NO WAY!! Dont listen to the experts! Listen to me!! The newbie! hahah, well I didnt know hardly anything about AR-15s, but I had built my own AK and FAL and so I wanted to jump headlong into this new project. I read the threads, ESPECIALLY the thumbtacted ones on this forum, as well as the articles at rbprecision.com - But hey thats just me! I like the fun of hunting for sales on the EE and on the retail sites, (all 1000 of them that advertise on arfcom) , I got my stag arms lower on sale for $90 delivered talonarms.com, the LPK half way assembled to help me out for $52 delivered from rbprecision.com, CavArms shielded M4 hgs on sale for $23 delivered from bravocompany.com, and got a new unfire armalite A2 complete upper receiver from the EE for $95 delivered. Now Im waiting for my next pay check to buy the bolt set and charging handle all for $119! and its enhanced and chrome lined! WOOhoo and thats from eaglefirearms.com i think. But its up to! I didnt like the idea of a whole kit from one place and paying all that money up front seeing as im on a weekly budget.
edit - heres some prices for you to end the confusion, now these are GREAT prices so you probably usually wont find these often, but they are out there
New barrels $150-220 with front sight (nonchrome lined...chrome lining isnt necessary nor will you probably shoot out your barrel anyway)
Upper receivers with FA and door - $95-105
Lower Stripped receivers - $45 (LAR blemished ones but still awesome)- $100
Bolt Sets $100-120
Charging Handle $15-25 (unless you buy the bolt set with the CH at eaglefirearms.com together for $119)
Handguards $15-30
Parts for handguards $20-30
Lower Parts Kit $45-50
Phantom Flash Hider $22
6 POS CAR Buttstock $72 (there are cheaper ones that DONT say CAR on them, but they are much flimsier, stay away!!! The STAG and RRA brand CAR buttstocks are the best from what Ive heard)
now granted all prices change depending on brand like Colt youll pay out your butt for but not always. and depending on the length of rifle prices change.
Good brands that I know of are RockRiverArms, Bushmaster, Armalite, LAR, DPMS, STAG, Superior Arms.
These will all be great products and some of them for way cheaper than others.
G'luck in yer struggles!