Cement Mixer Truck....Full Color Wrap

[jc1cell]

So I have a client that wants a proposal (quote) for the rotating drum of this truck. I'm planning on quoting with the use of the heavy convex material and their heavy laminate for better thickness and adhesive on onto the surface of the drum.

Any suggestions and/or remarks regarding this truck, my thoughts and anything else related that you may have in mind? Right train of thought? Way off? Rambling too much?

jc

 

[Gino]

Yeah, don't do it.

Those things are cleaned almost everyday and with high power hoses. They need to be completely cleaned so cement doesn't dry up and break themselves.

You'd be better off painting it.

Of course, if it's a showpiece and only goes to cement shows......... ​

 

[signswi]

You could maybe consider a 10mil polycarb lam or something but good luck wrapping with it. Sounds like a nightmare project, fun though if you can pull it off.

 

[HulkSmash]

Yeah, don't do it.

^ ^

 

[WrapperX]

I rarely want to push a job away. And to be honest if I were in your shoes, I'd be eager to bid on this job and just becuase of the challenge. But something tells me that 6 hours into this job I'd be sitting there thinking to myself - what in heavens name was I thinking. Unless this truck is brand new there will be residual pieces of concrete/cement that would have to be removed and unless its sprayed off before it hardens - its not gonna wanna move. So unless this truck is brand new and never been filled it could be a disaster. Then the amount of structural obstacles that you will be working around, rivets, panel hatch's , etc will cause such a head ache for you. Then you won't be able to get panels to line up because of the shape of the drum. Oh man just thinking about taking this on makes my head hurt.

If you do end up taking this job on. Make sure you bid on the most high end of estimated hours.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Refer to local lowball hack.

 

[jc1cell]

I agree with all of the above.

I'm planning on creating an estimate based on my normal formula and then adding to that handsomely without regards to how new the vehicle is. Plus, no kind of warranty on this thing either. It's probably going to take a beating or has taken a beating and it would be risky to offer one for it.

I haven't really thought about how the install will be worked but am thinking maybe shorter panels rather than long panels would be helpful. It will have more seams but make the install easier.

Any thoughts on applying a clear coat after install for even more protection from the cement and the washing?

jc

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Don't waste your time.

 

[HulkSmash]

i wouldnt turn it down, it'd just bid so high they wouldnt use me.

 

[Gino]

i wouldnt turn it down, it'd just bid so high they wouldnt use me.

Haha........ that doesn't always work. This wasn't a cement truck, but we just bid a job out and I really didn't want to do it so I figured if they want us, they're gonna pay dearly.

Didn't we just get the confirmation to do it. I more than tripled my normal pricing. Said the deposit will be in early next week. Hot Damn.......... !!

 

[jc1cell]

I've always been leery of a project like this one with vehicles that you just know are going to be difficult and get beat down to the point that there will be failure. I can see everyone's view about not even wasting my time.

However, if they accept the bid and the lack of any kind of warranty/guarantee on the durability of the product, then why not go for it. It will at least show them interest on my part by bidding even if they decide I'm way over the price they want to pay. I think that if I let them know why my bid is so high (the reason I WANT them to know) then it won't hurt me.

But then again.....read the sig.

jc

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Why waste your time bidding if you don't want the job? Why put your name on it if you know it's going to fail and be a nightmare? Change the job around a bit, there are other parts of the truck....that's just me, but I'm just cheap.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Haha........ that doesn't always work. This wasn't a cement truck, but we just bid a job out and I really didn't want to do it so I figured if they want us, they're gonna pay dearly.

Didn't we just get the confirmation to do it. I more than tripled my normal pricing. Said the deposit will be in early next week. Hot Damn.......... !!

At least you tripled your quote on something you'd be more than willing to do at that price. Congrats!

In this case, a waste of time.

 

[bayshorecreations]

Refer to local lowball hack.

Yeah, maybe you can outsource it to www.cheapvehiclewrap.com
:Big Laugh

 

[HulkSmash]

I always triple channel letter jobs, cause i hate doing them. I still get like 60 % of what i bid on them.. Do you know how hard it is to pull a permit in DENVER?!?!?!?

 

[jc1cell]

At least you tripled your quote on something you'd be more than willing to do at that price. Congrats!

In this case, a waste of time.

Why waste your time bidding if you don't want the job? Why put your name on it if you know it's going to fail and be a nightmare? Change the job around a bit, there are other parts of the truck....that's just me, but I'm just cheap.

My ignorance on the subject may be getting the better of me here guys. I truly don't see the difference between the two situations. We both didn't find the project appealing but are willing to do it for much, much more than the normal fee. Why he didn't just say no upfront is something I don't know but in my case I feel that in bidding I keep the door open for any future projects the client may have.

The nightmare bit is relative. I'm sure we've all had projects properly bid that have turned into a nightmare. If I go into this one with a proper plan of action it may not be as much of a nightmare as I think and having them approve my estimate at my price will more than cover the efforts. That's the point of over bidding.

Will it fail? Probably. But that's something that will be explained to the client and the reason they will be told why they wont get any longevity warranty. This may lead to further discussions on other options.

Again, all this could be great ignorance on my part regarding the business.

jc

 

[WrapperX]

JC - you have it right. The fact of the matter is that you are planning on it being a PITA. Hence the over bid. that's ok and well. You also save face by not just out right putting the customer out and saying No. By not saying no, you keep communication open and thus allow for more possibility of future work. If you did say no then you would be more then likely, to never hear from this company ever again for anything. This is why I find it hard to not bid on everything. Although sometime that turns out to be one of those jobs where I'm asking my self why I took it. At the onset you never know what could come of it. Good luck is what I say and that I hope it leads to more work!

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

You're right, you don't want to kill any future business. It could have been explained on the phone that the price would be very high and would most likely not last and would come with a cheap guarantee. Kind of like if someone asked me to wrap their front lawn. As I said, you can make this work for everyone and make money. Just don't wrap the FULL barrel. Here's a suggestion. Do the doors, hood, rear etc. Take a pic of a person in the fetal position. Put 2 of these pics on opposing sides of the barrel. Instant realistic Jersey style cement truck with advertising all around. Should be a good attention getter.

 

[artsnletters]

to me i totally agree with the others, seems like an all-fated plan from the start. How good are you at math? It seems like you'd have a ton of measuring, and making templates simply the varied shapes present. A bunch of cone shapes. Not to mention the install. Why do a job that has such a high chance of failure, from so many factors. paint the thing.
Tim

 

[Gino]

Well....... someone thinks it's a good idea.

​

If you want to try it, I wouldn't make it sound like it's gonna fail and no warranty because you're afraid to, or you'll come across as being a nutjob for charging so high for something you know is gonna fail.

Do your homework, make sure you can give him his money's worth and explain to him due to the level of difficulty in doing this job correctly and using the best materials at your disposal, you need to get $XX.xx to do the job. Explain that your concerns with these trucks are all the little nooks and crannies and you'll need to take some poetic license to change your normal way of delivering this project to give him the best job for his money...... OR you could do partial wraps of selected strategic areas and do it for $XX.xx amount.

Whatever you do, don't burn any bridges.... just get paid well for your job.