Reflective Vinyl

[Mimaki JV22-160]

I have to make a sign 4'x3' using reflective vinyl. What is the typical cost per square foot for reflective vinyl? How much would a sign like that cost?

 

[J Hill Designs]

...ask your supplier?

 

[Mimaki JV22-160]

I did, but they gave me a price of $425, which was more than $35/sq ft, doesn't seem right.

 

[J Hill Designs]

are you sure that wasnt for a roll of solvent printable reflective vinyl for your JV?

edit: oh wait, jv22 is dye-sub...so you dont have a solvent printer?

 

[Mimaki JV22-160]

No this has nothing to do with the printer, this is for vinyl. I just want to know what the industry rate is on reflective vinyl per square foot. Regular vinyl is $5/sq foot, what would reflective be?

 

[Gino]

When you're buying by the yard, it's going to be at least $45 a yard. You'd be better off buying a 48" x 10yd roll and having stock left over afterward.

 

[J Hill Designs]

you are getting reamed if you are paying $5 per square foot for reg vinyl...

 

[Mimaki JV22-160]

I meant that is what I charge. The rate is to charge $5/sq ft.

 

[qmr55]

What size roll was the $425 for? What type of reflective?

 

[Mimaki JV22-160]

I think it is very possible I am not being clear. I am a sign shop, I have a customer who called me to do a job, but I want to be competitive with their current sign company. I never have done a reflective vinyl sign before. I want to know what a sign shop would sell a reflective vinyl sign to a commercial real estate company for??

 

[J Hill Designs]

$425

 

[Jim Doggett]

There are degrees of ref vinyl:

Engineering grade, which is cheap and brittle, for application on to flat surfaces.

Flexible grade, which begins getting expensive.

Diamond grade, real expensive.

Jim Doggett
SignWarehouse

 

[Gino]

I think it is very possible I am not being clear. I am a sign shop, I have a customer who called me to do a job, but I want to be competitive with their current sign company. I never have done a reflective vinyl sign before. I want to know what a sign shop would sell a reflective vinyl sign to a commercial real estate company for??

If you want to be competitive with with your local competition, you should call them and ask THEM what they're quoting. We're only guessing.

 

[weareryan]

There are degrees of ref vinyl:

Engineering grade, which is cheap and brittle, for application on to flat surfaces.

Flexible grade, which begins getting expensive.

Diamond grade, real expensive.

Jim Doggett
SignWarehouse

Diamond Grade...they must be using actual diamonds. We use engineering all the time. Someone wanted the 10 year DG film and I foolishly guessed it at the EG rate. Had to come back later and correct myself in a big way.

 

[john1]

If you can't make money on this job i say pass. Heck if i will buy a roll that's more than the job and take a hit because i will sell it sooner or later down the road.

If you have to, Use a merchant member here and get it printed and mark up the vinyl and profit.

I use pricing software to price jobs such as graphixcalc. Estimate software is another. Regardless of using software or not, you should always know your real costs so you don't lose money.

If you are asking us what we would charge, That would only give you a better idea than what you have now which may be much of nothing for this particular job. Meaning, that isn't really doing much since our markets are different than yours as areas vary from coast to coast.

 

[MikePro]

if this is your first reflective project... good luck. non-controltac reflective is a PITA to get right unless you've got a good process/experience applying extremely aggressive material that "bruises" easily.

and if your supplier is quoting you on this for just material, you should find a better one.... a yard of anything shouldn't cost that much. I can see this price being reasonable for a one-off, applied to .090 aluminum, and ready to install.

 

[Malkin]

I will usually calculate my rate to make the needed prints with cast vinyl & lam, then add about $5 a sq ft to substitute reflective film. We usually use 3M IJ680cr.

Layered cut refl film should add at least $5 per sq ft per color.

 

[Jillbeans]

I am in your area and while I won't discuss pricing out here in the main forum, I will say that you are not giving us enough details.
What is the substrate? Aluminum? Alumalite? Wood? Or is it RTA vinyl?
I will tell you that good old Fellers sells reflective by the yard. If using Glantz or Pioneer you will indeed need a full roll.
But if you've not used reflective (I only use Scotchlite) you may want to buy extra.
Some plotters require a different blade for cutting reflective.
You want to allow for that too, and make sure to do some test cuts.
Refective can be a PITA to weed, too.
And I don't price by the square foot, maybe sometimes for banners. But $5 a square foot for signs? Yikes. I got more than that back in 1990.

 

[CentralSigns]

Are you selling the reflective vinyl only. Just cut and wrapped. Most everyone here is trying to help you in some way, and you still havn't given us a better idea of what you are selling. Just on a side note:Building a business model on beating the competition is a fail business model. You need to factor in your fixed cost into your prices. Surely your cost are different from the competitor.

 

[Mosh]

$50 sq foot