Powdercoated frame

[Grumpy Goat]

... The question is what would be the man hours involved?  I have asked at a local mechanic/powder coaters as they mentioned they had done it before on a GS but the price seemed too high.  I presume the quote was a "we don't want to do it, but if you pay us over the odds, we'll do it" price.
...

What did you ask such that their price was too high? 

Since they mentioned that they did it before on a GS, it sounds like you asked them to do the whole job - dismantle, powder coat, reassemble.

It should be the same if just the bits were brought in, then they don't have the worry about putting the bike back together.

That would be my approach, i.e. only bring in the bits I wanted powder coated.