I look for creativity, build thread, workarounds, among other things. Without a doubt, certain parts have to be purchased to realize a vision. However, not everyone can just buy their ideal parts. Seeing how we, as builders, navigate that discrepancy earns more admiration, from me, than a build by someone who can afford to buy all-the-right-pieces (and does) to make a slick final product that is ultimately a 'kit' bike.
I love originality, I like details, I like clean if that was the intent, I like crusty if that was the intent. My build is a mix of both, and I know my aesthetic won't resonate with everyone.
I put weight in the build thread only in context of 'taking us along the journey'. But as for QUANTITY of postings? That's not a factor for me. Some people post a ton as part of their creative process (talking it out), others are super efficient (here's what I did, here's what I broke, here's what I fixed, done). Does not equate to the quality of the build.
Lastly, I like multiple votes. I like throwing a vote to multiple builds I admire. Not everyone's aesthetic is the same, so having multiple votes gives a much better overlap on the overall favorite at the end.