Since you think I'm always bashing you, I'll attempt this from another direction.
We do lotsa work in Maryland and we always need a 19' scissors lift. The cost is always a one-day cost of $225.00 for the unit plus delivery and pick up, which is usually between $125.00 to $150 each way. You do the math. If you need booties or a diaper, the costs go up about $250.00 more.
Now, recently purchasing a bucket truck myself, I had difficulties in determining a rental price, cause since we got it, some shops are calling to burrow it. They wanna give me like $50 to $100 per use. I told them to just do what they've been doing, cause I ain't going out for peanuts. We finally settled in on $125.00 per hour with a two hour minimum.
Now...... you say it's a piece of cake changing these faces out ?? Yeah, right. Unless you've already been up there [which, how could you if you don't have a lift of some sort] and got the exact dimensions, it's gonna be a frickin' nightmare 14' up in the air, when you didn't take into account for expansion and contraction for the size the can really needs. If the guy with the bucket has to sit there for another hour while you router down the edges for it to fit properly.... your price will go up even further.
You're a perfect example of someone trying to be in a business..... ANY business..... and always getting by, by the seat of their pants. Your questions and accusations are nothing but mistakes on your part and your blaming everyone else becasue you didn't know what you were doing.
First of all, the other company will have all the proper insurance and tools there to do the job and in case something goes wrong, they'll have the necessary things, you never thought of, at all.
Next, have you figured in the cost of a permit to do the job, let alone a permit cost to have a bucket blocking the street or parking area of a parking lot ??
In our little town, you can't be working on anything electrical, especially up in the air without proper permits. If not, you're just a sitting duck for a lawsuit/fines, should something go wrong or someone get caught.
Oh.... and don't think by just changing out the faces, you aren't conducting [no pun] work on an electrical fixture. There will be hands, tools and materials within inches of wires, ballasts and possible problems that you don't know until you up there. Since you were the last professional working on this sign and didn't report a bad ballast or possible short circuit, you'd be the first one nailed to the cross should something go wrong. Do you know how to service an electric sign or check for possible problems while you have the can open and the labor is already being provided ??
Well, that's enough for now. There's a lot more, but I'm sure you're thoroughly p!ssed by now.