He delivered it in a plastic bag in mostly $1 bills.

You wouldn't pick a cardiac surgeon who is doing his/her first heart surgery on you. 

The listing says it is a 2BA, but the basement bathroom is a toilet in an unfinished section of the basement, and then a basin sink that's not hooked up to any water source, with a plastic tube for a drain that goes into what appears to be a shower drain.

As far as tear out goes, I try to always do as little surgery as possible to correct the problem.

We used plastic sheeting under the tile and wrapped it up on studs before sheet rock a few inches forming a water proof barrier, no way could water get the the down stairs ceiling from water on the floor.

If you need surgery you don't go to your GP, you go to a surgeon.Investor friendly agent like me are around, BUT I find we tend not to advertise we are..... here is why, in my opinion....Like most investor/realtors, I got my license mostly to facilitate my own deal. and help other investors along the way.  

Yes, my sister recently used that one on me.It's akin to the doctor who spends 12 hours in surgery on a heart transplant and when the patient survives, everybody says "Thank God!"  

Before you all go GAGA on this check with HD and ask them if this special contains Ortho Pthalate plasticizers.

If you're building from the ground up.... consider Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) homes.Essentially, you get VERY light pallets, which are like styrofoam panels that sit parallel to each other, being connected by plastic accordion doohickeys to make the "block" form. 

If it is several rooms and they need washing I usually get a helper to wash and clean while I paint and to remove tape before paint dries, clean up paper or plastic etc.