[mseepman]

I have some good friends who just did this a while ago. They were just beginning the building of their new house and though the builder wouldn't let them get most of their stuff there, they still figure they saved about $10,000. That being said, they went in prepared...had priced everything (I mean everthing) before their invite, re-priced it (took 2 2 1/2hrs) while they were there and decided it was worth it.

In the end, they told me that if you were generaling your own house build, it's a no-brainer as you can get everything...flooring, railing, roofing, siding, fixtures, appliances, etc there. Just look for it locally, pick the sku number and take it to them to match in their catalogues. Shipping and delays become the problem then, especially if it comes from the US where you have to pay duty.

I think overall this could be okay if you had nothing better to do with your time and no pressure to get the job done quickly.