I didn't find a third company locally (I was trying to stay local) for an estimate. My wife needed to get her drivers licence renewed. When she was almost done, she texted me to meet her at CheeburgerCheeburger for lunch. Next to the CheeburgerCheeburger was a (new-ish) fish store, after lunch we went in. I asked the guy if he plumbed the (large) system in the store, he said he did. I asked if I could hire him to 'hook my tanks together'. He told me that he wasn't the right guy for the project & he would have his guy call me. He is 'pseudo'-local. (next state over, about 35 miles away)
I had the diorama ready when 'his guy' showed up. He really liked it & had great insight to make my vision a reality. When he left, my wife said that she liked him, I did too. She then said that I was having a bromance with him.
My intention before he came was to have him give me an estimate & then have the first two companies bid the same job & go with the least costly. After he left, I wanted him to do the job - regardless of cost.