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Vinyl Pricing – the basics
A bit strange asking this now after I’ve been making signs for a couple of years already.
As my main trade has been window tinting the few signs I have done have usually been priced using the Price It Guide. this has served me well so far but as the sign side of business grows I find I’m doing more things which aren’t in the guide.
The main thing I find difficulty with is pricing just basic vinyl work regardless of the substrate.
The Price It Guide gives ideas per square metre for ACM, foam board etc and also for flood coating but what if say I am laying vinyl onto an existing board or a hanging sign which is either provided or costed seperately.
The price it guide gives an idea for single colour letters by height and I have worked on this basis for a while and doubling it if two layers or a drop shadow are incorporated.
It also gives a window lettering price (which obviously does not include a substrate board) but this is double the price of doing say a foamex board which is one the cheapest substrate. Why is this when glass seems straight forward?As the source price of vinyl can vary quite a bit how do people usually price their vinyl work, per letter or area of work. Obviously logos, pictures and designs can not be priced by letter height alone.
Any advice is welcome.
thanks
Stuart -
2 Replies
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I don’t price stuff by the size or square foot.
Of course I know how much material will go into a job, and how much time I’ll have, how many sketches (usually) and how the customer will react etc.
I price it by the job.
What I think of is the perceived value.
I might have used only a few feet of vinyl, but I’ve supplied an advertisement for that client which will work 24/7.
For my own calculations I figure materials X3 plus an hourly shop rate.
But my shop rate might differ from yours.
And in some cases there might be a higher cost due to difficult conditions, a longer amount of time to get a client supplied file into my program and cuttable etc.
I have raised my rates as the years have passes, too.
Lord knows the cost of our materials has risen, and the cost to get them delivered.
SignCraft magazine has a price guide, but there are also other programs like EstiMate or GraphixCalc to help you figure out which prices are best for you. I still refer to a 6 year old copy of Signwriter’s pricing guide!
You can also offer a three tiered pricing system based on design; simple one color, fancier layered/printed, or all the bells and whistles.
Love…..Jill -
there are no hard and fast rules for pricing. as long as you cover your costs plus profit.
Sods law usually applies, like if you are really busy, you price over the top, guaranteed you get the job that you dont need, and if you are quiet and could do with the work, you could give it away for free and not get the jobPeter
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