a home.

I was curious how those of you that work with partners clearly define the roles and benefits within your entity.

its most unfortunate that you had to go through this deception and theft from someone who is considered a professional in this business. we definitely appreciate you putting the warning out about this character. as hard as it is to find a reliable experienced contractor nowadays its even harder to find one that's not a crook and a liar and that's truly pathetic.   

@Mario MoralesHow are you defining a "traditional agent"?