{"id":1979,"slug":"rule-r3-no-diy-time-investment-as-fact","title":"R3 — Do not publish a DIY-builder time-investment number as fact","kind":"rule","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","candid-team"],"topics":["page-builders","editorial-discipline","bespoke-build-economics"],"reference_body":"**Rule:** Never publish a DIY-builder time-investment estimate as a fact. State **\"no reliable independent data\"** and cite only the conflicted range with its conflicts explicitly named (builders minimize, agencies maximize).\n\n**Why:** Every published estimate is from a commercially conflicted source; no rigorous independent study isolating owner build/maintenance hours exists. See [[diy-time-investment-no-reliable-data-conflicts]].\n\n**How to apply:** If a client asks \"how long will it take me to build my own site on Wix?\", the honest answer names the gap, names the range, names the incentives, and does not commit to a number.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"diy-time-investment-no-reliable-data-conflicts","title":"DIY-builder time investment — estimates range from \"a weekend\" to 190–400 hours; every source conflicted","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-diy-page-builder-effectiveness-longevity-june-2026","title":"Research brief: effectiveness and longevity of DIY / page-builder websites for SMBs (June 2026)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-06-23T12:08:39.406Z","updated_at":"2026-06-23T12:08:39.406Z"}