Is flexible metal conduit rated to be grounded? What fitting is best to connect to metal box? Do I use bushings? Intend to use 1/2" flex to junction box for can lights. The flex would be 3ft length?

Its been a 19 month process (YIKES!) but we are finally closed on financing, lot has been cleared and we are starting to build our new house! We do have a little snow to move first... I have had some very helpful comments from you all on my previous posts, and would like to use this thread as a official build thread, and to ask you all questions along the way. I'll start with a little about myself, I live in and will be building in South Saint Paul Minnesota, I have a wonderful beautiful wife and a very energetic 6 year old daughter who are both ecstatic about helping build our new house. I work as a Life Support Operator at the Minnesota Zoo where I maintain all our major aquatic exhibits. Everything from water quality, filtration, heating and cooling and system repair is all done in house. I have a fancy little plastic card in my wallet that says I am certified to be a PVC and CPVC pipe bonder (exciting right :thumbup:) We also do all of our control and automation wiring along with everything from single phase 1/20 hp pump wiring to 460 3ph 30hp monster water moving pumps and 20,000v 20#/day ozone generators in house. We have a staff of electricians that work with us for the physical connection and disconnection of anything over 24vac, but we do get to work side by side and get our hands dirty with all of it. Its a pretty cool gig, and I get to play with a lot of pretty cool toys work very closely with a lot of awesome animals. Our house is a 2 story walkout that I am generaling myself and have a awesome builder that is working with me to basically shell the house, take care of all the excavation, foundation work, concrete work, framing/roofing, exterior finishing and sheet rock. I'm having my HVAC and plumbing done by subs but am doing all the interior finishing, flooring, cabinets/tops, electrical and painting myself. Its going to be a pretty fast moving build, so hopefully I'll be able to keep things updated in the thread. I am going to go purchase all my electrical supplies this weekend and would like you all to look over my service entrance and distribution options and make suggestions. I have a 200amp buried service spec'd to be installed, and plan on using a meter/main combo outside. I plan on having a 200amp sub panel in my utility room supplying the house needs and a 100amp sub in the garage. I already have purchased (at a very nice discount) enough 3/0 THHN and 6ga Green THHN for the house sub panel, and enough 2ga (at not such a nice discount:() to feed the garage. I am trying to decide what my best option is to physically run the wires though. First option is to run conduit in the ceiling joists to the main sub panel and then run more conduit from the 200 amp sub to the garage. I am using engineered I joists on the main level, and this option doesn't sound too "fun" to get the conduit ran cleanly [URL="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee253/TheSchmidtsMN/Deerwood%20House/BASEMENTelechungOPT1_zps0412ce76.jpg"]CLICK HERE FOR FULL SIZE[/URL] The second hanging option bypasses the main sub panel and feeds both from the outside OPD, again hanging may be a pain. [URL="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee253/TheSchmidtsMN/Deerwood%20House/BASEMENTelechungOPT2_zpsb6334feb.jpg"]CLICK HERE FOR FULL SIZE[/URL] What I would like to do is bury the conduit under the slab and pop up under each sub panel. [URL="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee253/TheSchmidtsMN/Deerwood%20House/BASEMENTelecburiedOPT1_zps23f832a8.jpg"]CLICK HERE FOR FULL SIZE[/URL] or [URL="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee253/TheSchmidtsMN/BASEMENTelecburiedOPT2_zpsc89fefd5.jpg"]CLICK HERE FOR FULL SIZE[/URL] What are your thoughts? Wes