Would one sign up for heart surgery with a MD who had never done one before? 

Some will go with a nicer pad and a cheaper carpet.The nicer pad makes the carpet FEEL more expensive to the tenant when they walk on it.A great pad also resists wear and tear and if you need to replace the carpet the pad usually can be used again.Used to you would put a plastic membrane in between the carpet and pad to protect the pad but the plastic would slide and make noise sometimes.Now they have pads with built in protection.You are not looking for the cheapest product but the best VALUE for what you pay.It depends on the area and what kind of tenants and rent base you are working with.

My biggest mistake was thinking that I could lay down new LVP on the main floor of my last house hack, 1 month out of shoulder surgery and I quickly pivoted to a local professional.

Oil costs runs through everything due to plastic content or transportation costs.    

But you wouldnt want the "extremely gifted" medical student to perform brain surgery on you if they have never done an operation before in their life right?

I’m considering using materials such as wood, PVC, conduit, or metal pipes, combined with canvas, tarp, or plastic for the covering.

I have tried using a plastic trim piece between. the cabinets and the floor to keep them from contact smaller spills and leaks on the floor.

But I never liked "work like crazy and drive a Flintstones car and reuse plastic bags until you have $2M, and then put the entire $2M into stocks and hope for the best."

They got replaced with all black plastic ones.

I just need to have a hole dug for septic (55 gal plastic drums) like I have at my Off-Grid place.