If you think that is high, get other local quotes.

Maybe it’s not an option but could you do faux wood beams? Looking up at a ceiling it’s hard to tell they’re not real.

"We were quoted $7000 for cosmetic (not support) beams in our home. The beams are probably about 8ft long and basically will encase existing wood or dry wall."

How many "beams"? What width and height and the ACTUAL length (not about)? How high is the ceiling? What type of wood and how are they built and installed? Still may not be able to answer you but just thoughts. Marks advice is best, get more local quotes.

If you want to go the competitive bid route--which may be difficult based on current demand for contractors--I suggest you have a designer/architect produce a plan and basic spec sheet for the beams so you know what you should expect from each bidder.

IMO fake beams almost always look fake and quite honestly do not belong often where people think they want them. How would we know without any context or even how many beams. I can think of many things to spend 7K on that are real.

"If you think that is high, get other local quotes."

Heck, if you think that is low, get other local quotes.

🤷‍♀️ I think the faux beams in our master suite look good; people are always surprised when we tell them that they are not real wood.

Excuse the messy bedroom that I tried to crop out of the photo 😛