What would you charge?

I had a customer that wanted 300 navy shirts with a white left chest imprint and a 8 color full back. It will have custom artwork for the back of a old fire truck and a new fire truck with the fire house in the background. Customer supplied photos that we were to redraw and put together the design. Gave them a price of $8 a shirt printed, $15 per screen and $150 for the art (we reduced art as a favor for the department) Halfway thru the design process, I get a email saying that they had went with someone else. I know now that I should had gotten a deposit but I had done work for them in the past dealing with the chief but this time it was 20 year girl heading up the project. Lesson #1 ALWAYS GET A DEPOSIT...EVEN IF ITS FOR YOUR MOTHER! Anyway, just curious as to how others would have priced this. I have adjusted our pricing due to our rising costs of doing business but it seems other screen printers in our area haven't done so and they are out bidding us by 10%. Any advice?

Location: 
United States

I would not have started any work until I knew that I had the job or had the artwork paid for up front prior to any order. If they want artwork that is a service that needs to be paid for in advance IMO.:cool:

You are absolutely correct.