diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0751079..0521f7c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -184,6 +184,51 @@ This repository orchestrates builds using a variety of tools. The
 instructions below outline the components in the stack and describe how to add a
 new platform or inspect an existing platform.
 
+## Building from source
+
+To build the R binaries from source, you will need to have [Git](https://git-scm.com/),
+[Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/), and `make` installed.
+
+First, clone the Git repository locally and navigate to it.
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/rstudio/R-builds
+cd R-builds
+```
+
+Then, run the `build-r-$PLATFORM` Make target with the `R_VERSION` environment variable
+set to your desired R version, where `$PLATFORM` is one of the supported platform
+identifiers, such as `ubuntu-2204` or `rhel-9`.
+
+```bash
+export PLATFORM=ubuntu-2204
+export R_VERSION=4.1.3
+
+make build-r-$PLATFORM
+```
+
+The built DEB or RPM package will be available in the `builder/integration/tmp/$PLATFORM`
+directory.
+
+```bash
+$ ls builder/integration/tmp/$PLATFORM
+r-4.1.3_1_amd64.deb
+```
+
+### Custom installation path
+
+R is installed to `/opt/R/${R_VERSION}` by default. If you want to customize the
+installation path, set the optional `R_INSTALL_PATH` environment variable to a
+custom location such as `/opt/custom/R-4.1.3`.
+
+```bash
+export PLATFORM=rhel-9
+export R_VERSION=4.1.3
+export R_INSTALL_PATH=/opt/custom/R-4.1.3
+
+make build-r-$PLATFORM
+```
+
 ## Adding a new platform.
 
 ### Dockerfile
diff --git a/builder/build.sh b/builder/build.sh
index 565a677..7445846 100755
--- a/builder/build.sh
+++ b/builder/build.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export CRAN=${CRAN-"https://cran.rstudio.com"}
 export S3_BUCKET_PREFIX=${S3_BUCKET_PREFIX-""}
 export OS_IDENTIFIER=${OS_IDENTIFIER-"unknown"}
 export TARBALL_NAME="R-${R_VERSION}-${OS_IDENTIFIER}.tar.gz"
+export R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH:-"/opt/R/${R_VERSION}"}
 
 # Some Dockerfiles may copy a `/env.sh` to set up environment variables
 # that require command substitution. If this file exists, source it.
@@ -33,9 +34,11 @@ upload_r() {
   fi
 }
 
-# archive_r() - $1 as r version
+# archive_r()
 archive_r() {
-  tar czf /tmp/${TARBALL_NAME} --directory=/opt/R ${1} --owner=0 --group=0
+  dir=$(dirname "$R_INSTALL_PATH")
+  base=$(basename "$R_INSTALL_PATH")
+  tar czf "/tmp/${TARBALL_NAME}" --directory="$dir" "$base" --owner=0 --group=0
 }
 
 fetch_r_source() {
@@ -130,7 +133,7 @@ compile_r() {
   R_UNZIPCMD=/usr/bin/unzip \
   R_ZIPCMD=/usr/bin/zip \
   ./configure \
-    --prefix=/opt/R/${1} \
+    --prefix="${R_INSTALL_PATH}" \
     ${CONFIGURE_OPTIONS} \
     ${build_flag}
   make clean
@@ -139,7 +142,7 @@ compile_r() {
 
   # Add OS identifier to the default HTTP user agent.
   # Set this in the system Rprofile so it works when R is run with --vanilla.
-  cat <<EOF >> /opt/R/${1}/lib/R/library/base/R/Rprofile
+  cat <<EOF >> "${R_INSTALL_PATH}"/lib/R/library/base/R/Rprofile
 ## Set the default HTTP user agent
 local({
   os_identifier <- if (file.exists("/etc/os-release")) {
@@ -167,7 +170,7 @@ package_r() {
 }
 
 set_up_environment() {
-  mkdir -p /opt/R
+  mkdir -p "$R_INSTALL_PATH"
 }
 
 _version_is_greater_than() {
@@ -183,5 +186,5 @@ set_up_environment
 fetch_r_source $R_VERSION
 compile_r $R_VERSION
 package_r $R_VERSION
-archive_r $R_VERSION
+archive_r
 upload_r $R_VERSION
diff --git a/builder/docker-compose.yml b/builder/docker-compose.yml
index 0740b46..889cb28 100644
--- a/builder/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/builder/docker-compose.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -36,6 +39,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -47,6 +51,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -58,6 +63,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -69,6 +75,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -80,6 +87,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -91,6 +99,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
@@ -102,6 +111,7 @@ services:
     command: ./build.sh
     environment:
       - R_VERSION=${R_VERSION}
+      - R_INSTALL_PATH=${R_INSTALL_PATH}
       - LOCAL_STORE=/tmp/output
     build:
       context: .
diff --git a/builder/package.centos-7 b/builder/package.centos-7
index 3eda5f4..77b5632 100644
--- a/builder/package.centos-7
+++ b/builder/package.centos-7
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ fi
 
 # create post-install script required for openblas
 cat <<EOF >> /post-install.sh
-mv /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep 
-ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblasp.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
+mv ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep 
+ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblasp.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
 EOF
 
 # create after-remove script to remove internal blas
 cat <<EOF >> /after-remove.sh
-if [ -d /opt/R/${R_VERSION} ]; then
-  rm -r /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+if [ -d ${R_INSTALL_PATH} ]; then
+  rm -r ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 fi
 EOF
 
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ depends:
 - zip
 - zlib-devel
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 scripts:
   postinstall: /post-install.sh
   postremove: /after-remove.sh
diff --git a/builder/package.centos-8 b/builder/package.centos-8
index 78933d6..3b2cdb4 100644
--- a/builder/package.centos-8
+++ b/builder/package.centos-8
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ fi
 
 # create post-install script required for openblas
 cat <<EOF >> /post-install.sh
-mv /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
-ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblasp.so.0 /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
+mv ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
+ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblasp.so.0 ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
 EOF
 
 # create after-remove script to remove internal blas
 cat <<EOF >> /after-remove.sh
-if [ -d /opt/R/${R_VERSION} ]; then
-  rm -r /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+if [ -d ${R_INSTALL_PATH} ]; then
+  rm -r ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 fi
 EOF
 
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ depends:
 - zip
 - zlib-devel
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 scripts:
   postinstall: /post-install.sh
   postremove: /after-remove.sh
diff --git a/builder/package.debian-10 b/builder/package.debian-10
index c4dbc5e..42f8b9d 100644
--- a/builder/package.debian-10
+++ b/builder/package.debian-10
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ depends:
 - zip
 - zlib1g-dev
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 EOF
 
 nfpm package \
diff --git a/builder/package.debian-11 b/builder/package.debian-11
index a14c265..5c9dd91 100644
--- a/builder/package.debian-11
+++ b/builder/package.debian-11
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ ${pcre_libs}
 - zip
 - zlib1g-dev
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 EOF
 
 nfpm package \
diff --git a/builder/package.opensuse-153 b/builder/package.opensuse-153
index 5df79cd..6a1517e 100644
--- a/builder/package.opensuse-153
+++ b/builder/package.opensuse-153
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ fi
 
 # create post-install script required for openblas
 cat <<EOF >> /post-install.sh
-mv /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
-ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblas.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
+mv ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
+ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblas.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
 EOF
 
 # create after-remove script to remove internal blas
 cat <<EOF >> /after-remove.sh
-if [ -d /opt/R/${R_VERSION} ]; then
-  rm -r /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+if [ -d ${R_INSTALL_PATH} ]; then
+  rm -r ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 fi
 EOF
 
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ depends:
 - zip
 - zlib-devel
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 scripts:
   postinstall: /post-install.sh
   postremove: /after-remove.sh
diff --git a/builder/package.opensuse-154 b/builder/package.opensuse-154
index 1fbb819..733acff 100644
--- a/builder/package.opensuse-154
+++ b/builder/package.opensuse-154
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ fi
 #
 # https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/r-release/R-admin.html#Shared-BLAS
 cat <<EOF >> /post-install.sh
-mv /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
-ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblas.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
+mv ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
+ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblas.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
 EOF
 
 # Create after-remove script to remove internal BLAS, which won't be cleaned up automatically.
 cat <<EOF >> /after-remove.sh
-if [ -d /opt/R/${R_VERSION} ]; then
-  rm -r /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+if [ -d ${R_INSTALL_PATH} ]; then
+  rm -r ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 fi
 EOF
 
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ depends:
 - zip
 - zlib-devel
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 scripts:
   postinstall: /post-install.sh
   postremove: /after-remove.sh
diff --git a/builder/package.rhel-9 b/builder/package.rhel-9
index ee1a376..8428069 100644
--- a/builder/package.rhel-9
+++ b/builder/package.rhel-9
@@ -29,14 +29,14 @@ fi
 #
 # https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/r-release/R-admin.html#Shared-BLAS
 cat <<EOF >> /post-install.sh
-mv /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
-ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblasp.so /opt/R/${R_VERSION}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
+mv ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so.keep
+ln -s /usr/lib64/libopenblasp.so ${R_INSTALL_PATH}/lib/R/lib/libRblas.so
 EOF
 
 # Create after-remove script to remove internal BLAS, which won't be cleaned up automatically.
 cat <<EOF >> /after-remove.sh
-if [ -d /opt/R/${R_VERSION} ]; then
-  rm -r /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+if [ -d ${R_INSTALL_PATH} ]; then
+  rm -r ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 fi
 EOF
 
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ ${pcre_libs}
 - zip
 - zlib-devel
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 scripts:
   postinstall: /post-install.sh
   postremove: /after-remove.sh
diff --git a/builder/package.ubuntu-1804 b/builder/package.ubuntu-1804
index a696b9f..9d448f3 100644
--- a/builder/package.ubuntu-1804
+++ b/builder/package.ubuntu-1804
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ depends:
 - zip
 - zlib1g-dev
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 EOF
 
 nfpm package \
diff --git a/builder/package.ubuntu-2004 b/builder/package.ubuntu-2004
index e6648bd..a1b0eb4 100644
--- a/builder/package.ubuntu-2004
+++ b/builder/package.ubuntu-2004
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ depends:
 - zip
 - zlib1g-dev
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 EOF
 
 nfpm package \
diff --git a/builder/package.ubuntu-2204 b/builder/package.ubuntu-2204
index b3d5302..eea65fb 100644
--- a/builder/package.ubuntu-2204
+++ b/builder/package.ubuntu-2204
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ ${pcre_libs}
 - zip
 - zlib1g-dev
 contents:
-- src: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
-  dst: /opt/R/${R_VERSION}
+- src: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
+  dst: ${R_INSTALL_PATH}
 EOF
 
 nfpm package \