Whenever you think asking a designer to work for free is ok its honestly not. Because you know for fact that you would not go to your doctor and ask for a free surgery? You would not go to your grocery store and ask for your groceries for free while everyone else pays. So therefore what is different about paying a designer?
What you are saying to a designer when you do not want to pay them is that you don’t feel they are of value. They really are of value and each designer is at a different skill level then others. For example if it was not for a web designer,graphic designer and various others then WordPress would not look like it does.
The reason people prefer WordPress over other site is because of its value. People choose designers and pay them because they recognize their value. Value being the result of the completed work and how it accomplishes the vision.
You may be saying well I can download the programs and just do it myself. Well yes you can do that, But will you possess the skill set and thinking to accomplish a completed design. Because you would not try to cut corners if you had no idea on how to put brakes on your car and you did not feel comfortable doing so. That may or may not have been a good example to use.
Whenever I get someone wanting me to design work for them for free I take it as an insult. The other thing is when someone shops around wanting the lowest price. Then when someone wants a design done and then thinks its simple and easy and says oh I could do that, Which honestly you could not come up with that idea.
Learn to appreciate the value designers bring to your business, life and everything else. Not wanting to pay a designer whether its web designer, product designer, graphic designer interior designer and others just shows you are not ready for a designer. You also may be scared of letting someone help that you do not know well or that you may know well. Therefore I recommend you to not interfere with the process and to not deal with an asshole designer and vice versa for designers to not work with an arrogant/unappreciative client.
Design and calligraphy 