The Letterville BullBoard: What's a buck worth these days? (just for fun)

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Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :

If you lettered a pair of 1'x2' magnetics for $50 back in 1980, what would today's price be if you adjust for inflation?

$114.34

During the clean up after the flood 18 months ago, I found a bill where my father lettered a pair of truck doors for $135.00 back in 1978. Today, if you adjusted for inflation that job would have sold for $370.39. Using today's prices, that same job sells for $90.00 in our current market.

We oughta be slapped.

Inflation Calculator > www.westegg.com/inflation

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Warning: A well designed sign may cause fatigue due to increased business.
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walldog@nc.rr.com

Posted by Mark Fair Signs (Member # 289) on :

great post glenn.
food for thought.

you are right, we oughta be slapped.
we should all strive to get a profitable dollar for our work.

mark

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Mark Fair

Mark Fair Signs
http://www.markfair.com

Home of "Sign of the Month
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2162 Mt. Meigs Road
Montgomery, Alabama 36107
334-262-4449

mark@markfair.com

"Mark Fair is a Proud Contributor to The Letterhead Site!"

Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :

Yep it's kinda crazy huh? We used to make more money in the 70's and 80's because there weren't sign shops on every street corner. Painting a sign was art. Typing in helvetica and slapping it on corex is not. There are lots of beautiful signs now too..but it just isn't the same.

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Cheryl J Nordby
Signs by Cheryl
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Posted by Mikes Mischeif (Member # 1744) on :

...well sorta.... Did he do those doors in 45 mins like we do? or all day?

If you find a tax return from that year, Then you'd get a real perspective on how far we've gained or loss.

Our Profits increase 20% a year while our prices gain 4% or 5%.

..anyway, thats the way I see it.

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Mike Duncan
Lettercraft Signs
Alexandria VA

I have never let schooling interfere with my education - Mark Twain

Posted by Gail & Dave Beattie (Member # 572) on :

20 yrs ago devo bought a tattoo kit from one of the bike mags.
being that it was an american mag he had to go to hte post office and get a money order for the $120. needed.
he got change from $80au!
today if i want to buy anything from up-over i have to double it and then add the frieght.... works out about x3

so glen in answer to your question...
whats a buck worth?
my currency? 'no much'

regards
gail

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Gail & Dave
NSW Australia

taurus_signs@one.net.au

sumtimes ya just gota

Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :

Mike,

I asked my father about it today. Memory being what it is, he said he generally turned that particular one in about 1.5 hours. At that time, the only "equipment" he had were about a dozen lettering brushes and pints of lettering enamel.

$90 bucks an hour today is fantastic. But back then, $90 is the equivilent of about $247 today. Combine that with the relatively low overhead needed at the time, Dad was making a killing! Of course, he also had (and still does) a great deal of experience and talent that a lot of other signpainters in the area at the time didn't have.

Here's something to think about.... In 1983, a Gerber Signmaker-3 sold for about $8000. Ours had 4 fonts with it. In today's money, that signmaker would have been more than $13k! Think of what you can buy with $13k today. But, also think of how many jobs you would have to do in order to pay off $13k.

Kinda makes my brain ache a bit.

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Warning: A well designed sign may cause fatigue due to increased business.
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walldog@nc.rr.com

[This message has been edited by Glenn Taylor (edited March 14, 2001).]

Posted by Rich Stebbing (Member # 368) on :

I was just having a similar discussion recently, of all places a Barber Shop. I mentioned that I felt alot the Sign Industry pricing seems to be stuck in the 80's or at least alot of customers are of that mindset. The Barber said his prices hav'nt kept pace with the cost of living either, although he is now paying "market value" rent in his strip-mall location. An Independent Mobile Auto Mechanic was expressing similar concerns. I can remember at a Letterheads Meet a bunch of us were comparing ourselves to Plankton when it comes to other professions and industries being more business savvy and taking care of ourselves.
I really don't have problems getting what I want but know of sign businesses that almost seem to have gone backwards when it comes to pricing competetivly. Their is still alot of poverty in our industry.

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Rich Stebbing #945
RichSigns
Rohnert Park CA

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