I know this has probably been beaten to death over the years but I'm having trouble deciding which route to take. I'm fairly new(ish) in the 1911 game but I have had a Loaded Springfield in the past and currently own (for the past 3 years) a TRP that was worked over by Nighthawk.

The TRP / Nighthawk is awesome. It's the best shooting pistol I own, and my favorite to take to the range when I can afford to buy more ammo.

I have an idea in my head of what I want, at least on the outside: Stainless frame and slide, Ivory grips, modern sights, single short safety, front strap and back strap checkering. Kinda of like Nighthawk's VIP, but not $8k. Kinda going for that Texas Ranger BBQ gun look, just not as ornate, and something that I can take to the range or run in some matches without a worry.

I'm leaning towards a ground up build just so I can have control over every single piece and detail, but an existing gun would be the cheaper alternative. My only drawback is I'm not overly impressed with current Colts and I've already got a Springer.

All advice is welcome. Hate to sound like a douche but money isn't really the issue, it's getting exactly what I want for the money.

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Call Dan Wesson their custom shop is supposed to be pretty accommodating and the pistols are very well made. You'll probably need to acquire the ivory grips separately.

Personally I would use a Mil Spec springer as a base gun. If not get a JEM frame with Caspian slide for full build. I prefer the springer over the colt if doing a build because you usually don't have to weld up the frame rails a colt you will. Also the Colt series 70 is more money for parts your not going to use anyway and also have to pay to have ejection port lowered and flared on a colt.. And as a base gun there is nothing superior about it..

Buy a Caspian fitted slide and frame and build what you want exactly

Call Les Baer and order a slide, frame and barrel.  If you're going to start from scratch then start off tight and shooting straight.

Baer 1911 Concept VI, just request a single safety and purchase some ivory grips.

Call Roberts defense. They do production and custom 1911s.
 All hand fit one gun one gunsmith start to finish. And reasonably priced!

A ground up build makes sense when either nobody makes what you want, or they do, but they make it badly.   They tend to be rather expensive because so much hand work and fitting is required to get a bare frame and slide up to the finished state.

I lean toward the suggestion of taking an existing semi-custom and tweaking things until it's set up the way you want.  Either DW or LB would be where I'd start looking.

Interesting.  Looking to buy a custom 1911 but affording ammo is an issue.  

At any rate.   I like Guncrafters.

Are you broke, talented, and have a lot of spare time, or have a lot of money to part with, not particularly mechanically inclined, are too busy to fiddle, and like nice things?

More of I'd rather shuck out the extra coin to a pro and let me just fiddle around with a cheap PSA build or something I wouldn't care too much if I F#$% it up.