Blue&White wrote:

My biggest hurdle the first time and second, has been the finishing.
THE FINISHING IS A ROYAL PAIN!!

In a slightly different direction...

The finish can always be outsourced. Although it does cut into the
overall dollar savings, I know several local pros who don't do
finishing. They do all the building and then send it on to a finisher.
The cabinets then come back to them for installation.

Talking to the finisher to arrange what grit to sand to, etc... so the
work is as ready to finish as possible, can keep the job in the
"reasonable" range.