YOU WANTED IT, so you got it! Two of the more common questions we receive monthly for “Ask Signs of the Times” are “how much do you pay for X?” and “how much do you charge for Y?” Where does your sign company fall within these material and job charges?
47. How much do you pay for HDU 20 lb., 4 x 8 ft., 1-½ in. thick?
48. How much do you pay for 3M IJ180Cv3 graphic film, 150-ft. roll, 54 in. wide?
| Less than $700 |
|
31%
|
| $700 to $749 |
|
29%
|
| $750 to $799 |
|
17%
|
| $800 to $849 |
|
5%
|
| $850 to $899 |
|
8%
|
| $900 or more |
|
10%
|
SIZE DOESN’T MATTER? The number of employees (a reflection of the size of companies) seems to have no bearing on those paying the least for the popular 3M vinyl. Companies with 100 or more employees and those with fewer than five are both getting competitive pricing.
49. How much do you charge to fabricate a 3 x 10-ft., 13-oz. banner with art provided and grommets every 2 ft. on all four sides (no installation)?
| Less than $120 |
|
9%
|
| $120 to $129 |
|
24%
|
| $130 to $139 |
|
3%
|
| $140 to $149 |
|
12%
|
| $150 or more |
|
52%
|
50. How much do you charge to install a 3 x 10-ft., 13-oz. banner with art provided and grommets every 2 ft. on all four sides, 8 ft. or less from the ground (one-person job)?
| Less than $200 |
|
33%
|
| $200 to $224 |
|
19%
|
| $225 to $249 |
|
15%
|
| $250 to $274 |
|
13%
|
| $275 to $299 |
|
4%
|
| $300 or more |
|
16%
|
MAX FACTORS. 1 in 4 shops charging the max range for banner fabrication also charges the highest range to install them. Meanwhile, 27% charging the max for fabrication charge the lowest range for installation.
51. How much do you pay for MDO plywood, 4 x 8 ft., ½ in. thick?
PRICE CHECK. The plurality paying less than $100 for MDO hail from every region of the US with a few from Canada as well. However, only 9% of Northeasterners report that low cost while comprising 19% of all respondents.
52. How much do you charge to fabricate a 4 x 8-ft., 3mm ACP panel with digital vinyl and laminate, art provided (no site-survey or installation)?
| Less than $400 |
|
14%
|
| $400 to $424 |
|
24%
|
| $425 to $449 |
|
12%
|
| $450 to $474 |
|
12%
|
| $475 to $499 |
|
7%
|
| $500 or more |
|
31%
|
53. How much do you charge to install a 4 x 8-ft., 3mm ACP panel with digital vinyl and laminate, art provided, 8 ft. or less from the ground (one-person job)?
| Less than $200 |
|
19%
|
| $200 to $224 |
|
22%
|
| $225 to $249 |
|
16%
|
| $250 to $274 |
|
16%
|
| $275 to $299 |
|
4%
|
| $300 or more |
|
23%
|
LEAST AND MOST. Just over half of shops charging less than $400 to fabricate ACP panels also charge less than $200 to install them. Conversely, 2 in 5 charging $500 or more to fabricate ACP panels charge $300 or more for installation.
54. How much would you charge to fabricate “Marcos Pizza” in 12-in. channel letters and a 10-ft. raceway (not including engineering, permitting or installation)?
| Less than $4,000 |
|
23%
|
| $4,000 to $4,499 |
|
22%
|
| $4,500 to $4,999 |
|
23%
|
| $5,000 to $5,499 |
|
15%
|
| $5,500 to $5,999 |
|
4%
|
| $6,000 or more |
|
13%
|
IN DA HOUSE. Fewer than a quarter of companies charging $6,000 or more to fabricate these channel letters are increasing their amount of subcontracting, while the rest report no change or depending less on outsourcing.
55. How much would you charge to engineer, permit and install “Marcos Pizza” in 12-in. channel letters and a 10-ft. raceway (site is within two miles of your shop)?
| Less than $2,000 |
|
29%
|
| $2,000 to $2,499 |
|
25%
|
| $2,500 to $2,999 |
|
17%
|
| $3,000 to $3,499 |
|
10%
|
| $3,500 to $3,999 |
|
7%
|
| $4,000 or more |
|
12%
|
THIRD PARTYING. 58% of sign companies charging $2,000 or less to engineer, permit and install these letters report their subcontracting trend has been increasing or greatly increasing.
56. What’s the most you’ve ever charged for one sign project?
| Less than $25,000 |
|
17%
|
| $25,000 to $49,999 |
|
14%
|
| $50,000 to $99,999 |
|
11%
|
| $100,000 to $199,999 |
|
17%
|
| $200,000 to $499,999 |
|
16%
|
| $500,000 to $999,999 |
|
12%
|
| $1 million to $1,999,999 |
|
9%
|
| $2 million to $2,999,999 |
|
1%
|
| $3 million to $4,999,999 |
|
1%
|
| $5 million or more |
|
2%
|
FOR THE RECORD. Though just more than 2 in 5 companies’ highest charge for one sign project falls under $100K, they can be just as proud as the 1 in 8 who’ve enjoyed a million-dollar sale.
Mars Bravo: The Most Interesting Name in the Sign Industry
Mars Bravo is not the kind of name you hear very often in the sign industry — the kind of name more likely to follow, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage…!” In this episode, Eric interviews Mars to find out about her start in the sign industry and her ideas for the future, first with how she got her name.
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