donpisto 5,000+ posts
CarAudio.com Veteran
Easy answer to BOTH questions.How would you feel if you were willing to pay for a good box with your hard earned cash and you didn't get to even know what kind of fiberglass mat they were using or how much ?
How do you tell if they cut corners and took your cash? Thats my side of it!
Research numerous installers, ask to see their work (maybe something they are currently working on in addition to what has been completed or near completed) , maybe see if they have a profile, see how long they have been in the business, find out if other people have gone to them and examine their setups and ask them questions.
If you want quality work, you're going to have to pay for it. You seem to not mind paying some coin for a good install, but just face it, some shops are more expensive than others. For some of these shops the quality is above and beyond what you pay, for others it's good, while others it's overpriced.
I know of a guy who owns a shop and won't tell you exactly his plans. You can discuss design and whatnot and he doesn't do partial work, he does the entire setup. He is costly but his work is amazing, so you get what you pay for and some