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We have been making sandblasted signs for a certain hospital district for many years. At one of the doctors' offices where we built a sandblasted redwood sign which cost $8500, the next physicians who moved in ordered an HDU sign from us which was around $3000. The $3000 one was recently destroyed by a hit and run driver and we ended up replacing it with a composite aluminum one costing about $750. As I drove through the area I could see several more dimensional signs replaced by these less expensive signs, in an area that was pretty much all sandblasted, gold leafed, and carved signs there are now dibond, foamboard, and digital prints. The sign below, which we are working on now, was sandblasted with gold leaf. The tennants who have moved in now didn't want sandblasted and instead opted for polymetal screwd onto the old structure. When we arrived to install, we found that two physicians had removed their sandblasted gold leafed panels(which we made previously) and it has been filled in with a piece of beige painted plywood and covered with a temporasry banner. We have made two(2) sandblasted signs all year long. Have you noticed a trend like this in your area?
[ October 07, 2010, 03:52 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Hey, it says it all in the name. "Chipola" They're is bunch of "Cheap-po-las"
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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The trend here is they'll gladly take a plastic 10 mm sign with cheap vinyl vs a twice as expensive dibond sign with hi performance vinyl. The trend is not to spend.
I make money either way, so I just roll with it.
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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"...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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same here. any office areas with "sign codes" are thrown out the window. They are just glad they moved in
-------------------- 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
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we have seen that to a great degree this year having done sandblasted, carved, and dimensional signage as our mainstay for many years. i recently began to look at the differences between this year and years past, and was amazed how much of a difference there was. we have been just as busy but the margins are much less. fortunately a few good jobs have begun to change that and hopefully this will be the trend that continues.
-------------------- joel cuminale creative rage inc 3 railroad street fairport, ny 14450 info@tpsigns.com Posts: 14 | From: fairport ny | Registered: Jul 2002
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I charged an extra $13.75 for climbng a ladder with my head 10' off the ground, and using my drill to remove the banner sign while the Hospital "Engineer" sat on his rearend in his car and watched us like a hawk.. Now he's complaining about the charge.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Local strip mall had a mandatory provision that all businesses had to have 2' x 8' backlit signs, with pan faces, and cabinets painted to match the building.
All of the tenants complied.
Then the rental marked slowed down and like Bruce said the cabinet sign provision is gone. The last two I installed were 1/2" coro with cheap vinyl to get them under budget.
A couple of others who required channel letters are letting tenants use "temporary" banners for as long as they want.
-------------------- Pat Whatley Montgomery, AL (334) 262-7446 office (334) 324-8465 cell Posts: 1306 | From: Wetumpka, AL USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Wayne - the next time you go to a hospital, see if there are any charges for as little as $13.75. They'll charge $50 to remove a band-aid...only they won't call it that.
My recent heart attack trip was over $100,000.
Wonder what Harding's bill is up to now?
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Ray. I've used my computer, expensive computer program, internet service, electricity,and time to send this guy dozens of emails because he kept changing the physicians and info on the signs and spent my time, gas and vehicle to drive 30 minutes one way to his location to give a free site survey, made the signs, painted them in their matching Pantone colors, and installed them and as of yet, I haven't been paid a single penny. Yes, I succumbed to not charging a deposit...broke my own rules.
Not to mention, all three of my babies were born at his hospital, one of which I had no insurance and I paid the bill they handed me without saying a word to them about it.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Patrick, that is exactly what is going on here as far as 10mm coro
However, I did do a double sided 5 x 10 alumalite for $1000 last week. Simple lettering, nothing fancy.
cleared about $650 on that one ..... SWEEETTT!!!
-------------------- Michael Gene Adkins The Fontry 1576 S Hwy 59 Watts OK 74964 Posts: 845 | From: Watts, OK USA | Registered: Jun 1999
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Hey, I'm not knocking the cheaper signs. Don't get me wrong, It all pays the bills and I'll take anything I can get right now. It's just a little disheartening to see....
I mean....screwing white aluminum, lettered in Frutiger over the face of a nice sandblasted, gold leafed sign mounted on brick columns?
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Maybe send the guy a box of chalk and when he calls to ask why, suggest he buy a blackboard?
My Internist moved into a fancy new office a year ago. No art on the walls and no sign on the door. I wrote him a couple letters about it and suggested I could set him up even on a payment plan (like leasing the wall art). He never bothered to reply, however when his office sent me a bill for $3.95 outstanding, somehow they managed to remember to start communicating again. I went in for my annual physical a couple months back and amazingly, he had art on the walls and a door sign. I asked him what gives and he acted like the matter was beneath him.
No reason to get pithy about it as life is long and sooner or later he will need some art and the price will only be that much more. Don't get mad. Get even.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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"The $3000 one was recently destroyed by a hit and run driver and we ended up replacing it with a composite aluminum one costing about $750."
Wayne, you really should watch the way you drive!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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