Ugh, that's brutal. I tried to DIY some quarter round once and it looked about the same. They definitely cheaped out on the install.

Try the old "unplug it for five minutes" trick.

Actually used to think deposits were the only fair way to do it. Figured it made people take care of the stuff. But that guy's worry about a big bill is totally real. A flat fee takes that fear away. More people using the tool is better than a few people scared of a cost they can't guess. Makes a lot of sense to switch.