DIY mechanicals are not all that expensive, though there are many components that you can upgrade and add to costs. You do need to know how to solder.. hot swap

DIY mechanicals are not all that expensive, though there are many components that you can upgrade and add to costs. You do need to know how to solder.. hot swap pcbs exist for sure (allowing you to just push keys into the pads) but they do cost a bit more. That said, the type of soldering required is quite easy and if you have a friend with a decent iron and some time they can teach you the required skill quite quickly.