My freehand drilling days ended in an old house
I used to drill holes for outlet boxes by eye, thinking it saved time. Most guys use templates, but I saw it as extra hassle. Then I took a job in a hundred-year-old home with wavy walls. My first hole was off, and the box stuck out like a sore thumb. Fixing it meant patching drywall and redoing the run, which ate up my afternoon. The homeowner gave me that look, and I knew I messed up. Now I use a cardboard template for every box. It adds a minute, but I haven't had a callback since.