I'm curious about possible advantages / disadvantages to buying a frame then selecting your components. Seeing as I'm no bike mechanic, how much would a local shop charge for assembling it? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks, guys. This is exactly the info I needed. It doesn't sound like it would be as beneficial as building your own AR.

You won't be able to build a current spec'd bike any cheaper than buying it. You can build it cheaper with parts that are not as current and that is not entirely a bad thing. You will need tools or have a good relationship with a LBS that will install for you without the tools. Your best bet is a find a decent spec'd bike for a good price with the frame you want and ride the heck out of it. As parts wear, replace them with better parts and before long you will have a nice bike.

yup i do all my own..

Believe it or not, wheelbuilding is actually very simple-all you need is a truing stand, proper length spokes, and the ability to count to four.