Solicitor not giving fee estimate

I'm buying a property. I called a Solicitor recommended to me by a friend. The friend, the property and the Solicitor are in a pretty small town and the Solicitor has been practicing for a long time. I get that the Solicitor has a reputation to uphold, so they're probably not going to rip people off. I asked about their fee. They were pleasant but said they can't provide a fee because it depends on how much work is involved - what if there's a boundary dispute, problems with the property, right of way etc. This is fair enough. I'm interested in working with him but a little put off by not having any ballpark idea what the fee will be or be able to back out if there's a lot of work involved. He didn't mention an hourly rate so I don't think he has one.

Is "figure it out as we go" pricing common for Solicitors? If you don't mind sharing, what did you pay when you bought your home?

Thanks.