Yeah, this is not a well run business, it seems more of a hobby project for the guy. Looks like he is basically doing everything by himself so it makes sense as a matter of policy to not give out estimates to individuals because otherwise that will probably take up the majority of his time instead of actually getting orders shipped out.
Other than that, very happy with the keyboard, its build quality, the NKRO (which model Ms don’t have), and the open source QMK firmware that is very customizable.
That sounds like an awful long time, but I ordered around the beginning when I knew it wasn't a finished product yet. It was a lot of research and experimentation with production. The key caps took quite a while to get right. Things should be a lot speedier now, though.
Anyway, I'm very happy with it. I type morning to night so I think the cost was worth it for me. Like investing in a chair you find particularly comfortable. Or a standing desk. It makes the Model M look and feel like an embarrassment.