.............I am on my way with a few years under my belt now and one of the most difficult issues I deal with is $$$$.....How much to charge.....how much for deposit, etc.  It is a learning game and I am learning all the time.  The best way to learn is to get burnt once or twice. There are so many variables that go into pricing a carving, such as size, detail, being adept(or not) with the subject matter, where it is being sold, who is buying it, the confidence of the carver, the skill of the carver, the rep of the carver,  the shop costs, the material costs.......and on and on.