How do contractors handle charging markups on materials without feeling guilty?

you need to stop thinking like an employee and start thinking like a business owner. There’s not much context here but if they wanted it cheap they should have A) done it themselves B) hired someone that is cheaper and along with that comes cheaper quality of work. You did not get into business to be NOBODYS FRIEND. You started a business to either be successful, have goals of more financial stability, tired of the job environment politics.