Some shops can't do rods or for some reason just don't like to do rods, or if they do them, somehow they manage to **** up the job.
So they over quote or aim customers in the direction of new rods, and then mark up the price for doing no work..
I've done a lot of engines where I have just changed out the rod bolts and run them with no distortion to the rod bore.
Now we have a cam shortage, just wait till we have a rod shortage LOL :)