Usually it is quite challenging to give a specific quotation for a large scope of work. In fact estimating the cost is the work itself. That is one side of the reason why “work for hire” contracts are preferable. I do not recall a freelancer with positive reputation inquiring about budges of the project and neither done it myself, for what it takes, it is none of their business. They have a fixed rate. It is either your accept their rate and put trust in their skills and reputation and them exercising their best practice to give your expected result for the money in question, or search for another one. Freelancer’s willingness to negotiate might be actually a warning sign, rather than a benefit.
P.S. I once came across a gentleman, who had 10 pages long document about his rates. It looked like a expenditure estimation from a building contractor, and had lines like:
- High poly modelling, x.xx$ per vertex
- Low poly unwrap, x.xx$ per face
