My wife is a worker. She actually did wash every river rock. When we built the foundation of our house, I laid the cement blocks, and she mixed all the concrete mortar by hand in a wheelbarrow. We did all of our plumbing, copper water lines and PVC waste and vent. Did so much more but the major electrical was by contractor.
The fact that you were able to mount them up is really good. That clearance looks like a lot to me. I wouldn't think the gas in the struts would hold the rear of the car up that much with stock struts but maybe it does. I measured the distance from the tire to the lip on the finder like you did and I only got about 2-1/4". But, my car has 225/60-16 tires on it so that might not be a good comparison. Do you have the stock tires and wheels on your Reatta?