-
I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...
Averege $/hr for wrapper in the US
- Thread starter WrapZone
- Start date
Kentucky Wraps
Kentucky Wraps
I'm in KY now but used to work at a sign shop in San Bernardino and we used a dad and brothers for installs as well. Probably the same ones...drive a van. Bill was one of their names.
HulkSmash
New Member
We wrap 2000 sqft trains in 4 hrs with 3 guys. 2 laying 1 trimming. We have to be fast for transit, and fleets. We're strictly commercial and have to be this fast to move in this market and be competitive. There's other shops who keep cars for a week. I don't understand how they function like that. We're all about speed and quality when it comes to wraps. As fast as you can, but also as accurate and clean as you can. We have a 9x9ft banner in our shop that say pretty much that behind the install bays.
Attachments
AceSignsOnline
New Member
I definitely agree with paying your employees (or contractors) what they're worth. Especially when all that matters is what the bottom line ends up being when considering efficiency, quality, and profit as the variables in your equation (if that makes sense).
As far as wraps go... Lately, I've taken much more of an interest in that area of the market. We've always done wraps, but they are usually part of a package deal. We've never claimed to "specialize" in that arena. We have the growth potential there, but man... There are so many wrap shops around town that are willing to take on jobs for what seems like so little profit. With the size of our company and what it costs just to operate, it's tough to compete with the two-man operations around town. Guess I'm more or less looking for the right starting point to really make a push in that market.
jfiscus
Rap Master
Around $20/hour for employees.
Contractors are a whole different animal and are paid per job here, based upon their bids. I think most bid per sf around $3.
Good hourly employee installers are getting VERY hard to find. Most good installers have gone on to be self-employed subcontractors...
Contractors are a whole different animal and are paid per job here, based upon their bids. I think most bid per sf around $3.
Good hourly employee installers are getting VERY hard to find. Most good installers have gone on to be self-employed subcontractors...
Turtle
New Member
$52k is not unheard of for a skilled guy in New England. A company employee's salary will depend on what value they add to your shop. Such as being a lead installer, having a certification, skill and speed, being able to help out with printing and laminating... I guess it depends on your region and the size of your operation.
HulkSmash
New Member
Glade some people understand. If 1 guy with a helper, here and there, wraps $450,000 in billable sales, then 52k isn't that ridiculous. Some people may call BS because they don't understand the larger scale of work, and the cost and return. Now if you're doing stuff like direct mail, and like printing business cards. Anyone can sit there and push a button. Fortunately we don't do that stuff. But for skilled labor, in which it's Hard to find good reliable employees. We pay it in a heart beat. I have a close friend who owns a shop, and he pays over, $500 a day to his installer who helps him on big jobs.
SignProPlus-Alex
New Member
Then I was working for other sign shop they paid me $16.50/hr. I am slow compare to other installers. Average wrap will take me about 10 hours from wash to taking a pictures for portfolio.
Now I do work for myself but I still do installs for other sign companies for $2.50-3/sq.ft.
Now I do work for myself but I still do installs for other sign companies for $2.50-3/sq.ft.
threeputt
New Member
Knock it off. Only I know what I'm paying. My guy is extremely precise and efficient. (a rare combo) A question was asked on this forum (a rather sensitive one) and I was among the first to answer. Getting called bullsh*t is not what I expected.
Go ahead and hire your 12 dollar guy off-the-street, and then when he rips a mirror off a $50,000 vehicle moving it in or out of the bay, you can gloat over the money you're saving. Or burns or scratches the paint.
Bullsh*t indeed!
mfatty500
New Member
Where's my broom?
Pixels Are Bad Mmmkay?
New Member
Some days I almost wish I could just push a broom for $16.50. Lol.
phototec
New Member
Ha ha, you probably have 27 illegals in your shop being paid less than minimum wage, wait till ICE visits your shop and you don't have any employees left!!!
Get REAL and hire professional people and pay them a deceit wage!!!
Locals Find!
New Member
Was looking at your image with tagline. You really must be dumber than you look. How are you going to come on here and tell guys who are signing checks for large scale operations what THEY ARE paying THEIR employees.
You don't sign the checks so you don't know a damn thing about their payroll. You got some serious balls to tell a business owner he is lying about what he says his payroll is without a shred of fact to base your opinion on.
Colorado I believe as I have family and friends up that way and $16 is just about minimum wage to keep an employee if you actually want them to show up for work and do the job right.
Not one person has a damn thing to gain by lying about how much their payroll is.
As for you having 27 employees I call BS on that. Your workmans comp would be ridiculous and if your not even willing to pay for skilled labor I highly doubt your paying workmans comp on 27 employees.
HulkSmash
New Member
The insults aren't necessary, I mean really. Each market is different. When i lived in Tenessee, people were excited to make $11.00 an hr. Here in Denver is much different.
Locals Find!
New Member
I understand that each market is different. I know that better than anyone. I just thought it was pretty ballsy for him to call someone out saying they are lying about their payroll. That was pretty low and dumb in my opinion. My insult ,if that is what we are going to call it, was based on his own tagline. Maybe it was a bit pissy but, I read that and just couldn't resist.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Usually, I don't agree with Addie, but in this case, while his wording and assumptions could well be off base.... it's the same thinking process he's using as that of the poster he's accusing the same. Neither of them know for a fact, what the other is talking about and can't know 100% whether it's fact or not. Possible, but not a fact jack.
Those numbers of $52k are not at all far-fetched. At the moment we have one employee at that rate and another one who is close to it, but has missed quite a bit of work this year due to a child with extensive health problems. She is constantly in and out of hospitals and he stays there with her pretty much of the time. She's in right now with wires and electrodes hooked up to her head and the doctors still can't figure out what's wrong with her. This has been going on for almost 7 years, now. The rest of our people are normal paying jobs with only one below fast food wannabees.
Those numbers of $52k are not at all far-fetched. At the moment we have one employee at that rate and another one who is close to it, but has missed quite a bit of work this year due to a child with extensive health problems. She is constantly in and out of hospitals and he stays there with her pretty much of the time. She's in right now with wires and electrodes hooked up to her head and the doctors still can't figure out what's wrong with her. This has been going on for almost 7 years, now. The rest of our people are normal paying jobs with only one below fast food wannabees.
MagnificentBastid
New Member
Wrapping vehicles is a unique skill that takes a certain level of talent. You can hire someone for $12 per hour and train them up, but most will end up doing a below average job. The ones that eventually get good at it are also eventually going to want much more pay (and rightfully so).
I got to wonder if those who feel $12 per hour is fair, have actually done any installations.. or actually seen the finished work of a person making $12 per hour..
I got to wonder if those who feel $12 per hour is fair, have actually done any installations.. or actually seen the finished work of a person making $12 per hour..
wildside
New Member
it is all market based, my area would not sustain an installer at 52k a year. People can say what it is worth in their area to pay, but you cannot argue that fact with each other unless you are right up the street from one another.
My particular area, 12 an hour is good pay for the most part, average starting around here is about 8 bucks an hour.. yes even for specialized work. Keep in mind a 3 bed 2 bath house goes for under 100k. My wife has been at the same place for nearly ten years, with yearly increases still is not above 11 an hour. The entire county has less than 10k population....
I am sure in denver, coloradosigns is very correct, 52k is probably about right, when i managed a shop in wisconsin, we paid a contract installer $3 a square and he could knock out stuff faster and cleaner than anyone i have ever witnessed in person, and that was 10 years ago too...
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Gazing into my 'Crystal Ball' [squint-squint]... I see a plague of Fast Food places setting up shop and hiring everyone out from under ya.
HulkSmash
New Member
My wife had her CPA, Degree in Finance, and Masters in Accounting before 24. Out of college she's making close to 70k a year here in Denver.
Patentagosse
New Member
Jeez Colorado... you work next to a parking lot... :Big Laugh
Patentagosse
New Member
Can I sell out and move from Kentucky and work for you?
+1...
Creative french canadian but no talent for business management & closing sales (the last 5 years of my 25 years career tend to proove that...)