I'm a NOOB, I'm on my third batch, but my wife and my college age daughter are both a great help when sanitizing and bottling. They are both sticklers on cleanliness, temperature control, and filling the bottles to the exact right amount when filling. I credit them for my success with good batches and no bottle bombs so far, and being happy with a perfectly brewed 5% alcohol content ale.
If I was on my own, I'm be trying to make insane 8% alcohol content ales bottled in bottles with spiders and mud that would keep you on the can for three days afterwards LOL...