posted
No replies yet, so I'll start, and say I don't know what you should have charged, but what did you charge? & how big is it, what kind of paint did you use, and is that a sheet of brown paper inside the glass?
It took me a while to work out the flamey thing was a bike- nice idea! (maybe the front could have been a dark blue, rather than browny?)
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
If you spent $45 on buying createx, and $5 on the brown paper (including time & materials markup), then you did it for free (very generous of you, Ralph!)!
45 mins at say $60 + materials means you ought to have charged no less than $100...... does your 45 mins include salesmanship & travel time?
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
I don't do that kinda work..but..I think Sheila is pretty close at $200-$250
I sure wouldn't (even if I could) do it for any less.
Even though you earned $50 for 45 minutes of work, the "value" of the image is worth more than that.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
I got that kind of money for my splashes.... back when I first started in 1969! I haven't done any since the early 80's when I charged a lot more than that... and I suspect prices have gone up a bunch since then.
Don't sweat it though... education always costs money... just learn from the lessons and then charge accordingly.
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Ralph, I can't stress the importance of your learning some letterforms. While your inherent talent is obvious, you need to harness it. Get a copy of Mike Steven's Mastering Layout and read it. You already have good color skills. The more you learn, the better you'll be, and the more you can charge! I'm a cheapie and I would have charged at least a Benjamin. Keep on painting....Love.....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Do y'all charge SOLEY on the amount of on-site time & materials??
Or SOLEY on the 'perceieved value' theory?? (sorry, I still think of this as a theory until more evidence is logically presented)
I try to get $60 an hour in SHOP. I charge more for on-site work, and mark-up all materials.
After I wound up gettin' called back to scrape some windows and discovered how much I hate it, I do not remove window work . . . and also often sell them on hand-painted, hand-cut vinyl.
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
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"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
I do stuff like this all the time and about $175- $275 is what I would have like to have gotten for this. it looks like your new to the window splash game Ralph, I would suggest working on your letter structure a bit and you can get paid more, the better the layout is. also, Use regular latex exterior house paint. its cheaper in the long run.
posted
Yeah, I'm sure some letterheads would pick apart my flawed attempt at letter structure and layout. When they gat to critiqing work I just step out of the way and wonder what was really wrong with the original layout, but it always seems to look better at the end of the page. Anyway, yeah, the base is regular $10.99 a gallon semi gloss exterior Lowes paint.(the customer wanted it whited out like that) And the rest is actually foam roller and brush.It's the easiest thing to work with outside (for me anyway). I just roll out the letters and then outline them with a foam brush. (make sure you dont get the ones with the plastic at the end, they fall apart) Again, the outline is just high gloss exterior black from Lowes (nothing special) And it's easy to find. I don't airbrush much at all. When I need an airbrushed fade or something on my window splashes I use spraypaint. It's much easier that having to hook up the whole airbrush entourage. And for tight lines I use lettering brushes. It's a great formula for me, and I make a good living on painting windows.
quote:Originally posted by Sheila Ferrell: This is just a question of curiosity . . .
Do y'all charge SOLEY on the amount of on-site time & materials??
Or SOLEY on the 'perceieved value' theory?? (sorry, I still think of this as a theory until more evidence is logically presented)
I try to get $60 an hour in SHOP. I charge more for on-site work, and mark-up all materials.
After I wound up gettin' called back to scrape some windows and discovered how much I hate it, I do not remove window work . . . and also often sell them on hand-painted, hand-cut vinyl.
Sheila, i have a scraper that I hire to scrape big jobs for me. (just a guy I know who is always willing to do odd jobs) These guys come in very handy to me. Anyway, I charge solely on materials, time and perceived degree of difficulty in the Job. I only resort to 'perceived value' When the customer is trying to talk me down, then I start talking about how much it is worth to him and what kind of return it will bring him.
As for painting on vinyl, i've found that painting on Typar material (It's an outdoor weather resistant paper like material with a plastic coating on the back) Then I stick strong double sided tape to the back of it. (most banner supply shops carry it.) If your local place doesn't I can hook you up with one. It's cheap and sooo easy to install that even the customer can do it without messing everything up. Vinyl can be a pain to install with paint on it.
posted
Dawud, you say you use a semi gloss for your base? Why's that?
I found that flat is better for base coat as it has more 'tooth' and is more opaque than semi-gloss.
I have a $150 minimum, most jobs are around $250-$375, all depends on the amount of copy, detail and difficulty. Last year's Christmas window, all done with rollers,acrylics and brush.
posted
i do windows....and minimum is $5.00 a sq ft....so if you stick with that you wont screw yourself on pricing. your window looks to me like a 5 ft tall window and about 7 ft long of graphic. 5x7=35 sq ft x $5 = $175!!!!! and thats cheap......so next time you do a window....make sure you DONT DO IT FOR LESS THEN $5.00 A SQ FT...and remember the more art work....the higher the sq ft pricing.
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
O.P. - I used to price @ $5 sq. ft. & quickly found out I was under charging for small jobs - say a 18" x 12" panel in white vynul on office door would only be like 15 bucks - my minimum for a door is $35 around here - 5 yrs. ago got $75-125 for same work - basic office door with Name/Logo/Hours . . . Adrienne your snowman rocks . . .makes me cold just looking at it . . . .
-------------------- Carl Wood Olive Branch, Ms Posts: 1392 | From: Olive Branch,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1999
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Dawud, there are a variety of paintable vinyls, matte vinyl, and vinyl masks. (man I gotta get a scanner goin')
In the past I have used adhesion promoter clears, but there are better paintable vinyls and paints as well for this purpose. RT Thomas showed me where you can use Krylon with exceptional adhesion for those 'fades'. Or use the airbrush in the shop), and I can work on other stuff in-house stuff between stages.
For hand-(brush)-painting I usually always scuff a little. I simply lay-out & paint the designs on there just like would a window or panel, and leave them to dry. Then cut & weed, usually leaving about an inch or so of white outline, then mask and go apply.
I primarily do this for less on-site time when it's entirely too cold, or entirely too hot.
Anyway, you can replicate work exactly like Ms.Adrienne's in vinyl, or you're copy and graphic elements . . . and I suppose you could vinyl that entire background white too...lol
You really can't tell unless you get close to it or walk up and touch it to tell it was done on vinyl . . . I find it makes no difference to the customer except knowing removal is not going to be an extra cost or mess for them - they can remove it themselves.
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
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"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
"minimum is $5.00 a sq ft....so if you stick with that you wont screw yourself on pricing." we was discussin WINDOWS...not 18x24's. NO that $5 sq ft dont apply to small stuff...or things that use up substraights and vinyl. small stuff(under 4x4) i usually quote at $10 a sq ft...easy figurin'. so a 2'x 2' =4 sq ft x $10= $40. and i figure it that way for big stuff just so easy....to add a ZERO to what ever sq ft you got and thats the price.....ex. 4x8=32 sq ft x $10= $320.....and if its a simple design and you want to come down to $7.50 sq ft you take the $320, half it ($160) and half of that is $80 then subtract $80 from $320 or take the $160 and add $80 =$240 either way. i do all these calk-a-ta-shuns in my head while iam talkin to the client.. to me this is easy....and then i usually follow up the price with my "jewish accent" such a deal iam giving you...oye....hhehehehehehehe this also works from $10 and up just take the $320 figure half is $160 now add $320 + $160=$480 or $15 sq ft. simply 8th grade math.......or you can confuse the crap and make it into algebra x + y - z = a which dont make any sence to me....
[ November 03, 2005, 02:14 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Ralph, All I can say is don't use an "Airbrush" for eveything! Windows are large and cheap. Roll for speed. Layout and design is everything! I would do stuff like your window when I was a teenager in high school. Get the book "How to paint window splashes" from Signcraft. Learn to letter. Even the basics will be a great help to you. I learned a long time ago - only teenyboppers want "Airbrush". Not the best money. The business man has the money. He's not interested in what tool you use. Enjoy this great business - John
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Here's one of mine.
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Rolling On The Floor]](graemlins/rolf.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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