"That's not the same. They are paying for a product and they are have to pay for R&D. That goes for anything you buy off the shelf whether it is software, a toilet valve, or an A/C. I am not complaining about the price of building supplies, now. "
Software purchases also normally require a purchase of maintenance in order to receive support when bugs are found, additional resources to test the software (because it rarely works as advertised), training, and (sometimes) additional hardware. Whether I buy that in the initial license or on the back end, software/technology is generally a bad comparison because the license models are very bloated.
I didn't read through all the posts, but sometimes the quote is based on other factors that may not be apparent to the purchaser (i.e., I was going to go fishing tomorrwow, but if you pay me enough I'll work for you instead).
I like to save money as much as the next person and I try to learn to do things myself (I'm not necessarily handy, but I'm inquisitive and like to learn new things), but there are also times when I'm willing to pay the premium to have someone else do it. It's rarely a black/white issue. I had some insulation work done last year...sure, I could have done it myself, but it was worth it to me to pay someone to a) get it done while I was at work, b) not have to deal with the attic heat, the itching and the crawlspaces, and c) it was actually cheaper than if I rented the equipment, bought the materials at non-contractor rates.
When it comes time to rewire some of the electric, I know what I can do and/or what I should probably contract out.
Dave