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5x5' back lit, Am i in the ballpark?

jfiscus

Rap Master
Here are my thoughts:

You're looking at $300-$500 for a day's lift rental.
Do you have safety harnesses or will you be buying/renting those?
How far away is it (gas/travel expenses)?
What do you have that will haul a 5x5' sign to the location? (truck/boxtruck?)
Do you need blankets, etc to be sure the faces aren't damaged during transport?
Do you need lifting slings/clamps to pick up a 5'x5' face from the ground?
Will you need an assistant/spotter on location? (once you're up in the lift with the panels, it's a PITA to get back down for something you left in the truck.
Are you replacing screws/hardware in the panel? Cleaning the inside of the panel or sign panel trackways? (these can be full of crud and rust)
Are you replacing all of the bulbs in the panel & the exposed bulb sockets, since the owner has removed the panels and exposed those elements to the weather?
Do you need to hire an electrician to service the electrical elements? (They are around $60/hr)
Who is pulling the permit/supplying drawings?

ALWAYS verify that all bulbs are working before installing the new panels, saves the customer a good amount of money to have it all done at one time when you're there & their new sign lights up correctly.

As far as material thickness, you need to use the correct thickness for the tracks of the existing cabinet. This may require you to measure the tracks if the sign faces they brought you are possibly not the original faces. If the material you are using is not the correct thickness you could have problems. Too thin = could blow out, too thick = will not fit into the tracks.

You are too low. At 1200 your costs are around/above your price listed.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Sounds way too low, especially with the methods you intend to use, not to mention the things you've left out.

Does your insurance cover you while working 15' up in the air on a platform ??

Does your price include any of the procedures for obtaining permits and showing proper liability on this project ??

Also, as mentioned, always......... always ask about servicing the sign while it's all apart. Now's the time to replace lamps and ballasts, clean out old dirt along with birds and insect nests and check on all wiring and tombstones. By the way, are you certified or licensed to do electrical work ??

Remember, if you are the last person to have anything at all to do with this sign, you'll be held liable and accountable, should it catch fire or something falls or whatever........... You will be considered the professional that overlooked something. That's why the changing of electric sign faces entails more than just sliding one out and another in...... you should be servicing and checking for wear & tear. A big responsibility gos along with this portion of the sign industry.
 
J

john1

Guest
Well, Just a update. Local low baller just bid less than $1000 installed for this.

Gotta love them!
 
J

john1

Guest
Yeah, this guy is hard up for cash is my guess. He lowballs every job and does nothing but ugly bevels and drop shadows on his designs. One of those jokes who does the same price for a single sided sign as the same price for a double!
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Don't worry about it. When the littlest thing goes wrong.... he's gonna be up that famous creek without a paddle.
 

weaselboogie

New Member
Yeah, this guy is hard up for cash is my guess. He lowballs every job and does nothing but ugly bevels and drop shadows on his designs. One of those jokes who does the same price for a single sided sign as the same price for a double!

That guy must be on a national level because he must have a location here too!
 

Techman

New Member
Local low baller just bid less than $1000 installed for this.

There is no friggin way he can do that much work for that price and be around for long. Doing a grand worth of work for a grand is not a way to run a business.
Unless he is stealing the materials..
He will be gone soon enough..
 
J

john1

Guest
I hope so, This is the second job in 2 months he has low balled beyond belief

I came in at $1325 uninstalled and hes about $600 less i heard
 
J

john1

Guest
I put out 2 bids, one with poly and one with acrylic. The 1325 was acrylic uninstalled.
 
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