I think instead of premarital counseling, couples should have to do a building project together. If they have gotten through it with less than 5 runs to Home Depot, less than three major arguments and without saying anything unforgivable to their partner and afterwards can forgive and laugh; then they are qualified to marry. Every project takes more than you anticipate, both in HD runs and in patience. Our mantra was "it's only a chicken coop, we don't have to live in it".
We had scored a free "playhouse" from Academy; it had been assembled, put on display and then vandalized. We brought it home in 4 sections; roof, semi-intact walls and roof. The construction was tongue and groove, held together with glue and 1x2s, then screwed together. After being kicked apart and transported much of the tongue and groove was sprung, and the screws had pulled out. Reassembling our "free" coop and putting a roof back on it was a stone b@$$t, but it did only cost about $65. I nearly called my DH an idiot, only had a few fights, and we can laugh about it now. And the girls have a fine place to sleep.