Remodeling Parties Gone Wrong

I've read an article about remodeling parties "gone wrong". At these remodeling parties, the host invites friends for beer, wine, and to knock down walls of their home to make room for remodeling. These sessions have become increasingly popular, due to HGTV, DIY Network, and "Trading Spaces"/"Extreme Makeover"'s way of making remodeling look like a party, and homeowners looking for cheaper ways to upgrade their homes. While there's the obvious benefit of saving thousands of dollars, there's the likely potential for something to go wrong.

For example, one guest at a remodeling party became a bit drunk and hung a drywall backwards. In another case, a host caught his brother-in-law in time before he was about to power saw a wall supporting the house. There's also the possibility that someone could fall off a roof or hit themselves with a hammer.

Is the trade-off of saving thousands of dollars and safety/possible house damage worth it? Would you rather hire a contractor or have friends help do the work?

Read the article here: http://www.realestatejournal.com/buildimprove/20071001-saranow.html