A-Arms alone cost over $300 dollars.

For a real lift expect to spend $700 or more.
And it can be done by a non-mechanic as long as you know how to read directions.

Your buddy may be thinking of throwing a couple of 3" blocks under the leaf springs and cranking to torsion bars alot.

In which case you'll end up with the lifted look, but it will be hard to get a good alignment and you'll bennefit nothing from it offroad wise (in fact you may lose some offroad performance).
Plus you'll need new long travel shocks which would be $150-$350.