Does anyone know company that supplies & fits estate boa

[Andy Gorman]

Don’t know of any suppliers Lee, but don’t spend too much time on it. All I can say is that most agents want the world for about 20p. I don’t think there’s much money in it. One contacted me once and they were willing to pay £2.75 to have each sign fitted!

[LeeMorris]

Hi Andy

£2.75 that’s crazy why would anyone do that.

Lee

[Peter Normington]

Lee, Sorry I forgot who posted this link, but it gives you an idea what you are up against, the prices are for double sided also!

http://www.just-print.co.uk/estatesigns.php

Peter

[LeeMorris]

Hi Peter

I’ve been asked for price to supply and fit, i wasn’t going to do them myself
I thought if there are a large amount i could add a little on and make a bit for not doing much.

May not be worth the trouble at those prices.

How can anyone fit something for £2.75

Lee

[Peter Normington]

Lee there are firms (usually one man bands) that go around fitting and then adding the sold sign, they do this all day long, and usually work for several agencies, so if you do the sums it doesnt work out bad for a days pay, most are just rammed into the ground on a post or nailed to a fence or wall, so only takes minutes, they also re-use the signs, so the numbers add up.
its a bit like the post office delivering a letter for 34p!

do enough and you will make a good profit, but its a job that needs to be done in large numbers, so as Andy says dont waste to much time,

Peter

[Martin Cole]

quote Andy Gorman:

One contacted me once and they were willing to pay £2.75 to have each sign fitted!

And you didn’t take it on Andy, You won the lottery or something 😀

These kinds of jobs are total no goers for sign people, as Peter says do loads of em and it isn’t bad work I guess.

It does make you laugh, these are what often sell the houses and yet agents don’t want to pay more than a couple of quid for them, yet they spend two grand a week for a double page spread in the local rag 😕

[Peter Normington]

Martin,
Estate agents get very good rates for their adds, the local papers actually sell papers, or even the free ones get good circulation because of the estate agents adds, they are one of the main reasons people buy or read local papers.
I know they have in general, a bad press, but most are reputable, and not wanting to be controversial, they must do a reasonable job, otherwise they wouldn’t exist

Ignore all of the above, I’m just having a perfict world moment
😀

Peter

[Martin Cole]

quote Peter Normington:

Martin,
Estate agents get very good rates for their adds, the local papers actually sell papers, or even the free ones get good circulation because of the estate agents adds, they are one of the main reasons people buy or read local papers.

Yeah, your right Peter, although I do sign work for a local agent and he tells me he spends a fortune on his paper advertising.

At the end of the day I guess we are just elaborating a way of telling Lee it’s a no goer. 😕

[D Major]

Quote – "I know they have in general, a bad press, but most are reputable, and not wanting to be controversial, they must do a reasonable job, otherwise they wouldn’t exist"

Hey Peter, you’re cracking up! My Mum got 1 estate agent in (some years ago) to value the family home in the country: he reckoned £250K for a quick sale. She got a second one in & he suggested £150K – that’s only 60% of the first estimate. 2nd guy said "Well, maybe he doesn’t know the area very well…." to which Mum said "They have sold 2 houses in the village this year!"

I think some of them are the biggest chancers – like the bunch set up this year specialising in "NO VAT – save 17.5%". Well, they have started up new companies a few times so far apparently.

As for their sale boards, I agree – no money in it for us.

Have a good xmas break everyone!
Dicko

[LeeMorris]

Hi guys

Looks like this is a no go area then, with margins that small there’s no room to make anything.

Thanks for all your thoughts on this

Cheers

Lee

[Phill Fenton]

My heart sinks every time I get a request to quote for these. I know I am wasting my time doing the quote as they are expecting rock bottom prices.

One time I suggested to an enquiry that they would be better off trying a "specialist" in this sort of job such as Agency express. I was told they had already had a quote but expected that I would be cheaper because Agency Express were a franchise and as I wouldn’t have franchise fees to pay I should be able to do them cheaper.

Bloody cheek!

Don’t bother Lee – waste of time, concentrate on more lucrative work.

[Brian Little]

do you not notice there is know such thing as old estate agents …..which just goes to show you cane die of shame

[Kevin Flowers]

Hi
i supply smaller agencies start ups, sometimes quantities of 50 & 100. I add £150 for design & file prep to what the screen printer charges me some walk away others take it. You can never tell which way its going to go, charge a rate which makes the job worth while then wait & see. Don’t spend time doing it all up in a fancy quote, keep it simple as in 50 cost £xxx, 100 cost £xxx designs are never complex normally just a copy job, then email the file to your screen printer & earn your money.

Kev

[Mo Gillis-Coates]

errrm don’t want to sound "out of the mould" lol as usual, but was just asked to produce 50 "Let By" layovers…….

I’m doing a full colour property development sign for them that 2000×1500 when I picked up the blank from thier offices on Friday (I’m going over an old one that was for another development) she said "Hey I need 50 of these, can you do them double sided?" I said yes, she said great get them done for me….. as I was going out the door she said sorry how much for those? I said £4 each… she said…. "Brilliant! Thanks"

Rock and roll….. went in for a £250 sign and came out with double the money.. estate agents aren’t all that bad.. well it was an exclusive country property agent, their places start at £1,000,000 so guess money that small doesn’t really bother them..

I always chuck in a quote and try not to "pre judge" my client.. you’d be surprised at what gets taken up, if they even get a sniff of price fear they will exploit it to the max… what I mean is, give them your price like you don’t need the work… what you got to lose?

[Peter Normington]

Mo, can you elaborate what you are doing for £4, you say layovers, but not sure what you mean by that?
not quite double money though, and a lot more work than just overlaying one print on a board. no disrespect mate, but for a man that a month or two ago was looking at expanding, then got an unexpected electric bill for £650, and had to put his plans on hold, maybe you are not charging enough?
tell me I am wrong, I hope I am.
You look like a sound guy, and doing your best to make a go of things, but please please, dont be a busy fool.

giving your price like you dont need the work is fine, if it is the right price,
Hope you do read this post as it was intended, with the best of intentions.

Peter

[Glenn Sharp]

I work for a company that ‘specialises’ in Estate Agents work…

At the end of the day they are customers like every other customer…they know what they want and they have a good idea of what other Estate Agents pay for their signage so it can get competitive

I think you have to be set up to ‘look after them’ but there is money to be made

[Mo Gillis-Coates]

Hey Pete, thanks for the concern, perhaps I should expand…

Layovers are a strip that fastens to the main board made from correx approx 75mm x 600 that says, sold or let or let managed by. I can get 10 from 1 sheet of correx so that’s the equivalent of £40 per 600×800 sheet….. pretty good in my book..

With regards to my expansion, that’s on hold because of the unexpected bill… not because it broke the bank or anything, it just put things in perspective for me and made me re-think my sums on a larger premises.

However the large chunk of cash out of my account had some impact on the financial situation and I being me, took a step back and thought, I don’t want to run too close to the wind and decided to add a little more to the expansion pot before moving forward.

Do I charge too little? probably on occasions, but then on others I charge too much. When I mean price like you don’t need the work, I meant , price properly and don’t be tempted to reduce to get the job, if you act like you need the work then someone will take advantage. I’d rather price high and walk away.. if they are tugging your chain in the first instance, they are going to come back at some point….

But Pete, no offence taken….. I should have explained better