Building one from scratch can be a rewarding project; however, the time, effort, and expense add up much faster than you might think. Finding quality lumber is difficult, and once you find it, buying it piece by piece adds up quickly. Also, it is rough lumber; the wood isn't routered and has not been planed. It takes a significant amount of time to prepare the lumber so it is smooth, to make sure the corners are all rounded and the holes are recessed. Many of the safety features of the systems are not available at a hardware store, such as the vinyl-dipped ladders and plates. If a weekend project is what you're looking for, complete assembly instructions are available with each system.