Originally Posted by
70sSanO
Having built bikes from the frame, as well as buying, unless your friend has great connections/sources/parts bins to get parts cheap, and can build the bike himself, it is almost always more expensive to build.
In my experience you build because you want something that is unique, and you really like to build them. Just building basically the same as what a mfg already specs will probably be a losing proposition.
John
This.
That said, once you've gotten all the parts and assuming you have the right tools, it shouldn't take more than an evening to assemble it.