Pricing vinyl lettering

[Amy Shelton]

I can "sorta kinda" figure out how to price our laser services... but I'm at a loss as to figuring vinyl lettering, signs, etc.

Is there a way to calculate it? By the square inch? How should I charge if I am to apply it, vs. customer-applied?

My customer wants a quote on lettering for his car window; approx 24" x 2" high, as an example.

I searched and can't find any previous posts on this; I hope I'm not repeating myself repeating myself.

Thanks!
Amy

[Joe Pelonio]

When I did it every day I had a price per letter table that I did in Excel based on letter size and added for fonts that were more difficult to weed. You need to recover the cost of material, cutting, weeding and taping time, and equipment expense.

Most shops would have a $25 minimum or more, otherwise if you charge $0.50/inch of size per letter someone getting 1" mailbox address numbers 102 would be charged $1.50 and your wasted material costs more than that. I also charged more for anything 1/2" or less as the are harder to work with. People sell lettering on EBay really cheap, don't try to compete with them. Also, if you have to order a few yards of a special color for them and are not likely to use the rest of the material they need to pay for it.

For a big job such as 100 sets or a big truck lettering job I did materials + labor time based on experience.

Signs are just adding the price of the substrate marked up 100% and the additional time to apply the lettering.

[Amy Shelton]

Thanks, Joe, that's very helpful!

[Neal Schlee]

Amy,

We use the "2011 Official Sign Contractors Pricing Guide", it's about $30.
It offers pricing for most all types of vinyl, printed, painted signs, silk screening and more.
It's published every year, great resource, especially for beginners.

http://www.signwritersusa.com/index1.html

Neal