Shapeways needs to make available a downloadable program that calculates model cost and viability of printing -- it's a pain to upload and wait 10 minutes to find out you made a simple mistake, then delete your model and have to start over. Agree, disagree?
I use NetFabb.
With it, I can quickly find any suspect thin areas, and it tells you the volume of the model, which can easily be turned into a price.Patience, Persistance, Politeness - the 3Ps will help us get us to Perfect Printed Products