A very good question.
There are two main reasons why I chose to build rather than buy. First is cost. It all comes down to cost. I should say, the value. For example: $15,000 would get you in a 60's era Cessna 150. A fine little trainer aircraft, but what are you really paying for? Barely 100 mph, and room (if you call it that) for two. If all I wanted to do was putt around the sky in my own backyard, it would suffice..maybe.. But it certainly is not up to task of exploring the country one weekend at a time. Let's double our starting allowance. Say, $30,000. Now we are looking at a newer (1970's) Cessna 172. 4 people and 120mph. Ok. Not too bad. However, useful load is somewhere around 850lbs. After full fuel you are looking at only 600lbs left for 4 people AND luggage. So even if all 4 weighed only 150lbs, you can't take any luggage!! On top of the plane being 40 years old! Annual inspections and overhauls are most likely going to reveal things that need repairing or replacing. You need an airframe & power plant mechanic to legally do that. Can we say $$$? Now you start to see the strength of the Bearhawk. 150mph AND 1300lb useful load. You built it, so you are legally allowed to do any repair or maintenance on it. Plus it will be brand new! All for roughly the same price as a certified production aircraft.
My second reason? The challenge. Why do we climb mountains? Because they are there. I love building things. I can only imagine, but it must be incredibly rewarding to build something from scratch and then fly it off the ground. Forget the cost for a moment. You BUILT an airplane. Out of nothing but sheets of aluminum and some steel tubing. That to me is nothing short of amazing.
I am scratch building a Bearhawk so I can spread the cost over time. Kits are great, but they require a big chunk of money up front. With scratch building, you can buy a couple hundred dollars worth of metal and keep yourself busy for months. Build it piece by piece. Soon all those little pieces you've been building will start to look like an airplane. Keep checking this site and watch my pieces form my Bearhawk!
Oh, and if you check this website and it hasn't been updated in a while, shoot me an email and let me know I've been slacking!
jim@bearhawk1150.com