City wants STRAPS sewn through banner

[coyote]

I'm looking for a quote for a banner : 4' x 20' 18 oz vinyl with 5/16" nylon STRAPS sewn into the top and bottom and wind pockets. All I've been able to find is ropes and the city wants straps. I'm going strappy trying to get this done. Full color digital print, vector art supplied. Coyotegraphics@comcast.net Baltimore MD.

 

[Christian @ Visual Graphx]

It's called webbing.

 

[bannertime]

I'm assuming the banner is going to be free hanging on poles or some type of frame instead of mounted to a wall? Might look at doing mesh with the nylon webbing and o-rings instead of grommets. Merritt Graphics is up in that area and they should be able to handle that pretty easily.

 

[ams]

Our city is the same, they want a 10X reinforced banner to hang over the street. It's more hassle than it's worth because it has to be exactly 100% to what they ask for or else it gets denied. It actually gets inspected first. Not worth the headache.

 

[ddarlak]

It's more hassle than it's worth because it has to be exactly 100% to what they ask for or else it gets denied.

How is that a hassle? You have the specs, you know they are going to be sticklers about it, you quote the banner appropriately, you deliver/install, you get paid.

 

[ams]

How is that a hassle? You have the specs, you know they are going to be sticklers about it, you quote the banner appropriately, you deliver/install, you get paid.

Not in my city. They ask for a lot more than webbing. Plus if anything is wrong or not done exactly to spec, they refuse the order and won't pay. It seems most sign shops in the city won't do it, they now have to source to out of the area shops. I've spoken with several sign shops that won't do it.

 

[Billct2]

Our city has specs too, heavy vinyl, webbing, grommets, re-enforced corners with D rings and wind slits. That's how I make them. I just wish they would enforce the specs because I see many that don't meet the spec and I'm sure I lose bids because of it.

 

[Gino]

Not in my city. They ask for a lot more than webbing. Plus if anything is wrong or not done exactly to spec, they refuse the order and won't pay. It seems most sign shops in the city won't do it, they now have to source to out of the area shops. I've spoken with several sign shops that won't do it.

But like he said...... you have the specs to quote the banner, so, if you get the job, what's so hard to make it according to their specs ?? They cannot possibly change the parameters after it's made, unless you take short cuts.

 

[ddarlak]

Not in my city. They ask for a lot more than webbing. Plus if anything is wrong or not done exactly to spec, they refuse the order and won't pay. It seems most sign shops in the city won't do it, they now have to source to out of the area shops. I've spoken with several sign shops that won't do it.

interesting....

you have the specs, yet somehow nobody in your city can interpret the specs and match them....only someone from out of the city can follow directions???

I get that it's a pain, but you play the game, follow the directions and get paid...

 

[Christian @ Visual Graphx]

Charge more, more hassles means higher price. It should always be that way.

 

[signman315]

interesting....

you have the specs, yet somehow nobody in your city can interpret the specs and match them....only someone from out of the city can follow directions???

I get that it's a pain, but you play the game, follow the directions and get paid...

Completely agreed...it's like getting free answers for a pop quiz in high school...they've supplied the specs all you have to do is follow them. I've ran into the same issue with over-the-street banners and I have a Miller banner welder but I still outsource the hemming/webbing/etc just to be sure it's bulletproof. I'll usually UV print the banner, 2 sided, with plenty of excess material to allow for any slight mis-registration from front to back as well as to allow for hemming and such. I'll even go one step further and print some extra pieces for gussets so that the printed image lines up after the gusset is applied. Then I'll take all of these components to my local awning/tent company and have them sew in the webbing/D-rings/grommets/gussets and cut the wind slits and all that (usually a 4' x 20' banner I'm getting charged around $100 for all the sewing/gussets/webbing/etc). It's actually taken about as long to write this post as it does to get the job done...JK! And I just make sure to charge a premium for something like this to make it worth the small amount of extra hassle it takes to bring it to the awning shop. Not to mention I'm onto the next job while someone else finishes the banner. I have videos of my banners withstanding so much wind that they are literally in a "U" shape, and yet they survive and get reused annually. It's important to build these right, you don't want one coming down into the street and causing an accident and that's why there's so much scrutiny on the specs.

 

[Pauly]

Not in my city. They ask for a lot more than webbing. Plus if anything is wrong or not done exactly to spec, they refuse the order and won't pay. It seems most sign shops in the city won't do it, they now have to source to out of the area shops. I've spoken with several sign shops that won't do it.

I don't understand the issue.
Your client tells you what they want. You either can or cannot do it (impossible or you don't have the right equipment)
If you can do it, you quote it accordingly. If they agree to your given price, You make their item as they had originally asked, to their specs.
Now if you've done something wrong because it's not to their specs, it's your fault for not following the specs they've given you.
???????
sounds like they want a specific banner, and other people make it the way they feel like making it which is obviously wrong.

 

[ams]

interesting....

you have the specs, yet somehow nobody in your city can interpret the specs and match them....only someone from out of the city can follow directions???

I get that it's a pain, but you play the game, follow the directions and get paid...

Nobody has the equipment or cares to spend all day making a single banner.

 

[ams]

I don't understand the issue.
Your client tells you what they want. You either can or cannot do it (impossible or you don't have the right equipment)
If you can do it, you quote it accordingly. If they agree to your given price, You make their item as they had originally asked, to their specs.
Now if you've done something wrong because it's not to their specs, it's your fault for not following the specs they've given you.
???????
sounds like they want a specific banner, and other people make it the way they feel like making it which is obviously wrong.

Correct, I don't think anyone has the equipment to do what they want, if I recall it's laced sewing, pole pockets, hemming, certain size and type of rope, etc.

EDIT: Oh and also an exact mil thickness and density, so you have to order a custom roll of material for it.

 

[ddarlak]

can't remember the last time I subbed out a job, spent a few minutes getting artwork together and made money....

oh yea, it was last week... thanks Firesprint!

 

[brycesteiner]

Where do you get webbing? I know I can weld it right in but I don't see it on sites like Fellers.

 

[Johnny Best]

Heavyweight polypropylene webbing might be what your looking for. It has been years since I made banners with webbing stitched in with D rings, Google webbing or strapping and you might find a supplier in your area.

 

[morty87]

Not in my city. They ask for a lot more than webbing. Plus if anything is wrong or not done exactly to spec, they refuse the order and won't pay. It seems most sign shops in the city won't do it, they now have to source to out of the area shops. I've spoken with several sign shops that won't do it.

Not trying to be a dick but if i ordered something and it is not exactly as I wanted I wouldn't pay either. I don't think anyone would.

 

[ams]

Not trying to be a dick but if i ordered something and it is not exactly as I wanted I wouldn't pay either. I don't think anyone would.

Right and I don't blame them for that. But I don't want to do the job and a lot of others don't either.

You should see some architect drawings we get that don't know anything about signs. They try to use ten dollar words and make up their own descriptions for the materials. So I have to simplify everything to them. Like they will say "The sign must be made of polyacrylonitrile" and I am like ok so you want Acrylic. Got it.

 

[Christian @ Visual Graphx]

Where do you get webbing? I know I can weld it right in but I don't see it on sites like Fellers.

we buy ours from KeystonBros or Perfect Fit, it seems to be the best quality to cost.