Someone approached me about a custom paint job on an antique safe I have at work. I took a card and thought about it. A few months later I contacted her and asked her for a rough estimate. Were we talking hundreds or thousands? She asked for some measurements then I didn't hear anything for a month. One day I get an email with a finished design, a complete break down of materials and labor ($1500, more if it was done on site), and a note that even if I didn't want to proceed I owed $150 for her time. What?! I only asked for a very rough estimate!
I know nobody wants to give a wrong quote, but geez? I'm sure she's done similar projects (they were on her website). She could have taken 30 seconds to respond saying that it would be between $1500 and $2500 and I would have said thanks but no thanks right there. I feel this is just a manipulating sales tactic and it pisses me off.
Every time I see a product or service for sale and there's no price, it just irritates the crap out of me. I called her out this time, but younger me would have just gone into debt as to not 'offend' her and to avoid embarrassment. She probably works a lot with 'money is no object' kind of people, but the practice just seems predatory to me.
End rant.