Why are equipment racks so expensive?

I tried making a stand out of Lack tables back when that was the inexpensive craze.

I bought five or six tables, drew up my diagram, marked the legs and proceeded to cut.  Then I found out the legs were hollow.  Nothing I read back then indicated there would be air where I anticipated wood/glue solidness.

I ended up with an apartment filled with Lack end tables.

My current rack started life as end tables used in my home.  They have the top along with a shelf located near the bottom.  I also have steel frame rack with glass shelves.  Looks nice, but wanted to get away from the glass.

So I stacked the wood tables, placed spikes under the bottem legs, added a few of those blue antivibration squares between the bottom and top shelf.

Some of my gear is stacked and with my VPI table on top, it makes for a really solid and stable rack.  I've also used Isopucks under most of my components on the rack.  

Might a mega-dollar rack sound better?  Maybe.

Am I willing to spend the money, reorganize my gear, and take the time to listen for the (possible) subtle improvements in sound?  

Nope.

Too lazy for that.

Yep.  I'm one of those audiophiles.

Observing friends experience with Ikea racks deterred me from trying them for myself. I have no personal experience with these myself, but the prices seem reasonable.:
Furniture > Audio Racks (pangeaaudio.com)

It depends entirely of how you want to look at it, esthetically and functionally. You pay for the design, the thinking, the materials, the craftmanship. Audio racks purpose, apart from supporting and arranging, is to have the least possible sonic impact . 
DIY is fun and good results may be achieved, though for doing this it will not come so inexpensive as you think, and in the end the finishing point would be the starting of of well thought rack. Yes they are expensive but effective vibration control can start or end there. I do not regret getting my Bassocontinuo ones.

You don't have to break the bank to get something that is very good and affordable. Look no further than Butcher Block Acoustics for extremely well made racks that are relatively affordable.

Oz