Well I had about $1150 into my lift when I bought it. But it's 4' wide and 8' long. Steel and has a 1000# capacity. Sure it was a bunch of money but it will last virtually forever. I have had more bikes on it than I can count. Then I went and spent about $350 on a condor chaulk to swap out the front wheel vise... allot of money? Sure, but it's in the tools as they always say... the lift is probably my most used tool and I love love love it.
That being said, here's a table that a guy on my site made...
http://www.twowheelmichigan.com/show...727-Bike-table
It is a bunch less engineering... still worked for him.