To the OP:
I am not sure if you've decided anything yet, but i actually recently bought an origin chronos and it has performed amazing so far. Not only were they helpful in recommending the right parts for my budget of $1,500, they even threw in some free PC game coupons for me!
I also like that these guys are available 24 hours for any tech support over the phone and the reps actually speak perfect english too.
Sure you can always save more money building it yourself and honestly, I thought about doing the same with the help of a friend of mine. But, I was so glad to pay a little more to rely on a company for their expertise, support and for building me a sweet looking gaming pc. Even my friend was super impressed! No regrets what so ever!