Back to the variables,.variables are not only in the job itself,..or the area for that matter,..variables are impacted by your own life and what you want or expect out of your service. "Lowballers" are so called because they do work for a cheap price,..but that doesn't mean their work is "cheap",...many guys who do this work are retired from something,..or do it on the side for extra money,..and THEY can do it for cheaper than us full timers,..but it doesn't necessarily make them hacks or lowballers,.what it does do is keep them busy,..and that is their goal,...and by doing this and doing quality work,..they are building up clientele,..which is VERY important in this and other service jobs. Yea,..it sucks to compete with that,..but you have to worry more about your own business,..not theirs.
Anyhow,..point is,.and I've said it ,many times over the years,..charge what you feel the job is worth for YOU to do it. If you go by others' standards,.it may or may not work out,..but if you use your own standards it will likely work out.
I seen above where the someone bid a job for one price,..but the customer wanted to pay less,..and now the guy is worried he's not gonna get the job and would at least like "some" money outta' the deal,..so to me,..you over priced it according to your own standards to begin with. Just price according to what it's worth to you to begin with. That way when you get turned down,..you can at least feel good knowing you couldn't have done it for any less. Nothing wrong with leaving money on the table,..so what,...as long as you got what you deem as your own needs,..and that customer will likely call again and now be a client.
Jeff