Labor is often the biggest cost in a construction project. One thing I have found that helps out cutting down on the ammount of labor is using Pre- Finished products.
We have used pre-finished flooring, siding, and interior tongue and groove woods. I have been impressed with the quality of the majority of these products. Of course there are different grades and qualities of materials, there are many options out there.
Not all sidings, etc… are available pre-finished and some have to be stained by hand, but there are more options coming to the market all the time.
I love the quote “Work smarter, not harder.” And if I don’t have to pay people to brush polyurethane on to boards, it can often save a lot of $ in labor costs. The quality I have seen, of the stuff done in a controlled environment is hard to beat.