There is a third option which is to work with an LBS and get stuff swapped in or even use some of your own parts. I don't think that would work with an LHT complete, it might work with the QBP speced version. Doing this online with a nice guy like Spicer, might prove cheap, you would be outside that retail location envelope.

I don't think price should be an issue. Doubtless one could save a lot of money if Sears would sell clothes by the complete outfit, or your local grocery store sold you only a generic basket of goods, no substitutions. For some reason bicycle "makers" have managed to scam us into thinking they make something other than the frame and their ideas on the rest of it are for some reason of interest.