Hearthfire looks cool and I will definitely download it when it's released for PC, but from what I saw from the preview it sort of looks like they took the idea from the "Build Your Own Home" mod and just expanded it. Hearthfire even has the workbench set up the same and a very similar crafting book. Thoughts? Does anyone know if the creator for "Build Your Own Home" was in any way involved?

Well, to be fair it's not really a unique idea, it's just a bit more complicated for a modder to produce hence why there are so few of them. But in reaility, it's the optimal way to produce this type of mod, it lets you feel involved. It wouldn't much of a paid DLC if the house was simply there and you could mvoe in with a few NPC. It had to be more than that. It had to give you a sense of accomplishment, and so building your own home is the best way to go. As for using a workbench, it's a rather logical way to go about it too. So no, I don't think it's related in any more way that it was a good and proper way to make a "bould your own home" DLC/mod.

EDIT: Pardon my spelling, I am currently using an old-school keyboard and the buttons stick out so much I basically have to type with a stick. Not gonna correct the spelling.

They already showed the idea of building a house in their http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGIgXeGC6Dg, so I don't think they were inspired by the mod.

The idea of building a player home is as old as games themselves. This is not a unique idea on the part of any party involved. It really just comes down the implementation and execution of the idea, and of course Bethesda and Supernastypants have their own views on things.