I'm not sure why they would be that much more difficult; the option also existed to begin building and approve extensions during construction (this was how Line one grew with its northern extension doing further, sooner than was initially planned; and likewise line 2, which grew from Woodbine to Keele, to Warden to Islington while construction was underway.
I frankly prefer a continuous build plan (open segment one, extend line in both directions by 2 station every 2 years for decade or more). It has proven to be a much more cost-efficient model, almost everywhere.
I would agree with the former, if I agreed with the latter.
As noted above, I see no reason the DRL could not have been extended, continuously, indeed the northern leg was already under study.
But lets not relitigate, again, my point was no more or less than basic math.