You may want to look into joining a syndication deal or buy a duplex just to see the mechanics of REI then scale up.

If not, there’s just no mechanism for enforcement right now with the moratorium on evictions, but it doesn’t hurt to post it.Here’s an article that even has a Florida attorney confirming you can still send out notices: https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2020/04/10/despite-notice-florida-tenants-cant-be-evicted-during-governors-moratorium-on-evictions/?

Some of the plans I reviewed do have an efficient design to accommodate the mechanicals esp if you decide to go with a crawl space in lieu of an expensive full basement. 

Don't know about KC, but most jurisdictions allow only licensed contractors to pull electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.  

Consider your tenant's complaint as a good alarm mechanism that your house could sustain structural or fire damage that a little bag from Home Depot or Lowe's could have prevented.  

My father was a mechanical engineer who developed a reputation of being prideful and difficult to work with and lost his "good" corporate job in the mid-80s.

The following are excluded from mediation (i) an unlawful detainer action (ii) the filing or enforcement of a mechanic’s lien; and (iii) any matter within the jurisdiction of a probate, small claims or bankruptcy court.

Are the mechanicals fairly new or will they need replacement in the next few years?

On the walls,in the vents, in the mechanical equipment.

. :-)The one thing I will say is that I had very few major mechanical issues back then.