Yikes, Ray, good luck with the house!
I'll take a stab at Venus/Pluto relationships, as I'm undergoing a Pluto conjunct Venus transit which happens to be exact today, and I've been considering this pairing for a while now, as Pluto works his ways on my Venus.
Venus/Pluto in dynamic aspect can generate a sort of obsessive/compulsive partnership, one where the relationship creates situations and circumstances that compel us to dive into ourselves and understand just why we're so obsessive about this other person. Sometimes we'll even wonder just why we're so attracted to the other, and not even have a sound logical explanation to give ourselves, aside from a sort of feeling of entering the event horizon of a massive black hole. And that black hole is playing such beautiful music, or so it sounds through the power of Venus's attractive principle, that we just cant help but get sucked in. There's a bit of karma to all this, of course, and Venus/Pluto pairings often indicate the destination is personal transformation. Sometimes it only really makes sense in hindsight, after Pluto's power has subsided (and that's not quickly, either), or we've transformed enough that we need to move on.
There can be issues of trust, jealousy, and honesty that make themselves loud and clear at times. It becomes hard, and at times near dangerous, to attempt to hide anything from the other or ourselves regarding the relationship. They either pick up on the half-truths by their intuition or use investigative means (covert or overt) to get to the bottom of things. Just as Pluto deals with investigations and revealing all that is hidden, so does the Venus/Pluto relationship function. Depth is a keyword in all it's meanings to these relationships, from psychological right down to the perversion of that word.
The soft aspects are more favorable, but the hard aspects can be much more rewarding if they are applied in positive manners. These Venus/Pluto relationships have the potential for deep transformations to take place, and for either or both parties to overcome difficult relationship issues. Pluto's influence purifies by exposing all that is maligned in anything it touches. As the relationship can take on some darker undercurrents, the natives get a chance to face parts of themselves they may not otherwise face without a Plutonian dose of compulsion. This can create tensions and highlight personal lackings, which can have a negative impact, but if both parties are open and honestly communicate the experience, and are mutually supportive, this can actually act to deepen the bond between the two in a major manner. It all depends how the natives handle the energy, whether they let it remain an damed up undercurrent where it becomes corrosive or if they actively engage the process. If one party in the relationship doesn't feel comfortable enough with the other to open up these repressed psychological patterns, which are hard enough to face in oneself let alone share them with another, the basis forms for the more corrosive expression of this energy. This is often how Venus/Pluto relationships end; one faces a Plutonian challenge of purification which is withheld from the other, which leads to an array of blockages and a notable change in the energy exchange between the individuals. Both parties feel it, things start seeming "off" and the decline begins. In relationships exhibiting Venus/Pluto energy as a primary factor, one should always remember nomatter how dark and difficult facing something is, it's better to get it off your chest than to let it fester. The fixed emotional (water) nature of Pluto makes this a serious danger. Sometimes this means revealing to your partner some things about your inner self you may rather keep hidden, but hey, that's a huge theme of Pluto: facing your darkness. By bringing these things up to the surface, the process of purification can begin in a non-corrosive manner; as the light shines upon the darkness it is transcended and resolved. In the same manner, it is important for both parties in a strong Venus/Pluto bond to avoid passing any form of judgment on the other, even if the other was to reveal a particularly distasteful part of themselves. It's important to promote acceptance and dissolution of personal guilt; guilt is the enemy of successful transcendence. One should remember their own dark side before passing judgment on anyone else; we've all got one, and the thought that any of us are angels is but a fallacy... And a dangerous one at that!
Plain and simple, the sexual potential in Venus/Pluto relationships is high; it serves as an intensive means of bonding and interpersonal connection on a soul level. Sex is more than something physical under these influences. Sex on a physical level is more of the Mars/Pluto domain, where it may be better described by the common four letter expletive, although that is sometimes what people enjoy more. All depends on the natal makeup. Regardless, Venus/Pluto serves to focus the sex act on the passive attractive ("togetherness") principle of Venus rather than the active aggressive ("alpha male") principle of Mars. This can work as a positive or negative thing depending on the desires of the people involved... But either way sexual attraction runs strong.
Overall, this pairing can be very positive if handled constructively. Much to the disagreement of some, Venus and Pluto are actually pretty good friends. How couldn't a dirty guy like Pluto be magnetized to sensual Venus? And if Venus was all about some Mars, she'd go nuts at Pluto's stamina and sheer power, making the prowess of Mars seem petty. Besides, any lady who formed from a severed phallus is sure to have an x-rated side... a very happily accepted thing in Pluto's underworld. Some say Venus is too frail for Pluto, but I disagree. Bil Tierney in his book on Pluto (in the section describing Venus from a Plutonian perspective) used the words "fiesty" and "cocksure" to describe Venus based on her mythological history, and I think he's right on target. The concept of Venus being a snow white in glass slippers is a concoction of too many Disney animations and not enough reality. Venus may be impressionable, but she's not weak. Earth Venus is represented by the bull, an extremely strong creature, and her air side by the scales, representing the triumph of fair justice and the ultimate power of balance. Neither side is by any means weak.