Handling pricing objections without discounting
'You're too expensive' is almost never about price. Here's what it usually means.
What 'too expensive' actually means
It usually means: I don't see the value, I don't trust you yet, or I'm comparing to a different scope. Discounting answers a question they didn't ask.
Reframe before you negotiate
'Compared to what?' is the single most useful response. Most prospects can't actually name a comparable bid. The ones who can want a conversation, not a discount.
If you must move, change the scope
Hold the unit price; remove a line item. Never lower the rate for the same work. Once you do, that's your new price with that customer forever.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.