The cost of materials is less, especially if you go with some of the less expensive epoxy brands. I had about $100 in wood and have enough left for another boat. $30 in wood for forms, about $100 for plans, $150 in epoxy and about $100 in glass (again enough for 2 boats). So basically for less than $1000 you could easily build 2 boats. That price goes up or down based on the type of wood and epoxy you use. If you have a table saw and router table you are definately saving $$$, but not time. It takes several hours to rip, bead, and cove. I crunched the numbers prior to buying materials and found that I could buy a router table and still come out spending less $$$ than a kit. Thing is, you have to want to have a hobby for a while.

In figureing hours and $$ per hour my boat cost me more than $20,000. It was all worth it and I will build more. With a kit you will save much time, and have a boat on the water in less time. The cost of a kit isn't outrageous if you consider how much it would cost you to purchase a finished kayak like the one you can make from the kit.

Either way the feeling you will have the first time (and each time there after) you are paddling around thinking, I made this boat with my own 2 hands, is truly priceless.

Good luck and enjoy the process as much as the product.

: It sounded like something fun to do building a kayak and perhaps saving some
: money. But, looking at the kits they are awefully expensive. How costly
: and more difficult is it to build your own and buy all the wood and stuff
: at a hardware store?