It should match. No pro should continue until it does. We will even ask the customer to approve the match before proceeding because one stick of wood never looks like the next. If they are matching some wood that was pre-conditioned, that should have been discussed up front. It's an extra step and thus is extra labor so it should cost more. Also, in terms of painters on the whole, not all of them are expert stain matchers. I take all my matches directly to the paint store. In order to do this, I require a piece of the new wood being used and a piece of the wood we are matching. Some painters actually are fantastic at doing matches in the field, but stained trim isn't exactly popular these days so I imagine less and less of these types are going to be found.

So, were our expectations too high? BSmith

No. Both of them should have known better. "Stain new millwork to match existing" is black and white, there's no wiggle room there. If they didn't understand the materials, processes and products needed to meet that stipulation in the contract, then they shouldn't have quoted it.

They're failure to understand the scope of work as you detailed it and quote appropriately is not your problem and they need to fix it.

OMG! No your expectations were not too high. That is ridiculous. A ridiculously bad job.