posted
As some of you guys know all we really do is pinstriping and sell supplies, so I have no idea how to price a sign. Robert was asked to letter two signs for my Dad's business partner, he supplied two new sheets of 4x8 preprimed sign material ( I have no idea what is actually called but it was ready to go when we got it, no priming or filling needed.) The lettering was very basic, 4 lines of text on one and 5 lines of text on the other, the usual stuff, For Lease, square footage, phone number, ask for name, and a border, all painted. The problem is we have no idea how to charge for this. Any suggestions you guys have would be appreciated, as we don't want to feel like we charging less than a sign guy would just because we don't know what is appropriate.
posted
minimum $4.00 a sq.ft. so 4x8=32 s.f x $4= $128.00. if robert is as quick with a quill as he is with sword......its a good price also you said it was family and they paid for the boards. you can do $5.00 sq.ft. if you feel like it...that would make each at $160.00
-------------------- 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
the 2003 edition of the "Sign Contractor's Pricing Guide" puts a painted 4x8 sign at between $480 and $785, each. Subtracting the $72 for the primed plywood (that's the already marked up price, of course), and you have $408 to $713 each. From your description, I'm guessing these are probably worth around $550 to $600 each.
Now, what YOU want to charge is up to you.
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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What is your hourly rate for pinstriping? Charge the same, plus materials. Our price, with intermediate vinyl, would be around $275.00 (when a board is supplied).
-------------------- Tim Whitcher Adrian, MI Posts: 1546 | From: Adrian, MI | Registered: Mar 1999
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Sometimes some signs are hard to price. I usually figure out how long it will take to do/create, multiply the hours by my shop rate and then add in the costs of the materials. ex. If its going to take you 3 hours to cut, weed, premask, install lettering on a DS sign, and your shop rate is $60. Charge $180. + the costs of the vinyl.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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scooter....that pricing guide is sactly what it says on the cover....PRICING GUIDE. in the real sign world(i live in)to get $300 for a 4x8 is a treat!!!!!!!! i just did a 4x8 on alumilite for the high school here. the sheet of alumilite cost me $80 delivered to my door, i put 6 lines of red intermediate(avery A6) on it. it a football championship listing. took me 2 hours to do and it was gone. so it was $80 for alumilite and $170 for the single sided lettering total of $250. i got 2 other 4x8's iam just vinyling, they are installed and freshly painted. all iam doing is appling HP vinyl and iam doing 2 of these for $640.00.
-------------------- 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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My 4x8's start at 450, and go up quickly. That is for a sign though, and I don't consider a "for lease" the same. No real design time or other things that cost money.
With backgrounds ready to go, I'd do these for a friend for 125 each.
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2316 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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Bottom price for a 4x8 is $350. We figure to buy a sheet of MDO and seal the edges and two coats of primer and two coats of enamel costs us $125 for a prepared board. If you figure how much time does the negotiating take, then the layout, lettering, do you deliver it?, the process of billing, filing the paperwork, doing the sales tax, you're going to have a few hours in each sign. Yes, they could be done with quick casual letterstyles in 45 minutes, but is that what type of work you want to attract? Would you want to show someone a photo of that sign as an example of your professionalism? Please, charge enough to allow you to do your best!
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6811 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I just did two identical 4x4's with 22 words of text each and three-color scanned logos in cast HP vinyl on 1/2''Nu-alum with edge caps for a total of $599.92 plus tax.
The NU-alum and edge caps cost a total of $75.75(not marked up) The vinyl and tape was about $61.59(not marked up)
I didn't have to prime, paint or edge seal the board but with worrying with getting the logos and all it took me 8.5 hrs total.
$599.92- $127.34= $472.58 $472.58/8.5hrs comes to about $55.60/hr.
Did a 4x8 on nu-alum with edge caps a few weeks ago that had a BUNCH of text(HP vinyl) and two logos and it was about $700.
[ May 29, 2003, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7405 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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I appreciate all the input! Given that Robert whipped out both these signs after work in one evening, they delivered the materials, picked up the finished signs and were basically family, we figured a fair "family" price was $250 apiece. They thought it was a good price, we felt it was fair for the amount of time we had in it, so everyone was happy! It is amazing how much pricing varies from different parts of the country, but as usual this board is a great source of help!
posted
Joe, (and others) We've only got one world, and you and i are both living in it. I price my work by the "book" (Sign Contractors Pricing Guide). Yes, San Francisco is a pricey place, so maybe people are willing to pay "more" for a sign. On the other hand, i'm really not very good at painting signs (yet). So i would think that a really nicely done sign by somebody with your experience and talents would go for MORE money than my feeble attempts at lettering. We're both living in the same world -- I just charge higher prices.
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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santo we need to feed scoot some BODIN......hehehehehe
-------------------- 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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OP, You will be glad to know that my computer problem was fixed by my podner here in Houston. Worked out a trade. You guessed it, I crossed that LA-TEX line with 5 lbs of boudin and a pound of Cracklins.
posted
Keep in mind that what you are really selling is advertising VALUE. There is a worth to a sign that is beyond the price of the time spent making it, materials and overhead. (Materials and prep of a 4x8 is $150. min.)
If you have the knowledge, experience and clever ideas that can assure that your clients are successful, what is your work (really) worth? What is an idea worth? How about a GOOD idea?
Get what the type of advertising is worth to the client, ,,,and also what the market will bear.
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