[philinjax]

Prattrc,
The fact is, $45 bucks an hour is not rape. One guy is not going to pull the engine-tranny at a commercial shop by himself. For the most part, two guys would be working on the job. That's about $450.00 right there. And then there is the risk/likelyhood that there will be some unforseen difficulty that will drive up the time to get the work done. These shops are in business to make money, but try to explain that to the client, who wants the work done as if he/she ought to be treated as a relative. Face it, if the shop doesn't make a profit, it's shut down time, almost immediately.
Phil