[Timco]

I give customers prices all week long. $250 to $250k.

If I find after beginning that something is so far off or unexpected, the customer is notified, and I take them to their boiler room and show them part by part what's bad BEFORE I dig in and add $1000 to their job. This way it's their choice, even though the work needs to be done.

Having just done a clutch, and you went dealership, it is hands down unacceptable that they couldn't quote a complete swap, and parts were "more than they thought". It's very straight forward, and unless they said no flywheel and you ended up needing one, or like me your fuel pump dies totally unexpected, you got flogged with a Porsche hose. It's almost criminal, but if after getting an itemized list (they're making that up now probably) you would have elected to make the repairs anyway, well no harm no foul.

When I give a price, it's because I got dirty, spent time looking at the entire project, and called on parts not guessed. Then if I find higher cost parts, it's between me and my supplier, not you. And I will take a substantial hit in labor to not raise a price if I can manage it.