The reasons that you don't get any respect you mentioned.
Many/most of the guys drilling from home ARE hacks. Manufacturers don't want you going to hacks. Hacks make everybody's equipment look like crap.
Every situation is different, but the manufacturers need the in center shops to stay open. Generally speaking they are the ones that are going to move the most equipment, have the most visibility, are where most bowlers are going to see the equipment. Most of your hacks are not IBPSIA certified, ideally if you go to a certified driller, he has at least some basic knowledge and the ability to get more. Most hacks dont give a damn about whether they are any good or not, they just want your money.
MOST basement guys dont have a good reputation because the "real" shops bad mouth them as a way to keep business. After all the basement guys are probably not making a living at the pro shop business. Its easier to bad mouth the competition than to try and out work them/do better work than them.
MOST basement guys are not ethical at all, unlike you gsr. They try to sell right in the center where a shop is, they don't care about anybody but themselves most of the time. Hell, I had other pro shops try to sell in my center, they got escorted from the property, once with a police escort, but that's another thread.
I have/had toyed with this same idea, doing just what gsr is doing, doing this here in Oklahoma City after my move from Houston. I haven't done it for multiple reasons. The main one is my friendships with Anne Marie Duggan and Donnie Cassel. They are the two best drillers around here, I don't want to pull any of their business. We have been friends many years, and wouldn't want this to come between us. If the economy and bowling scene looked better, I would still consider getting back into the business, I feel confident that I would have a healthy business in less than a year.
I have reread this, and don't want to come off as anti basement guy, although generally I don't have much respect for them. Really I am anti hack driller. It is so hard to make a decent living in this industry, hacks just undercut competent drillers and make things that much worse. Every situation is different, but generally speaking, basement guys are hacks, but there are always exceptions. gsr, you have put in your time and go about drilling in an ethical, respectable manner. Good luck to you. I cannot say that I am not jealous. I miss my pro shop.
Edited on 10/17/2008 8:36 PM