After doing some research on LS1 engine shops in Houston (thank you LS1tech.com!), I decided to go with LME (Late Model Engines). The have a great reputation so I felt comfortable with them.
It was cool seeing the parts I took there in actual engine shop. I took the crank, the mains, the main bearings, the heads with the valves and valvesprings, the block, and the pistons with their connecting rods, rod caps, and rod bearings:
Right away the engine shop dude wanted to check how tight the piston fit inside the cylinder, so he kept switching between the piston and the block, using one tool (a micrometer) to measure the piston, and another tool (don't know what this one is) to measure the cylinder width:
After awhile of going back and forth between the piston and the cylinder, he told me I was gonna have to get new pistons because the pistons don't fit tight enough in the cylinders. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY YOU TEAR DOWN A MOTOR WHEN YOU BUY ONE!! It's a good thing we didn't install this motor right after we bought it; the engine would have run like crap.
So the LS1 is now at the shop, and they're working on the block, crank, and other parts to make it all work beautifully when we put it back together, install it, and fire it up. I should get it back several weeks from now. :)