Need help with time / pricing on painted mural

[fresh]

I am being asked to quote a 12ftx17ft mural on masonry. i only have a black and white image, but it looks likes its going to be about 5 or 6 colors. We will also have to paint upper case, block font letters, qty 22, 19" tall and qty 15 8" tall letters (actual area is 19" by about 70ft) that are white with a black outline, also on masonry. The letters are going to be waist-high, so no ladders are needed. The big mural is ground level, so we only need scaffolding for the top half.

We will pounce the letters and paint with an appropriate brush, I'm not sure if we will need to pounce the outline or if we'll be able to free-hand it. I'm going to assume it will also be pounced.

My question is, how many hours do you think this will take? We've never painted anything this large outdoors. I'd say we are average speed at painting.

I'm guessing at least 4 or 5 days for the mural , and another 5 days for the lettering. So about 80 man-hours to complete the job. What do you think?

 

[Gino]

That sounds like too much time, based upon what you've explained. Can you post a picture of it. Afterall, we are a visual bunch.

 

[fresh]

 

[Gino]

Something like that, I'd pounce the copy and just paint it on. For all that copy about 2 hours to hang it, another 1/2 hour to pounce it and about 2 to 3 hours to letter it and another 2 hours or so to outline it.

Then later, the cat's head and surrounding area.... is it possible to use an opaque project and draw it on ?? If so, looks like it might take an hour to shine it up and draw it in. Next day, come back and I would imagine a long day or 2 short days and that would be painted in also.

All-in-all about 25 to 30 man-hours max for the entire thing, other than your creating the pounce pattern in the shop, which might be about an hour, cause we use ours at a snail's pace when pouncing.


Cost....... you can charge more than your usual 'on-site' costs, cause not everyone can hand letter on brick/concrete surfaces..... which brings to mind...... is the surface ready to letter or must you prep that, too ??

 

[fresh]

Something like that, I'd pounce the copy and just paint it on. For all that copy about 2 hours to hang it, another 1/2 hour to pounce it and about 2 to 3 hours to letter it and another 2 hours or so to outline it.

Then later, the cat's head and surrounding area.... is it possible to use an opaque project and draw it on ?? If so, looks like it might take an hour to shine it up and draw it in. Next day, come back and I would imagine a long day or 2 short days and that would be painted in also.

All-in-all about 25 to 30 man-hours max for the entire thing, other than your creating the pounce pattern in the shop, which might be about an hour, cause we use ours at a snail's pace when pouncing.


Cost....... you can charge more than your usual 'on-site' costs, cause not everyone can hand letter on brick/concrete surfaces..... which brings to mind...... is the surface ready to letter or must you prep that, too ??

The background is going to be repainted prior to us lettering it. I need to confirm what kind of paint is being used on the stripe.

 

[Gino]

Do you mean, they are painting the wavy tiger stripes in back of the head and D ?? If so, drop another 3 or 4 hours off the time, if you're worried about being competitive. Hopefully, they will use a good bulletin type paint or an extra strength latex. You could always get the paint for them, as long as it doesn't contain lead. Put in writing how to prep the wall, first. Remind them, your graphics will only be as strong as the paint and care they put down. If their paint starts peeling, so will yours.

 

[fresh]

Do you mean, they are painting the wavy tiger stripes in back of the head and D ?? If so, drop another 3 or 4 hours off the time, if you're worried about being competitive. Hopefully, they will use a good bulletin type paint or an extra strength latex. You could always get the paint for them, as long as it doesn't contain lead. Put in writing how to prep the wall, first. Remind them, your graphics will only be as strong as the paint and care they put down. If their paint starts peeling, so will yours.

no, i think the mural wall will be power washed prior to us painting it. We will have to put the base down. But where the letters are there is a painted stripe that is not included in our scope of work.

Also, i'm not worried about being competitive. they need to get this done in the next 3 weeks and i think its going to take us at least a full day in house to prep everything (buying paint and supplies, renting a scaffold, setting up the artwork and making the stencils, etc.) Plus a week to do it, so its really a rush job. I need the work, but its also going to shut us down for the week. So it needs to be worth the time and effort for us to even consider doing it.

I like to add in plenty of time on these jobs, because once I give them a number, there is not going back. Plus, if I price it high, I'm always happy to go back and do extras without feeling like I'm getting screwed. I've done enough multi-day jobs to know problems often creep up, and I don't want to get mad at myself for not quoting high enough.

 

[studio 440]

i agree with gino basic brush work like that 25-30 hours for everything . its not that big or very high off the ground .good luck with it it looks like a fun project

 

[OldPaint]

12 feet X 17 feet............here is a start point @ $10 sq ft for the lettering/text level ONLY.
pressure wash, prime and repaint with a gloss paint.....so when you do the lettering /text it will be easier then painting on a flat/semi gloss. for this IF YOUR DOING IT...... again a start point @$10 sq foot......DO NOT UNDER SELL THIS!!!!!!! and if you do it right it will last a long time.
your time table.......is good for it being your 1ST PAINT JOB. you will learn a lot of what not to do next time))) but i believe it can be done in way less hours.......but then its easy for us who have done this many times.
12 X 17 =204 SQ FT. X $10=$2040.00. I KNOW "why" $10? #1. it makes figuring easy)))) #2. and @ $10 sq ft, it would be pretty close to making it a PROFITABLE...... job. in the old brush days......we would charge more into the $15- $20 and the more detail in it the higher the sq ft price would be. like i said $10 sq ft is a START POINT. you can charge more.....or less that is on you.
pounce pattern for the lettering and an overhead projector for the graphic. if you dont have overhead......then make pounce patterns on the plotter........of the graphic in 24", 30" 54" wide...stripes......and fpr pounce powder if you find colored TEMPRA PAINT POWDER. it works well. if the back ground will be a lite color then use black powder, it it is a dark background use white or yellow powder.
if this was my job.............and i had to do the background prep/repaint, i had to rent the scaffold.........you will need a 2nd pair of hands with most of this......and since you DONT HAVE ANY BRUSHES/PAINT for this.......you will have to add the cost them to this.
you may be further ahead to find an old SIGN PAINTER, to do this......and you participate in it.........to learn how its done.
now back to $$$$$.
12 X 17= 204 sf @$10 sf=$2040.00 top coat and base coat = $4080.00 then you need to ADD PAINT, BRUSHES, ROLLERS, TURPS, SCAFFOLD RENTAL if you dont have ladders you will need a couple. YOU CAN FIGURE $5 SQ FT...... from this easily, just cut total in half......but i wouldnt touch this for that amount of money.
OPTION 1. THE SCHOOL does the wall cleaning and painting. BUT YOU TELL THEM WHAT PAINT TO PUT ON IT!!!!
OPTION 2. get some of the kids to help(for free)they need to learn something.
bottom line your looking at a $5000.00 IF YOU WANT TO MAKE MONEY.
half of that if you want the experience......... and a break even $ wise.

 

[fresh]

12 feet X 17 feet............here is a start point @ $10 sq ft for the lettering/text level ONLY.
pressure wash, prime and repaint with a gloss paint.....so when you do the lettering /text it will be easier then painting on a flat/semi gloss. for this IF YOUR DOING IT...... again a start point @$10 sq foot......DO NOT UNDER SELL THIS!!!!!!! and if you do it right it will last a long time.
your time table.......is good for it being your 1ST PAINT JOB. you will learn a lot of what not to do next time))) but i believe it can be done in way less hours.......but then its easy for us who have done this many times.
12 X 17 =204 SQ FT. X $10=$2040.00. I KNOW "why" $10? #1. it makes figuring easy)))) #2. and @ $10 sq ft, it would be pretty close to making it a PROFITABLE...... job. in the old brush days......we would charge more into the $15- $20 and the more detail in it the higher the sq ft price would be. like i said $10 sq ft is a START POINT. you can charge more.....or less that is on you.
pounce pattern for the lettering and an overhead projector for the graphic. if you dont have overhead......then make pounce patterns on the plotter........of the graphic in 24", 30" 54" wide...stripes......and fpr pounce powder if you find colored TEMPRA PAINT POWDER. it works well. if the back ground will be a lite color then use black powder, it it is a dark background use white or yellow powder.
if this was my job.............and i had to do the background prep/repaint, i had to rent the scaffold.........you will need a 2nd pair of hands with most of this......and since you DONT HAVE ANY BRUSHES/PAINT for this.......you will have to add the cost them to this.
you may be further ahead to find an old SIGN PAINTER, to do this......and you participate in it.........to learn how its done.
now back to $$$$$.
12 X 17= 204 sf @$10 sf=$2040.00 top coat and base coat = $4080.00 then you need to ADD PAINT, BRUSHES, ROLLERS, TURPS, SCAFFOLD RENTAL if you dont have ladders you will need a couple. YOU CAN FIGURE $5 SQ FT...... from this easily, just cut total in half......but i wouldnt touch this for that amount of money.
OPTION 1. THE SCHOOL does the wall cleaning and painting. BUT YOU TELL THEM WHAT PAINT TO PUT ON IT!!!!
OPTION 2. get some of the kids to help(for free)they need to learn something.
bottom line your looking at a $5000.00 IF YOU WANT TO MAKE MONEY.
half of that if you want the experience......... and a break even $ wise.

thanks, we actually have a bunch of nice brushes I got from a retired sign painter, but I'm hesitant to use them out in the field. Once I add in the cost of the text, I'm right about where you suggest we should be. I actually went down a little bit once Gino suggested it wasn't going to take quite that much time to do, but I still have a number i'm happy with.

Now if they will just accept the bid, we will be on our way!

 

[OldPaint]

as for brushes you did say it was a concrete wall??? FITCHES work best or truck flats.......quills.......not so much. and the sign painters brushes.........YOU WILL NEED OIL BASED PAINT.......his brushes were not made for LATEX............i just re-read ....and i didnt cost in the 19" X 70 feet......ADD 105 SQ FT......for it.........@ $10 sf=$1050.00

I also should a said..........about the $10 sf...........if you aint making that......then you need to get a mcdonalds.....they pay close to that)))

 

[Gino]

I just realized you said white letters with black outline. Here's a little trick to make it go a little easier and faster. Paint the entire letter white, INCLUDING the outline. Once that dries, cut the black outline in and it'll go much easier with an extra base top coat on already. Brush will glide like crazy and you'll make up a lotta time. Seeing those letters in black, I was envisioning a white outline. Hard to do it that way.

5 grand would be a pretty good price. We'd be somewhere between $4,500 and $5,500. Incidentals and travel time all come into play. I still think it's about a long 2 day job.

 

[fresh]

Pounced the tiger, free handed the stripes. For some reason I don't have a completed picture of the rest of the lettering, but that was pounced too. The client was happy, and my original time estimate was a bit high, but still longer than a few people suggested. This part of the project took about 20 hours onsite and the lettering was close to 16 hours on site. We spent close to two days prepping everything in the shop.

 

[Gino]

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