posted
OK all of you wizards out there. I need a little help before I quote this job.
I have an 8' by 28' semi trailer, I assume with rivets. They are going to use it for a billboard off of an interstate here. They want black vinyl letters, no graphic, on both sides. The lettering is:
Hardwood Flooring Portable Livestock New / Remodels Building Refinishing Various Sizes 1-800-xxx-xxxx
It is an old trailer I assume, since it will be parked in a field. I have no idea on the condition of it. They want me to price if I install AND if they install.
I don't want to shoot myself in the foot and be way low or way to high.
They also want a price on a 12' work trailer, both sides black letters with"
Hardwood Flooring Free Estimates 1-800-xxx-xxxx
Again a price for me to install and for them to install.
All of the xxxx are because they don't have a number yet.
posted
Rhonda- if you do the installation- will you be doing it out in a paddock in the sun & wind, or at your place at your convenience? How freshly painted is the background, & what's it painted with?
Personally I think I'd be lettering it in acrylic paint, if it's plain, big & black.
edited to add: if the substrate & its condition are unknown, I won't quote. Too many potential pitfalls, unless they'll accept $10 000 per side, and if they accepted that, I'd still be suspicious!
[ May 23, 2006, 01:13 AM: Message edited by: Ian Stewart-Koster ]
-------------------- "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
down here i would charge between $1600-$2000 if you install lettering only $1200 this is the for the 28' trailer.
if trailer is severely rusty i would not install. torn up i would not intsall. if you feel uneasy about the trailer at all, raise the install out of the roof and they will gladly attempt themselves.
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
quote:Originally posted by Ronda Neb: I have no idea on the condition of it.
Do yourself a favor and go look at it. I would assume that the customer is saying that they have to have it installed "yesterday", but you will save yourself a lot of head ache if you evaluate the situation before jumping in with both feet.
If they balk because you tell them you would like to see the trailer prior to quoting, just tell them that you want to save them money, otherwise you will have to assume worst case scenario, and would have to charge accordingly. They will appreciate it in the end.
[ May 23, 2006, 07:45 AM: Message edited by: Mark M. Kottwitz ]
-------------------- Mark Kottwitz Kottwitz Graphics Ridgely, MD www.SeeMySignWork.com -------------------------- Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein Posts: 746 | From: Ridgely, MD | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
I agree that I would like to see it first. If that is not possible because of distance, have the person take a photo of it and e-mail it to you. At least you'd have an idea of what you are looking at, rust, rivets, etc.
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted
Repeat after me- Never, never, never will I just quote over the phone without seeing the job. Or perhaps-Never, never, never will I shoot myself in the foot. 'Cause most times it turns out to be the same thing. If they are that far away from you that you can't go to see the job- why are they contacting you instead of someone close? I'll tell you why- they already have- and that signmaker gave them a price they didn't like- so they thought they'd go looking for a signmaker who was willing to shoot themselves in the foot. And lucky you- they're hoping its you. Jump in your vehicle and go for a tour to check it out.
-------------------- Deri Russell Wildwood Signs Hanover, Ontario
You're just jealous 'cause the little voices only talk to me. Posts: 1904 | From: Hanover, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Definately look at the trailer before quoting a price. A lot of older trailers not only have rivets but the metal has horizontal ribs....sometimes as little as 3-4 inches on center....which can be a real pain !
I like the suggestion of doing the lettering on smooth aluminum panels in your shop and let the customer install them !
[ May 23, 2006, 12:08 PM: Message edited by: Jim Moser ]
-------------------- Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain ! Jim Moser Design 13342 C Grass Valley Ave. Grass Valley, Ca. 95945 530-273-7615 jwmoser@att.net Posts: 488 | From: Grass Valley, Ca. | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Yeah the panels that they can install would be the way to go. Then you can do the job in the comfort of your own shop and not having to work your way around some nasty dirty old trailer while up on a scaffold.
But anyway.. without seeing the trailer's condition, shape, etc here's my guesstimate.
I just took the full size of the trailer, 8'x28' = 224 sq ft. A job that size, I'll use Dave Grundy's suggestion of 10X - so I'd likely quote $2240 installed for one side.
I wouldn't worry too much about rivets. It's an older trailer, it's getting left and likely forgotten in the middle of a field, nobody's gonna get close to it.
Edited to add: That's just the price I would quote. In no way am I saying I'd actually get the job or that I routinely do jobs like that and command that kind of money for it. That's a larger, perhaps a pain in the butt kinda job for me (mostly cause we're dealing with 100+ summer heat now), and while I can handle it OK I'd rather not. I'll do it but I may as well make some freakin' bank from it!
[ May 23, 2006, 01:37 PM: Message edited by: Mike Pipes ]
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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