posted
Dave's postabout charging too much made me think of the situation I was involved in just yesterday.
A lady came in to pick up her HDU sign and wanted to know what a post would cost for it. She wanted a vinyl-clad post topped with a vinyl finial.
I explained to her that it would be drilled and countersunk and would come complete with 3 galvanized lag screws for mounting the sign.
I figured $21 for the post, $1.35 each for the lag screws, $4 for the finial and PVC glue. To just give a quik quote(because I could tell by the way she was acting that she was gonna freak even if I just charged her my cost for materials) I just did material x 3 and told her $90. Yes she did freak...."for just a post?".
I said yes ma'am....for having to go get the post, (50 miles away at Home Depot), bring it to the shop, measure for the screwholes, drill the countersinks, bore the holes, attach the finial, and insert the screws. She still acted like I was ripping her off. I said ma'am you're more than welcome to get the post, screws, finial, glue yourself but it's all gonna cost you over $30 and you can assemble it yourself.
After she left I gave it some thought. $90 does sound like a lot for a post! So, I re-figured it $30 for the materials marked up for the trouble of going to the building supply to get them which would make it $50.01, then 7.50 setup, 25 cents per hole and about $5 for fooling with attaching the finial, and mounting the screws. This would be about $63.25. Alot less than $90 but would still be unreasonable to her and not enough for me to want to fool with.
I feel the same way and more so about PT 4x4's or 4x6's. You have to go to the building supply, sort through the crooked and twisted ones, and hope to find one that's not too knotty or wet, then bring it to the shop, sand it, drill and countersink it, maybe add a finial, drill and countersink the holes, prime it, paint it...
But in the customer's mind.....it's just a post.
[ July 24, 2003, 05:48 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
Hiya Wayne, I get at least $110 per pair for decorative sign supports. Rarely, do I quote a job with all the peices itemized out. So, the client doesn't know or care what the posts actually cost.
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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Hi Wayne, I agree with everything you said. Recently I came upon some nice looking posts at a lantern shop near me. Turns out they are from a Massachusetts company called Walpole Woodworkers, that also sells some nice looking (if simple) carved address signs to go with the posts. A whole line of products - and they have a great color glossy catalog with prices in it! After seeing some of their listed prices I was happily obliged to raise all my post/structure prices without appology. Anybody that doesn't like my post prices can order one from Walpole. I'll even show them the catalog and the URL. Here you go: Walpole Woodworkers
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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had guy in sarasota....took up 3 hours of my time, drivin around showing me all his real estate signs(all done by other then me, 1st red flag)asking me to give him estimates on letter changes. well toward the end of this b.s. session with him...he pulls up to 2 4x4 signs, sitting at close to 45 degrees to each other...wants a price on pulling out one post, moving it 15-20 degrees and digging another hole and setting the moved post in that hole....(by now iam p.o. anyway and this guy is wasting my time).... i told him $35 a hole...and hes ????? $35 a hole?....yea, $35 for me to dig it out, and another$35 for me to set it!!!!! he says i can get some guy of the corner to do that for $5 an hour....i said good!!!! needless to say i didnt get any of his work and he never called me again...
-------------------- 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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Around here one of the sign shops has a $150 minimum order. They don't do much vinyl work of course but they are not bothered by small orders. I was told that they really don't want to bother with any sign less than $1000. They also sub out installs. When we first started out they told us to use the pricing guide and add 20% to get the price they would charge. It's great having them nearby.
Don't worry about losing a sale why work for free?
ernie
-------------------- Ernie Balch Balch Signs 1045 Raymond Rd Malta, NY 518-885-9899 Posts: 405 | From: Malta, NY | Registered: Jan 2003
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Had a customer order a $100 house address sign, then asked if we could get a post and "stick it in the ground". Sure. "How much?" $100. Shock and indignation - "You want $100 to just stick it in the ground?!" My response: "Sir. There's no such thing as "stick it in the ground". We go the lumber yard, buy a piece of wood, cut it, sand it, paint it, come out to your house, dig a hole, PLACE the post into the hole, level it, refill the hole, tamp it down, replace the grass, and dispose of the excess dirt. However, if you feel that we are overcharging you for this service, feel free to pick up your sign at our shop, and you may gladly install it yourself." Silence. "Oh". Quietly. "No, why don't you go ahead and do it."
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988" Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Chuck Gallagher Pro Graphics Signs by Design Cabool, MO 417.962.3291 "I grew up in Letterville" Posts: 776 | From: Cabool, Mo. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Delivered a job this week that the posts cost more than the signs (for the raw materials) 12"x18" dibond signs on 4x4x8'(chopped to 3x3) cedar posts ... the raw posts cost us $40 each
-------------------- Compulsive, Neurotic, Anti-social and Paranoid ... but basically Happy Posts: 2677 | From: Rochester, NY, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Yessereee bob....that's the way ah tawk awright. I jus kaint hep-it. Mighty prowdjagoctha book OK. Thankee kindly fer lettin' me borry it.
I have some cut-off pieces of 4x4 redwood and PT post in the shop. When I get around to it I intend to sand, rout them in different ways, countersink/drill, add finials, maybe some plugs, and paint them. Then put a rough 4x4 beside them as a display in the showroom. Maybe this could help customers to see the difference between a post....and just a post.
Cuz around hyere a post is jes sompm ya nail wahr to ta kaip ya caahws iun.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7404 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Be careful using Walpole Woodworkers as a price guide. Their work is beautiful, but is very well known around here for being 2-3 times anyone else's price.
-------------------- Paul Luszcz Zebra Visuals 27 Water Street Plymouth, MA 02360 508 746-9200 paul@zebravisuals.com Posts: 483 | From: 27 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360 | Registered: Jul 2003
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Paul, I've taken a good look at their products in person. If someone is making posts like theirs for 1/2 to 1/3rd the price, they are losing money, which is kind of the point of this post. The posts are rather elaborate. Now if someone is making posts 1/3 smaller or 1/3 simpler, then no problem charging accordingly. Normally I pay no attention to what others charge for anything. In this case I make an exception, and it's very comforting to know SOMEBODY is setting an example and getting paid properly.
SONGPAINTER Original Sign Music by Sign People NOW AVAILABLE on CD and the proceeds go to Letterville's favorite charity! Click Here for Sound Clips! Posts: 1974 | From: Orleans, MA, Cape Cod, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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