Permit process was a lot less painful than I expected too, but I get what you’re saying about keeping things simple. When I moved in, I tried to be “smart” and installed a wifi leak detector under the sink. First power outage, it went dead and I didn’t even notice until I found a puddle a few days later. Now I just check under there every week or so—low tech, but at least I know it’s working.
I’m with you on manual shutoffs. The plumber tried to convince me to go with some fancy electronic valve, but honestly, the old-school ones are easier to understand and fix if something goes wrong. And about fittings—push-to-connects are tempting for DIY, but for anything inside a wall, I’d rather deal with the hassle of compression or soldered joints. Not worth risking a hidden leak just for convenience.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a newbie, it’s that sometimes the “old-fashioned” way is just less stressful in the long run... even if it takes a bit more effort up front.