Ito, I will confess that your comment did suggest this thread to me .... and, since there's no single 'right' answer, I thought it would be a good opportunity to discuss one facet of 'business ethics.'
You are correct - at this moment - as to the pricing of fittings (zinc vs. steel). We both know that this is an unusual situation.
I'm sure we've all bid jobs, lost them ... only to return later, and see the work performed was quite a bit different from what you bid. I've had a few conversations go like this:
Cust: You were way higher
Me: What was built was not what I bid on.
Cust: Oh? How's that?
Me: You asked for X, I bid on X, and Y was done.
Now, granted, most of my work is for a handful of regular customers, who are occasionally required to put a larger job up for bid. Sometimes I lose these bids. Often I will get the change order to complete the work.
I am not assuming that the 'cheap guy' is doing anything improper. We all know prints are filled with 'mines", little details that will blow up on you if you miss them. We are also often caught in a rut at the supply house: either we take what they feel like having in stock, or we have to order, wait, and pay, pay, pay.
Some of the blame also lies with plans that include unnecessary specifications that do nothing except increase the cost of the job.
