Yes I understand that a compilation can help to integrate something "hard-coded", but in fact one of the interest of Apache is its modularity. I want mod_security ? yum install mod_security. mod_evasive ? yum install mod_evasive. I want PHP ? yum install php... OK I stop there
So ?
Change location ? Yes it can help for more security I guess. OK but I think that if someone can compromise a server, by a site backdoor for example, a different location of apache binaries don't really stop him... Better to enforce the websites code !
And all configurations are text-based, so all can be changed manually.
I must add also that I actually choose the version (not apache, I have never need to change it, but PHP for example) simply with yum downgrade, by specifying standard or rpmgorge or epel or remi repository.
Understand me : I'm not trying to criticize. I just try to understand, when we have a so complete tool like yum, on a unique distro like CentOS, with well identified repositories, what is today the need to compile something ?