You also need to factor in design time, installation materials and any additional labor required to complete the job. I almost forgot permits for the signage and installation.veedub3 said:
How to price vinyl?
I don't do this in my business so I really need some help. I purchased some vinyl and I did my store front windows and doors, and I did my promotional vehicle. A new Salon up the street from me asked me if I could do their store front windows. I no how to do it, I just have no idea how to charge nor where to begin to come up with a price. My Logic tells me to factor in the amount of vinyl used plus my time to weed, design, and install to come up with a price. Not sure if this is how everyone else does it so if anyone has any suggestions on how to price vinyl jobs I will be greatly appreciative.
Thanks in Advance,
Katrina
Thanks in Advance,
Katrina
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I said design in my post, it will be a dry install so no installation materials, and no permits are required. I can handle that part, what I need is help with is pricing.You also need to factor in design time, installation materials and any additional labor required to complete the job. I almost forgot permits for the signage and installation.
Katrina,
You would price this like you price any other job. If you normally do screen printing, how do you price that?
Materials + overhead + labor = the price if you build in your profit in your labor rate.
Or materials + overhead + labor + profit if you don't.
You would price this like you price any other job. If you normally do screen printing, how do you price that?
Materials + overhead + labor = the price if you build in your profit in your labor rate.
Or materials + overhead + labor + profit if you don't.
I was talking to a local guy that does it and he was telling me something about the going rate per foot of vinyl for our area. He confused the heck out of me but the way I was doing it seemed wrong from the way he was explaining it, which is why I thought I would ask here. The way I was calculating and the way he was calculating we were waaayyyyy off! Anyway, I declined the job, I told her I could not get to it in the time she needed and recommended someone else. I am running so far behind I still have an order for 6K shirts left over from last week that needs to get done so that is the last thing I needed to be worrying about anyway.
Sorry I missed the design in the first post. I did not realize you wanted an actual pricing breakdown. My bad.veedub3 said:I said design in my post, it will be a dry install so no installation materials, and no permits are required. I can handle that part, what I need is help with is pricing.
Maybe I am not on the right page here, but, if you have been a screenprinter for years like I have and have a small tonnage of great customers that keep feeding you money on shirts, isn't it almost a borderline waste of brains and time to drop a guaranteed buck to chase after a vinyl window install ... or ... a sign customer. It is all about making money. It is all good but you run into the ol' "not enough time in the day" thing. $15 a square foot for close to home vinyl window install ... minimum is my word for thought.
You are correct you are not on the right page here. I was not chasing a job, the fellow business owner asked me for help and I decided to help because that is the type of person I am. Which is why I am so Blessed. Not to mention, the area I am in is a Historic District and the costs to operate a business in this area are higher than in other areas. The economy being so bad, many buildings in this area sit vacant now as many owners moved so I was glad that someone took a chance to open up shop in this area, and it was my choice to help out.Maybe I am not on the right page here, but, if you have been a screenprinter for years like I have and have a small tonnage of great customers that keep feeding you money on shirts, isn't it almost a borderline waste of brains and time to drop a guaranteed buck to chase after a vinyl window install ... or ... a sign customer. It is all about making money. It is all good but you run into the ol' "not enough time in the day" thing. $15 a square foot for close to home vinyl window install ... minimum is my word for thought.
It is not all about the money for me. I made my money long before I opened my screen shop. I am also a Certified General Commercial Appraiser where I specialized in Shopping Malls, Large Business Complex, and Restuarant Chains. I perform approximately 3 a year. If I perform just one, I will make more than 60% of Americans will make in a year. So if it was all about the money, I would be hustling more Appraisals not running a screen shop. I do this because I enjoy it. As the old adage says, "Do something you love and you will never work another day in your life".
This post was about pricing vinyl not what you think a person should/should not be wasting their time on. Worry about how you spend your time not mine.
Katrina
You pretty well answered your own question, if your just trying to help someone out the just figure your costs and add what you think is fair as mark up. If your looking to add this type of work to your business then your future pricing will be more important.It is not all about the money for me. I made my money long before I opened my screen shop.
Some folks in our area charge by the square inch, some by the square foot, for our vinyl business we care less what our competition charges and more that "we" are profitable on each job, everyone's cost is similar for cut vinyl (printed is a different story), but the overhead is vastly different so what a given company charges is all over the map in our area.
In the scenario you gave we would charge per foot for the vinyl & mask, a basic design charge, if we are applying it a per hour labor charge, if the customer is applying it we give them a cheap squeegee and instructions to help them apply it successfully.
Hope this helps.
Pricing vinyl work is one of those things that just doesn't explain easily. For instance if I cut letters for a windshield that the customer will install I get $18 for a 4" X 36 inch piece, weeded, taped and ready for them to install. In the area I am in if I make an 18 X 24 coroplast sign text only I get $15. That makes it $18 per sq ft for them to install and only $5 per sq ft + the plastic for me to make a sign. That is what the guy was trying to tell you about the going rate in your area. With so many people buying the low cost cutters and suddenly being in the sign business prices are going crazy because most people have no clue how to figure prices but they have a cutter and sell cheap. Next week they are out of business and nobody remembers their name but they always remember their prices.
Thanks everyone for your insight. I passed on the job and recommended to her another shop in the area that will take good care of her. This is not something I will be adding to my business. I just wanted to be fair but its all done now.
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