So Im finally getting my home office setup for this new remote gig starting in about three weeks. Im in a pretty small apartment in Chicago and the space is tight but I definitely need a standing desk because my back is already killing me from sitting on the couch all day. I've been looking at these pre-built ones like the Uplift V2 or the stuff from Fully but man the prices are getting crazy once you add a decent wood top. My budget is really around $500 maybe $600 if I stretch it but Id rather keep it lower if I can.

Ive done some digging and saw a few people on Reddit saying you can save a ton of money by just buying the legs separately like a Topsky or Jarvis frame and then grabbing a kitchen countertop from IKEA. I specifically looked at the Karlby or those butcher block ones. But then I saw another thread where people were complaining that those particle board tops dont hold screws well and if you get a real solid wood one it weighs a ton and the shipping is like $100 anyway so you arent actually saving anything in the end.

Plus I am not exactly a handyman. If the holes arent pre-drilled I'm worried Im gonna split the wood or just mess up the alignment and end up with a wobbly mess. I found a frame on Amazon for like $250 that has decent reviews but then a nice top is another $150 plus the hassle of getting it home from IKEA since I dont have a car here. It feels like maybe just buying the whole kit from one place is safer but is it actually way more expensive? Like am I paying a huge premium just for the convenience of having it all come in one or two boxes from the same brand? Just trying to figure out if the DIY route is actually worth the headache or if the savings are just a myth once you factor in shipping and tools...