So a few additional steel pads welded in place is going to cost you £2k? Hardly internet scare mongering, it's the equivalent of getting buckets and harnesses and then mounting the harness on a random hole you've drilled and shoved a bolt through. You might have the gear there. but it's not properly installed and therefore won't do it's job properly. Just seems logical.
And using the excuse that hundreds of other people are doing it, so it must be ok..... is bull!
Do it once, do it right. Especially as the car is currently ripped apart.