the problem is size - the banner is to be 7'6 x 28 feet. I've never done one that big, and I've never worked up any sort of price for such a monster... I have a 15" cutter and asked here on the board for 48" cutter owners to give me an idea of pricing but that didnt help. I figure I can panel it 12" at at time, since it will be mild but at least 24-36" tall lettering. No logos that I know of, just straight lettering.

I've come up with prices of $175-300 on the banner itself so far.

Anyone out there done such an animal before? monster banner with a small cutter? I dont paint, least not like that, so thats not an option. I can get sub out the vinyl work if need be.

I just cant get a handle on pricing this thing, so any help with an idea or formula would be greatly appreciated...

my shop rate is $65hr. for argument sake. I've come up with prices from $650-3500 so far and have no idea what the market will bear.

What ounce material will you use for the duration of it?
Is it Vinyl material application or Vinyl painted?
Am I installing or your maintenance crew?

I am qouting 5- 3'X 15' banners for tomorrow and with 5 colours per on a single side (1-2 years exterior)
Banners will be 21 ounce or better.
Vinyl (NasDar)Painted only as to location abuse.

Not installed by me.
Doesn't matter as My Insurance has to cover product.
$550.00-$650.00 per Banner plus installation costs
Covering letter from Installer for insurance.

On banner material, I was thinking 14oz, but I should preface that by saying I am in upstate SC which is pretty mild when it comes to weather and wind. My biggest sorespot on this deal is the fact that the customer's competition has similar banners on something that looks like a plasticky bedsheet, that has been up at least a year. I am sure it was CHEAP as hell, it looks like it. I know thats a selling point, but as you all know - anyone in the housing industry is by defacto tight as a rusty jarlid. I have no idea what this material is, or where it came from.. its just white, as thick as a 10oz banner, but doesnt have the 'tread' in the material that normal banner material has in it. The competitor's banners were hand lettered with neon paint, which has faded to nothing (another sales point, but price is the ONLY motivating factor with these guys).

US Banner is about a 45 minute drive for me, so I will more than likely use them if this comes to pass. If anyone has any kudos or horror stories, now's a good time to share.

as an interesting sidenote, I'll share the fact that I called a local competitor (quicky sticky mama-drives-a-lexus-and-needs-something-to-do shop) to see what they got on banners. She gave me the 'pizza' price as I call it...

(all prices linear ft.)
small (1 foot high) - $9.50ft.
medium (2ft) - 11.50
large (3ft) - 13.50
x-large (4ft) - 16.00

At those rates, I figure a 7'6 would be about $20-22 linear foot! Thats like $560! or so.. scary stuff out there.

Keep it comin folks, I REALLY appreciate the help!

I'd have to say somewhere around $1200-$1400 if done with a 13oz banner material.

You might want to go with a heavier material though because although you say there isnt much wind, on a monster that big, a little wind is a HUGE deal.

A few weekends ago there was a big race event at the lake where I live. One day there was a steady 40 MPH wind and the Budweiser beer tent went a-flyin', even with about 20 heavy guys trying to hold it down.. they were all up in the air.. what a riot!

I called the local shop that did them, and played the merry customer asking for exactly the same thing. (I should mention here this is a old shop, nice free standing building in a good location, landscaped, etc. This is not a johnny come lately quicky sticky guy)

And I just about fell off the chair when he told me!

First, here's the details on the existing banners.. 10oz material in white, 28 feet wide and 12 feet tall in the center, coming down to the sides at 7 feet 6 inches (its shaped to fit the entire end of the house, picture a rectangle with a triangle on top of it). They are attached to the end of the house by way of wood screws with automotive fender washers every 2-3 feet.

His decoration of the banners consists of two lines of copy running up the angled top, two big lines of copy in the center and 2 lines on each bottom side (total of 4). The lettering is done in flourescent, and he painted the entire banner, everything else, in black. In other words, he painted every square inch of this thing.

For this he charged a whopping $650! Six hundred and fifty stinkin' dollars! Installed!

If he did it just rectangular, he would charge $500.

I cant believe it... Thats about $3 sq/ft.

So here's the dilemma now.......

I can get the banner for $275, custom shaped in 14oz. I can get a buddy here to paint it for $200.

What would you do? Tack on $175 and let it roll with little or no work. Do it completely yourself, and pocket the $325. Tell them us humans require a little more appreciation for our labors and charge something like $1200.

I'd like to hear what everyone else would do in this situation. Right now I'm leaning towards letting my buddy do it, and tacking on $300. If they take it great, if they dont, they can get El Cheapo to do it.