i have owned labs that were free to way north of the price you were quoted. 10 years from now the initial cost will not be relevant. The more titles and health clearances a puppies sire and dam have will increase the cost of the pup; At a bare minimum buy a pup that has hips, elbows and eyes checked. I think CNM and EIC are also important. The puppy market has been soft lately. You can sometimes find bargains on 8-10 week old puppies if you look around. After cleaning up after a litter for 8-10 weeks those puppies stop being so cute.