[Canuck_Targa]

With all due respect I think there is allot of generalizing as to if the pressure plates should be reused. To say that they "should never be reused" or "not a problem to reuse it", I recently redid my clutch and reused the pressure plate, only after inspection and clean-up. If you have the mechanical ability to replace the clutch yourself, you most likely have the ability to determine if the pressure plate is able to be reused or if it needs replacing. If you are having a shop do the work, I really hope the shop you are using has the same ability to determine this also (which the original poster indicated). Truth be told my 911 is one of the cheaper car I own to maintain, one because I can do all the work myself and get the parts from great places like Pelican Parts. I have a VW Touareg that costs me more in maintenance than my 911, one because of all the electronics and two the parts are as much or more than parts for the 911.
I really dislike the phrase "If you can't afford to repair and maintain a Porsche, you shouldn't own one".
The OP stated that his car was in for $5k+ of work at a highly respected shop, so maintenance does not seem to be an issue, and if they are telling me the pressure plate looks fine to reuse and save him $500 on the bill why not, thats $500 more gas money to drive it once it is done.