I don't think it's a case of price, as that is up to a designer to set and it's the choice of the client if they should go with the quote given.
Phanatick, i'm sure you have your own personal taste's as to what a design for one of your websites should look like, these taste's aren't shared universally and it's quite common to get clients asking for designs you would never dream of making.
An example of this is a site i designed for a client, it was modern, sleek, what i would call georgous it was made from the client brief. They then basically explained that they didn't want the gradients, shaping, shadows or image work and instead it ended up looking like my dad made it in 1990 - but my point is it's what the client wanted and unless the client is going to allow you freedom to design and set it up for usability then you have no other choice to follow what they want.
http://www.clipsharethemes.com/VA/ - is not my personal taste either but it's obviously some-ones because if someone can make a design like dropyourtalent (which i think is good) then why on earth would they make
http://www.clipsharethemes.com/VA/ by choice.
This is why i do not do custom work much anymore because the worst thing is spending 3-4weeks coding a site into clipshare that looks like my mum discovered dreamweaver for the first time and made it in one day, but it's the clients choice and as a designer you respect that.
And when your a designer you have to do this sort of work until your work and style is recogisable by alot of people that they inturn come to you because they like your style and not because they want something designed in their person style of choice.