average cost of a sturdy rear wheel

[montreal5]

I am looking into getting a rear wheel with 36 spokes for increased durability. I spoke with my LBS and they gave me an estimate of $181 for a hand-built wheel with hub. Unfortunately, I cant remember the make, but is this a fair price for a good wheel for someone who rides about 50 mi a week?

I looked online and the general prices went from $50 to $1500, so I have no idea if $181 is a ripoff, a bargain, or a waste.

Can anyone make recommendations for someone who enjoys riding but isnt trying to set land speed records. I have a hybrid with 700c rims.

 

[artmichalek]

If it's a good deal or not depends on the components. If you're on a tight budget, another option is go get something like this:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...rand=&sku=6238&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=
and bring it into the shop for final tensioning and truing. That should be about $20-30 extra.