It sounded like you didn't think sanitary welds were necessary and you were considering a "make do" DIY silver solder job instead...sounded like cheaping out to me...but whatever, change your tune....
As for the price....what if it was $30 an inch but that was the only place near you to get the weld done?...really, isn't it inconsequential if someone else 1000 miles away got their done for $10 an inch?
You got a guy who can take that keggle, do the welds the way you want them done in 45 minutes and you are going spend time on here endlessly discussing if it is an honest enough price for you? How much time are you going to waste going back/forth with this guy to get the price some other guy on the internet got?
Its a one time job, nut up and pay the guy what he wants for the job and move on. I may come off like a troll here, but you are trolling this welder by dickering to save $20 bucks on your little hobby project that you are already a couple a hundred deep on.
My 0.02....I just don't get why people have no problem shelling out full price for the high dollar item (or did you haggle with Sabco?...of course not) but you are going to shake down the local welder on the small job.