I called the only decent shop within an hour and asked for a valve seat job and press in new guides that I already own and was quoted 200

 

sounds fair pressing in new guides is not easy

 

Ohk for some reason I didn't think it was to hard

 

head needs to be heated for removal/install

 

I paid $400 for new guides and valve job, I supplied the guides. So $200 sounds like a steal.

 

x2

$200 is around the price for most shops around here just doing a valve job, let alone guide removal/install. If that price includes the guides themselves then they must charge like $30/hr.

 

In all reality, comparing quotes outside of a geological area is not really comparing apples to apples.

You can do the same job state to state and city to city and be paid totally different rates.

So in reality, if you are comparing quotes in different cities or even worse, different states, you are comparing apples to oranges.

Prime example, here in Canada a McDonalds worker in BC gets minimum wage which if I recall is 10.25 an hour, while a McDonalds worker in Alberta gets paid way higher than minimum wage (11.20/hr) at around 17.50 an hour to compete with the oil jobs to attract workers.

A small town with very little money flow and a much lower average gross wage will likely do quality work but at a much lower cost. Charging the higher dollars kills the business as no one in the area can pay that premium price. Some business is better than no business.

 

makes sense

 

Yea I don't live in anything close too a large city 200 is a good chunk of change. I've bought cars for less.

 

For the work being done and the expertise and equipment required to do it properly, I believe you are getting a more than fair price.