Another option that's always available is to build the stand yourself using nuts and bolts rather than hiring a welder. I've been strongly considering going this route myself when it comes time for me to put together my first serious brewstand later this year. It doesn't seem like it's a terribly common design choice as far as I've seen; most guys opt to shell out for a professional weld job since they're already spending a lot of money on other equipment (controllers, burners, pumps, etc.).
Mild steel (and stainless, for that matter) is easily drilled with a cordless drill and an ordinary high-speed steel drill bit, especially when it's only 1/8" thick. It's pretty easy to cut with a hand saw, too. Many steel suppliers will cut tube/angle/bar stock to length for you for a little bit extra, so you could come up with a design, make a cut list from that, and then order a set of pre-cut steel parts ready to be drilled and bolted together.
Once it's built and you're happy with what you've got, disassemble, sand and spraypaint the parts, and then reassemble after they've dried. Done properly, you'll end up with a stand that's functionally just as good as a welded stand without paying a fortune for labor. It might not look as clean as a welded stand because of the nuts and bolts and extra supports needed, but it'd look a hell of lot better than a hacked-apart steel workbench, and it'd be your own custom design. I think it could easily be done for less than $300, too.
Welded/bolted structures are my favorite sort of thing to design, but lately my company has me working on fiddly little mechanisms and precision-machined parts instead. If anyone has questions about the structural design of a bolted-up (or welded) brewstand, feel free to PM me, it'll help me stay sharp