Agreed. Even by going with a kit from any of a number of builders, they're running under $1000. StewMac's seems to be pretty good, Mojo, Mission, Weber, and I don't know how many others there are are around the same. There's even builders who will do it for around that price - I know a small one here that'll do it for $800 or so - though I like the idea of being hands on, and I don't know offhand the componentery the local one uses.
FMIC claims theirs is handwired, but I don't know. Even so, it's still way overpriced.