Suggestions Was just wondering what others might be doing..........................

[Gino]

Have a relatively good customer, probably 20 or more years and they never ask questions about anything other than how much is something gonna cost, if it's a really big project. This project isn't really large, not at all, but I wanna be fair to them and to us.

They're getting 10 black real estate angle frame 24" x 36" but they requested 3mm ACM instead of sheet aluminum. Also, there will be 10 ryder panels at the bottom. The main panels are about 65% coverage and the ryders are about 25%

Do you think between $225 to $235 is too much per unit ?? All units being double sided and all the same copy. Normally, we get $256. for a sign that size one at a time, but getting 10 at once, I was gonna offer a discount.

It takes less than 2 hours to print them (with ryders) all on the flatbed. Layout is just using their old layout again. Just hadda size it from an 18" x 24" to a 24" x 36".

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[FatCat]

FWIW - seems a little high to me. We'd be around $150-$175/set (frame/rider/sign panel) based on a QTY of 10 and depending on the client.

(Also, not sure what you sell your frames for, we only get 50% markup on them as they are basically a commodity item that can be ordered anywhere.)

 

[2B]

agreed, that price is more than we can get.
if you can great, if that is the going rate for your area all the better for you

we just did 30 of this exact combo (size and material) with full coverage and was 127.83 EA

 

[fresh]

FWIW - seems a little high to me. We'd be around $150-$175/set (frame/rider/sign panel) based on a QTY of 10 and depending on the client.

(Also, not sure what you sell your frames for, we only get 50% markup on them as they are basically a commodity item that can be ordered anywhere.)

Yes. This is where we'd be as well.

You didn't mention if you're flat bed printing or what vinyl you'll be using.

 

[ThatGuy]

$150-$170 each for flatbed print
$195 each for 3m 40c with laminate

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

Must be our area, Gino, because I'd be in your price range for the signs. I'd actually be around $270 for just one, but would do the same of offering a discount at the quantity. But I would also be doing vinyl prints and applying since we don't have a flat bed. I'd be in high 100s if it's just one color vinyl lettering.

 

[unclebun]

In our town I'd never get any work if I charged prices like that on a real estate sign. We double our cost on the frame, making it $36. For a two sided ACP 24x36 we get $115. $30 for the riders. And even at that I lose the job most of the time because we have two competitors that base their pricing on beating online wholesale prices.

 

[Gino]

I did mention in the OP that it was flatbed printed, but that doesn't make a difference in what they sell for, but rather how much (or how little) I have invested in the overall job. They are not real estate signs, but they are using real estate frames to put their message out.

I could easily do them for $175 and still make out, but they've never balked at the $250 price, therefore I was wondering if the discount could be a little greater ?? I don't want them to think I can do this all the time. Some things must stay in line to everything else. 20% just sounds like too much for only 10 signs total.

They normally get 4' x 4's, 4' x 6's and 4' x 8's. Hardly any this small. Nice thing, they do all of their own installations.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I'm at $165 for 10... would add $15 or so for the riders. I just have s365 print em so all I have to do is assemble the finished ACM to the frame with those clips and my trusty mallet.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

If the guy would have come to me I would have changed $1348.00 for the whole order. Everything would be out-sourced. My cost would be $719 including use tax plus 2x hours my time. Any design charges extra. Chances are, however, they would go to Dee-Signs and get them for even less, especially if they were affiliated with a national Realtor® chain.

The local shops around here who print in-house would charge about $175.00 per set and grumbled about it. Some of the smaller shops would need to charge $220.00 plus per set. It's expensive to keep those printers running!

 

[kcollinsdesign]

Note: I am not assembling them at that price.

 

[Gino]

Well, here's the part I don't quite understand. The vast majority of you lowballing this... are the same people a week or two ago said they'd get over a grand for a double sided 4'x8'. Installation I believe was extra. That kinda means, you'd be getting around $700 for a 4' x 8' or less, since there's no quantity discount involved and no installation.

There's never any assembly required with these kinda signs and even if there was, it takes about 20 seconds to slide one in and put a spring clip on it.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

I'm about $475 for a DS 4x8 on 3mm ACM. Design charges extra. I am fortunate in that I have a local guy who will print (UV flatbed) on my substrate for $2 sq. ft. I ship the substrate to him (no charge for local delivery from my substate vendor), and have my client pick up from him so I don't have to go get it. I will deliver it for $45.00 (my installer, who I share a shop with, charges me $25.00 for a local delivery).

I make more money doing design work. A simple layout will cost a minimum $75.00. It can go up from there. I separate what I call "commodity" work from creative work. If this is a new customer, it usually leads to more work and a profitable relationship for everybody!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I'm about $475 for a DS 4x8 on 3mm ACM. Design charges extra. I am fortunate in that I have a local guy who will print (UV flatbed) on my substrate for $2 sq. ft. I ship the substrate to him (no charge for local delivery from my substate vendor), and have my client pick up from him so I don't have to go get it. I will deliver it for $45.00 (my installer, who I share a shop with, charges me $25.00 for a local delivery).

I make more money doing design work. A simple layout will cost a minimum $75.00. It can go up from there. I separate what I call "commodity" work from creative work. If this is a new customer, it usually leads to more work and a profitable relationship for everybody!

you send your customers to another shop to pickup??

 

[2B]

who said anything about "lowballing"........

you asked if the amount you listed was too much and MOST (not all) of the replies are what others can get, NOT what YOU should charge.
If you like the price you stated, they pay that price and continue to be repeat customers in the future. then what is the discussion?

In fact, I stated

that price is more than we can get.
if you can great, if that is the going rate for your area all the better for you.

 

[HulkSmash]

realestate blows. I wouldn't be cheaper then what you're quoting.

 

[Gino]

who said anything about "lowballing"........

you asked if the amount you listed was too much and MOST (not all) of the replies are what others can get, NOT what YOU should charge.
If you like the price you stated, they pay that price and continue to be repeat customers in the future. then what is the discussion?

In fact, I stated

I said it. No one else. In regards to where y'all prices are on other threads. The consistency puzzles me ?? I was expecting some lower prices, but not 1/2 of what I was thinking

I just find it hard to believe that's all you guys can get, but like I also said, many of you are the same ones who were saying you wouldn't touch a job for this or that and now many of you come back and say you can't get this price or that price. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to some of your posts. Sure, if someone just wants to sit home and design or go fishing and broker out the vast majority of your work, so be it, but that hardly seems like a good idea. But, that's what makes the world go round.

 

[d fleming]

High for my area. I've got soccer Moms with crickets doing all the bottom feeder work around me and that's ok. Keeps me from having RE agents in my office whining about spending 50 bucks to sell a 400k house.

 

[unclebun]

If your question was about the quantity discount, for 10 pieces of the frame, I get a discount of 10%, and that's also what I discount for 10 identical signs.

Like I said, the price I gave you was what the market here will bear. It's far too low. But the competition is too low for the type of sign you described. I don't end up selling many of them because even the absurdly low price I gave is too high in comparison.

I don't get $1000 for a 4x8 two sided either. $400 for a one-sided, $600 two-sided.

 

[ikarasu]

for 10+ we charge $110 for double sided, reflective lawn signs... then for the frames we charge $60 (we make them in house). So about $170 per reflective... Probably knock $10 off for non reflective.

I don't think $220-230 is too much. We'd do them for cheaper, sure... but we do hundreds of these signs and frames a day. Our prices are to Realtors who are A - Frugal, and B - Order thousands of signs a year from us.

Smaller stuff that takes longer to do should give more proffit than bigger stuff that takes half as long. Especially if it's not something you knock out every other day. If the customer is happy with the price, who cares?

Now if they didn't ask the price... then they show up to pick them up and you tell them it's $230 per when they were thinking it'd be in the $150 range, that might be a bit different... but i'm presuming even if he didn't ask, you give him a price before you start working and have him agree to it.