Replying to How Hard is Boot-fitting Really?

Background; I live in SoCal where ski boot knowledge is pretty limited. The closest "reputable" ski shops would be up in Mammoth or Tahoe, a 6+ hour drive.

I do however have a pretty good understanding of plastics, foams, physics and have tools available to punch out new boots, mold liners, make custom foot-beds, etc.

So asking all the legitimate boot-fitters, how hard is it really? Am I truly going to get a better fit in a single sitting with a good boot-fitter, or am I better off making tweaks and changes myself over time to get the fit I want.

I would honestly consider taking a boot fitting course to dial in my own fit, so recommendations there are welcome as well.