posted
What methods do you use? Do you use a guide book?What are your mark-ups? When you 'wing - it' on time assumption (guesstimate of labour), are you pretty close?
-------------------- Linda Seymour Bundaberg, Q.L.D Australia
"DARE!" Signage of Distinction Bundaberg freeloner2001@dingoblue.net.au Posts: 94 | From: Q.L.D Australia | Registered: Jan 2001
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The worst thing anybody can do is guess their prices. Simply put, the customer must pay for everything and you must make a fair and reasonable profit.
The first thing I would do is go to www.signcraft.com and click on the "Features" section. In it, you will find an article by Jeff Cahill on how to determine your hourly rate.
Then I would go to one of several sites that offer a free pricing software demo. I use EstiMate Pro for my business (estimatesoftware.com). If you'll check the "Merchant" page of Letterville, you will find other pricing software programs available.
As for books, I have both the "Signwriter's Pricing Guide" and "Price Index Manual" by Mark Roberts. The "SPG" tends to run a little on the high side for my market. The "PIM" is much more in line for my area.
A book that I recommend everyone get is "Make Your Sign Business Successful" by Chip Carter (sign-consultants.com). I have found it to be worth every penny.
posted
Everyone should know how much it takes to run thier own sign business,as to rent,lights,phone,insurance,etc. Regardless if it is "at home" or "store front" ALL materials are 40% mark up. The REALLY dicey part is.... How much do you think your labor is worth? If you are in for it for the fun and to make friends.You will charge accordingly. You want to make a good living,and take vacations. The same rule applies! I for one,have been in the sign business for 32 years,and can do what very few other humans beings on this planet can do! YES I CHARGE ACCORDINGLY
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Is what you do "being a Duck and not being put into a soup?"
OK OK....I know what it is......
create the coolest coveralls on the planet!!!!
oh and... Work with a smile ALL THE TIME!!!
-------------------- Harris Kohen K-Man Pinstriping and Graphix Trenton, NJ "Showing the world that even I can strategically place the pigment where its got to go."
Posts: 1739 | From: Trenton, NJ, USA | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Hi Linda, My company is fortunate (sometimes) in only making one type of sign, so our pricing is pretty consistant and predictable. Over several years we have found that our dimensional carved signs will usually come out somewhere in the neighborhood of $100/sq.ft. for single-faced signs and $200/sq.ft for double faced. Plus we have standardized some common shapes and sizes to simplify ordering.
Still, we ALWAYS fiqure every custom job by Time & Materials. The sq.ft. formula is ONLY used as a reality check to quickly qualify peoples budget in the early sales stages. After we tell them a 10 sq.ft. sign can easily cost $1000, it's not long till we discover their spending limits. Ideally, getting a firm budget to work with.
posted
I like the "signwriter's price guide" BECAUSE it has high prices. It leaves me a lot of bargaining room! I can show the customer the book and prove what a good deal I'm giving them. I still make out good.
posted
been at this for a lot of years....and for most signs..SQ. FT. times $x.xx works the simplest. my simple formula is S.F. X $10, to get a price to work from..then considering, materials to be used adjust acordingly. do no work for less then $4 s.f. ok..that sets your botom line. at $10 a s.f. its easy figuring....say you got a 4'x 8' need a quick price...4x8=32, 32 and you add a zero on that its $320.00. u have to buy material to do the sign on, figure the cost ofthat material to the s.f. if yoou want to add the cost to the $10 s.f. ok...or you can work back off the $10 s.f. depending on your area. if you can get $10 s.f. more power to ya. signs smaller then 2x4 try to stay in the $7-8 per sq.ft. unless your doing more then one.
-------------------- 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
Thanx guys, I realize that all materials etc. must be taken into account. I have just moved states and the pricing structure here is somewhat lower than where I was. However materials remain the same.. I am not about to work for nothing unless its for myself. I was mainly enquiring as to the different methods used and time calculation. So far I have only done a few larger jobs and always stress about calculating the labour side of things. Im not sure that they would tolerate the 40% mark-up on materials here either. Oh well, I'll be putting it to the test here this year and see how it goes.
-------------------- Linda Seymour Bundaberg, Q.L.D Australia
"DARE!" Signage of Distinction Bundaberg freeloner2001@dingoblue.net.au Posts: 94 | From: Q.L.D Australia | Registered: Jan 2001
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