I guess if you can sweat pipe or put sheet metal together (perhaps in a baking attic) while making phone calls, texts, forwarding documents and/or emails, etc. then you are good...Now, not every transaction is that way... 

What I’ve found is that I usually do so much research in looking for properties that I would exhaust your regular realtor.

The exceptions are generally shallow pipes (only a a few feet underground) or very long runs.

We got lucky in that the county/water district made an exception and allowed us to buy a water meter 660 feet away from our land (we already have an easement with neighboring property for this)- that's going to be a lot of digging and laying pipes but its still cheaper than a well and cheaper than bringing up the main water line for $100 a foot. 

I'm really just trying to fine out if I'm pursuing a pipe dream by going after these.

Is the galvanized pipe the problem? 

I have a 4 unit building that is older but roof, electric and plumbing/piping have all been updated in the last ten years.

I may have had some minimal damage from roof leak, broken pipe etc, but not a single claim.

Say, you put $10,000 on a $50,000 house in the Midwest and you learn that you need a new roof and furnace and that the tenant has stolen all of the copper piping before vacating the property in the middle of night. 

My understanding is that hte umbrella policy is supposed to kick in after the underlying policy is exhausted.