Quoting sod installs in Colorado: customers balking at my $2500 estimates every time

Out here in Colorado, estimating sod jobs is turning into a crap-show with all these picky homeowners wanting full yards but flipping out at the $2500 price tag for a 2000 sq ft install using Tifway 419 bermuda. I use the standard 0.5-0.75 lb per sq ft calculation and factor in delivery from the local nursery, but they act like I'm robbing them blind when I break it down. Saw a similar rant on r/landscaping last week about underbidding to win the job and then eating costs on extras. Anyone else dealing with this pushback on basic lawn installs? Been doing this 8 years and it's getting old, especially with fuel prices jacking up the transport. Felt the same way on a recent job where the client ghosted after the quote.