Sorry for your losses.
You must get word of mouth references on the shop you are going to before starting any work, and never give them any money other than parts money.And even then , only the parts for certain areas..Once those parts are in, you can see the parts and then pay more to buy more...No labor money until the labor is complete..Paying too much up front is a recipe for disaster...
And even with labor, the guy has got to be top notch or you will pay someone later to undo the mess and redo it right...
Good luck on your new adventure
