Longarmers charge different rates in different parts of the country. If someone is doing the work as a business, they naturally need to charge for the time and materials it takes to do the job (including longarm purchase and maintenance). Most longarmers have different rates according to the complexity of the work. Pantographs or all-overs with a simple, less dense pattern are less expensive, while custom work that may involve more dense quilting, ruler work, more thread changes, more attention to detail, naturally costs more. It's very important that you communicate with the longarmer as to your budget and the type of quilting you want and are willing to pay for before the job begins. What I'm trying to say is that something that you may think costs an arm and a leg may in reality just be a reflection of the amount of work it took to make it. I know that one of my friends has written checks in the $400 range for custom quilting, and yes that's for a single quilt, but with the amount of time and money she puts into the piecing and applique, she feels that the value the custom quilting adds is worth it. It all depends on your budget and your quilt.