I have been asked, by my cousin, to make a large sign and a fake tree (to cover the unsightly electrical feed and meter). The sign will hang off of a limb of the tree. I find myself partially paralyzed in trying to quote it. How do I quote for a family member? I don't want it to be too much but it certainly can't be too little.
Second problem about it is that I have not really ever done such a thing. I made huge foam cars, but with little detail. This is 96" tall ( 14" trunk) and a few limbs with the longest being 85+" long....and it's got a lot of detail!! The sign is full carved in HDU, the tree might be foam and or epoxy.
I can't figure it out...I'm wasting time having this bounce around in my head..
Any thoughts?
Gerald
-------------------- Gerald Lauzé FeatureWorx Creative Fabrication 206-19148 27th ave Surrey BC Posts: 264 | From: Cloverdale ( Surrey ) BC | Registered: Mar 2006
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My opinion would be..Price the job like it was for a regular customer...If you like this particular relative "maybe" give him a 5-10% break on labour only.
-------------------- 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
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Pass! Just say your relationship is worth more than the money. No matter how good a job you do, he will always resent something about it. Experience has taught me this.
-------------------- 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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Glenn is correct about the pricing, but my experience has been that there is no winner in this situation. Even if you give a sizable discount, the price will still be too much (for a relative) and the work will need some tweeking to make it just what the relative wanted.
I just give stuff to relatives (small jobs) and pass on the big ones...especially since you haven't done this type of job before, and it's a big project - more chances for things to go wrong.
Practice on strangers.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Raymond hit it right on. You either charge full price or you give it away. Same with signs for charitable organizations ...... no matter how much you discount something, there's always some cynical SOB who'll say " He's still making $$$ on this .... imagine what he makes when he charges full price!" They can't accuse you of being a rip-off if you give it to them. Well, maybe, but it's unlikely ......
-------------------- Rodger MacMunn T.R. MacMunn & Sons C.P.207, Sharbot Lake, ON 613-279-1230 trmac@frontenac.net Posts: 472 | From: Sharbot Lake, Ontario | Registered: Nov 2003
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Can your relative help you with the process. They are always happier if they help. And if it doesn't turn out exactly how you planned so what? Its a tree. Trees are all different. And he will be so proud to have done all your labour for you he will love it no matter what it looks like. Concentrate on the sign and charge him full price for that. Charge him time for the tree that only you put into it and give him the bill for the materials for the tree.
-------------------- 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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I cringe every time family asks for a sign to be made!!
I have a family member who is in Real Estate and there is a reason I refer to them as being a "realturd" (but you didn't hear that from me).
I am always getting ...but the silkscreen guy only charges this much...can you match the price? For a one off??
If you do take on the project, I'd suggest making the tree out of styrofoam and using majic smooth to seal it up..seems the fastest way to to that.
I have made floor to cieling tree trunks before, for kids' rooms and the foam is messy but less expensive than HDU. Use the majic smooth to glue several layers together to get the thickness you want and shape it out quickly with a chainsaw/ sawsall/ electric meat knife..whatever is on hand.
Further shape it with a rasp and go at the details with a dremel (use a sanding stone bit). The majic smooth will take a long time, but you can work in sections.
Prime a couple times, at least, and paint dark brown or black(to get into the bark grooves). Dry brush your lighter wood colors over that. Make sure you cover and seal it up well since some oil or lacquer paints will eat the foam if you miss a spot.
If the tree is to support a HDU carved sign you may need some structure, wood or welded, to support the weight.
Any thoughts about the 5000 leaves you might want to add?
Good Luck! Send them the bill....
-------------------- Shirley Carron Black Sheep Designs 184 John St. N. Arnprior,On.,Canada shirleyc@magma.ca 613-623-7053 Posts: 503 | From: Arnprior, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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if its one of my relatives, I start with full price... then add a PITA charge of another 50%... if that doesn't make em flinch, I do what mechanic does... add "plus labor"
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1735 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
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EVERYTIME.......i have had a "relative" ask for a sign.........i quote them a price......AND NEVER GET THE JOB........iam always to expensive....FREE is what they are looking for and if they gota PAY........they sure a heck dont want to give me their money))))
[ October 02, 2013, 12:00 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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Fortunately I haven't had to deal with this situation very much. Someone told me what they do in this situation is tell their relative to get 3 quotes on the job from other contractors and they will do the job at the cheaper rate. I thought that sounded like a decent idea...
-------------------- Jean Shimp Shimp Sign & Design Co. Jacksonville Beach, Fl Posts: 1266 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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When doing work for family, it can be tricky and get messy rather quickly. So, I follow the advice I learned here. I think it was Si who originally said charge them double or do it for free. I too subscribe to this thought. This way you can tell them they got what they paid for. Or, you have plenty of money to do it over again when they say they don't like it
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Agree with Raymond, 100%, unless its a "funeral" cousin (You know, the cousins you only see at funerals...). In which case I probably wouldn't take the job at all.
[ October 08, 2013, 05:38 PM: Message edited by: Felix Marcano ]
-------------------- Felix Marcano PuertoRicoSigns.Com Luquillo, PR
Work hard, party like a tourist! Posts: 2274 | From: Luquillo, Puerto Rico, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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-------------------- Bill'n'Annie Davidson Heathcote, NSW, Aus. my Aussie wife, a Toohey's Old, my Holden Ute, Retired from the rat race! Posts: 309 | From: Heathcote, NSW, Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3485 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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