Food can clump together and cause clogs.Facial Cleaning Pads – Thicker than toilet paper and thus can cause problems.Dental Floss – NOT biodegradableHair – Clogs pipes in no time.Dirt – Dump it outside, not in the toilet.Dryer Sheets – Made out of synthetic materials, not biodegradable.Prescription Medicines – Destroys bacteria and contaminates groundwater.

I have not built in a very long time (almost 20 years) but the last time I did, as my own GC, I spent about $45/sf NOT including land, and that included 2x6 walls, thicker T&G plywood subs, upgraded finishes.

And maybe I need to get thicker skin.. :)  Plus I get travel fatigue and the idea of having to travel 4 more times a year kind of dissuaded me as well... but mainly it was the roster.. 

For residential a 6 mil would suffice, you're not getting a lot of high traffic but naturally the thicker the better.

Insulation between the beams and thicker sound proof drywall.Also if the floor upstairs is creaking, consider screwing the subfloor down, this can help a lot

Took me a long time to get thicker skin but I am much better off!

Be sure to choose a product with a thicker wear layer versus a Blowes or Home Cheapo variety. 

Also, SW paint is little thicker and hides imperfections very well.

All on the same circuit as the 14 gauge and a 15amp breaker that is.Disclaimer: I am not a professional electrician.Having thicker wire on a lower-capacity breaker - like 12 gauge on a 15 A breaker - is actually OK. 

You can still get some good deals in OC/LA, just a lot more people fighting for deals in OC/LA with the competition even that much thicker.