I think it is with this categorising that we sometimes get a bit too wrapped up in pre-judging. There are some people who put far more time into a kit than some do into a scratchbuilt ship so I think each and every model should be looked at on it's own merits.
I think the attitude of "If you use purchased fittings then it is not scratchbuilt" is too elitist for me and getting away from what we are supposed to be doing, which is simply enjoying building a model from whatever materials suits our own individual tastes to achieve the enjoyment we want.
How far do you take the scratchbuilt principle? If it is propelled by a purchased, off the shelf, motor does it cease to be scratchbuilt? Does any scratchbuilder make thier own motors? Why should using bought fittings then not make it a scratchbuild?
My current builds are the Ben Ain steamer, which would be classified as a modified kit, a rowing boat, which is a combination of a bought hull with the mechanics made by myself and recently a Revel U-Boat converted for R/C use. Not what you would call a prolific builder but when this has to be squeezed into a leave schedule you very quickly run out of time. The Ben Ain has three years in her so far and I reckon at least another two to go and I certainly do on average a couple of hours each day when I am on leave but that isn't a lot really.
I also have a couple of Kingston Hulls and a pile of engines and boilers that are going to be steam launches one day, one with a variable pitch propeller, and I have ambitions on an Engles Sub one day.
Then of course I am always modifying, uprating, repairing, experimenting etc. the existing fleet which always seems to take up a bit of time as well!