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Never had this question asked before..............................................................................

Gino

Premium Subscriber
We don't do all that many wraps, mostly partial wraps, but have done our share of the full wraps.

Have a trailer to quote and when looking at it, the customer told me I'd be responsible for siliconing/caulking all the edges around doors, windows, light boxes, handles and just about any area which protrudes out from the body. I don't think I've ever done that before. Is that a common practice for sign shops to do ??


:thankyou: Gino
 

signheremd

New Member
We tell them that we trim the wrap away from all factory applied silicone caulking since the vinyl will not adhere to it and it is near impossible to 100% remove the silicone. I'd tell them that is their responsibility.
We do the same... Trim around caulking... Never have removed the old caulk and re-caulked after wrapping the trailer. Certainly don't want that liability.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SPOT AN AMBUSH

you have been in the business for 50 years
no one ever asked that before

(1) he is very astute, and covers all bases
(2) he is a professor of contract law
(3) he knows something, about that trailer that you don't know

pick one of the above

Seriously, I don't think anyone has ever asked me that question..... outright. Like others here have said, I've told people we will go right up to the caulk or whatever, but he pointed this out to me, because the trailer was partially painted about 15 years ago and some of the caulking is gone. However, I think by the look on my face when he asked that, he knew my answer, cause he then said, well we can take care of it, if you can't. I said, you'd better do it so it's done to your liking. Remove it all before bringing it in and we'll wrap up to the edges and when we're finished, you can caulk overtop of it.

I just wondered if I was being difficult.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
When you're not around. I used to think there was hope for you, but your constant backpedaling has changed my mind, recently. :u rock:
 

Stacey K

I like making signs
Weird. Maybe he figures it's easier to pay you to do than for him to take the time to do it himself?
 

Geneva Olson

Expert Storyteller
we do a lot of box trucks, trailers and boats. we have to cut the caulk and silicone away when wrapping a lot of the boats and actually the trailers and trucks. We always go back and re caulk
 

ikarasu

Active Member
Tell them you handle the wrap, not the caulk. (see what I did there?)


We've never had a customer ask that - When trailers come in with a ton of caulk...we let the customer know they can remove it all, or we can remove it all for XX per hour... usually it adds a grand or two in labor to the install. Or we go up to the silicone - We'll cut it straight if its not straight and do a quick cleaning, but thats it.


Same with Frosted windows - when the customer doesnt want us to trim 1/8 of an inch away from the silicone (We hate doing it, but 3M forces us to, and I can see why... it always lifts around silicone if its not perfect), we let them know we'll apply it.. but unless they put a bead of silicone around the edge of the window, odds are it'll lift. Then when they say they will... we tell them the silicone will cover the 1/8" we have to cut away, so we may as well cut it back 1/8 of an inch and then they can silicone overtop of it and they'll get full warranty, otherwise they're on their own when it starts to lift :roflmao:

I put a new bathtub in myself - And while the caulking looks "ok", I'd never sell my services doing it... its just not what we do. If they want it siliconed, they can hire a professional to do it.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
They have access to a paint & body shop..... and one of the best in the country, but for some reason cannot use it right now. I think there's some extenuating circumstances, but that's none of my business. I found this out by telling them, if they want a trailer that is painted 1/2 red on a white foundation and now want it matte black, they should paint it, not color change it with wrap vinyl. He nixed that by saying..... we can't use our paint booths.



. . . . . . . . Oh freddie........ I've been here for a little while, no need to be welcoming me anywhere :toasting:
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Maybe this will help. They want the red/white to become ALL matte black. Do you see all the incidentals with caulking needs ??
 

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JBurton

Signtologist
"Sure, but so's ya know, I'm not too great with a caulk gun..." Usually sets them up to do it themselves
Fun story, we had a crane operator at a local place that had a great baby face even when he was 25 or so. He liked to show up with the crane and tell folks it's his first day...
Whatever the outcome, in writing, "XXX sign company is not responsible for the water tightness of the roof, windows, doors, seals, or other holes created manually or by acts of God, apostles, archangels, extremists, terrorists, democrats, illegal aliens, etc."
 
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