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[JKADesigns]

Got asked to do a banner this morning. I had posted an ad to do wall art for $10psf. Lady asked me to do a 2x4 banner for her business. Told her I'd design it for her later on today. Got around to doing it and she asked what was taking so long and asked a price. I told her the same price as I would have charged for wall art. She said no thanks, I can get one online for $30. Was in the middle of doing that project, looking for vectorized zebra stripes when I got the message. Said forget it and deleted the file. Was going to come up with a cool font and outline all the letters on a zebra stripe background as she'd asked for. Maybe even find a cupboard as one word in her business name was cupboard. Looked online and saw that you can buy a banner for $30 but fonts are limited etc. etc. What a bunch of hogwash. Was my original price out of line?

I was even thinking about designing it and ordering it from firesprint printing but I can get it even cheaper from other places online. People don't want to pay for a designer sometimes anymore. That's ridiculous.

Next time... money in my hand before I start designing... have an order for wall art on Friday, just a simple font so I was able to estimate sqft and send her a design in 5 minutes... keep thinking I should cut it before she comes... but rules have to be rules... money in hand before my equipment gets turned on for all first time customers or I lose. Has happened 3x so far.

PM me if you don't want it posted in open forum. Thanks.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Should have told her the price and gotten paid before you started designing.

 

[Locals Find!]

No, it was not out of line. You didn't lose anything by letting that customer walk away. You probably saved yourself a bigger headache in the long run.

 

[OldPaint]

"but I can get it even cheaper from other places online. People don't want to pay for a designer sometimes anymore. That's ridiculous."
welcome to the world of printing!!!! what your saying that a 2 X 4 banner is $30, that is $3.75 a sq ft. compared to your $10..........so some idiot with a printer has just made the whole industry LOOSE!!!! i lived thru this when i was hand painting and the vinyl plotter came along. now its so bad with a printer in the hands any fool who can lease or buy one, and most have NO REAL BUSINESS EXPERIANCE, let alone art ability and NOW THEY IS A SIGN MAKER))))))))))))))))

 

[Dave Drane]

"but I can get it even cheaper from other places online. People don't want to pay for a designer sometimes anymore. That's ridiculous."
welcome to the world of printing!!!! what your saying that a 2 X 4 banner is $30, that is $3.75 a sq ft. compared to your $10..........so some idiot with a printer has just made the whole industry LOOSE!!!! i lived thru this when i was hand painting and the vinyl plotter came along. now its so bad with a printer in the hands any fool who can lease or buy one, and most have NO REAL BUSINESS EXPERIANCE, let alone art ability and NOW THEY IS A SIGN MAKER))))))))))))))))

Check this thread! http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=90254:popcorn:

 

[Jillbeans]

Never design without a deposit. Get paid in full in advance for anything under $75.
Love....Jill

 

[Salmoneye]

The design alone should be $45. Go down to your local custom clothier and look at a custom tailored shirt for $200 and then tell him you can get a printed shirt for $6 on woot and see what he says. Your customer is not comparing apples to apples. Be glad you are not hassling with her and go find a client.

 

[BPI Color]

Don't design for cheapskates. They don't deserve your time.

 

[Circleville Signs]

Never design without a deposit. Get paid in full in advance for anything under $75.
Love....Jill

I get paid in full in advance for all jobs under $500.

If you have a client who doesn't value your design capabilities, then you don't have a customer. If your design capabilities are so poor that your customer thinks they can do just as good themselves, then you have the wrong career.

 

[allamericantrade]

I have thought of a customer design your own sign at your own risk software added to my website in order to compete with the pricing of online companies but decided ultimatly that the integrity of the product I produce would go down hill. I could just see a horribly customer designed banner come out and when asked "Who did that?" The answer will not be "All American Trade".

 

[JKADesigns]

I have thought of a customer design your own sign at your own risk software added to my website in order to compete with the pricing of online companies but decided ultimatly that the integrity of the product I produce would go down hill. I could just see a horribly customer designed banner come out and when asked "Who did that?" The answer will not be "All American Trade".

Well where can I find software like that? I was looking for it the other day because it's great for wall words, but horrible for signs. Just wondering how much it'd cost.

 

[JKADesigns]

By the way... I think $10psf for wall art is a pretty good deal for all parties involved, doesn't seem like any one disagrees with me on that point. Can get it online for less than that but then you don't have a designer's touch involved. Thank you all for your input, I appreciate it and Paid In Full for all jobs under $75 would be a good idea.

 

[allamericantrade]

I have the name of a software person for that. PM me if you want. I have seen wall upwards of 20/SF in my area. There is a company set up selling wall art in a tuppaware / Avon fasion. they have people sign up to do the sales for a commision with a minimum sale criteria.

 

[OldPaint]

we old "painters" was charging $10 sq ft for simple plain wall lettering. ART WORK, was anywhere from $15-$50. depending on the detail.

 

[allamericantrade]

we old "painters" was charging $10 sq ft for simple plain wall lettering. ART WORK, was anywhere from $15-$50. depending on the detail.

And you thought vinyl priced you out. At that cost I'd prefer paint to vinyl any day.

 

[sar bossier]

I get paid in full in advance for all jobs under $500.

If you have a client who doesn't value your design capabilities, then you don't have a customer. If your design capabilities are so poor that your customer thinks they can do just as good themselves, then you have the wrong career.

+1 - Made this my store policy just over a year ago - those that mean it, pay, those that don't, walk.

 

[OldPaint]

And you thought vinyl priced you out. At that cost I'd prefer paint to vinyl any day.

hahahha....not only did we do basic wall lettering "starting" @ $10 sq ft. but most of us was QUICK!!! this was the ticket. ANDDDDD, almost no materials cost. gas was under a $1.00 a gallon.........and getting up to $100 a hour for window painting was a normal day)))))))))) we made MONEY......not spending it on machines and material and then selling it for $3 a sq ft))))

 

[JKADesigns]

hahahha....not only did we do basic wall lettering "starting" @ $10 sq ft. but most of us was QUICK!!! this was the ticket. ANDDDDD, almost no materials cost. gas was under a $1.00 a gallon.........and getting up to $100 a hour for window painting was a normal day)))))))))) we made MONEY......not spending it on machines and material and then selling it for $3 a sq ft))))

I remember you saying that about $10/sf awhile back when I first started reading this forum. So, thank you for the reminder. Just curious about hand painting- how many different fonts did you "learn"? or how do I say it...!

 

[OldPaint]

@ the $10 sq ft .........most of us old painters had a freehand letter style similar to "brush hand." it was quick, simple and bold!!! a basic squared block letter, and freehand script. as for art workall of us could draw most stuff without any problem, thats what made it easy. a lot of other quicky stuff wasnt perfect but we made it look like it was. when i say a $100 window, iam talkin a 4' x 5'!!! and most of us old brush guys could knock it out from start to finish in less then an hour!!! no design time, no set up time, no materials to load, and outa that $100, $95.......WAS PROFIT))))) i did car lot windshields. you seen em. $2995, COLD A/C!!! used to do no less then 10 and sometimes as many as 25......@$4 each. dont sound like a lot of money, but...TIME is how you made it pay well. each window on a car......less then 2 MINUTES))))) so 20 cars @ 2 minutes= 40 minutes= $80 in less then an hour)))) most us would clean the area we needed to paint, take a piece of chalk, or a china marker, do a quick sketch of what we was gona do.......get the paint and brushes.......and go for it. speed of completion was the ticket!!! the less time you put in for a set $$$ the more money you made. at my best i could letter a stock car, start to finish, 3 big numbers, in 3 different colors, 3-4 sponsors names in a freehand brush hand or script........for $300, and would be finished and gone in less then 3 hours!!!! now if they wanted logos or art work, price went up and i spent a couple hours more at it.
as for the $10 sq ft.......FOR PRICING, its an easy way to figure in your head.no paper, no calculator needed. EX: 4'x8' single sided sign on .040 alum. 4x8=32, $10 s.f. X 32=$320, easy huh? NOW this qives you a START POINT. if you want charge $15 sq ft, half of $320 is $160...........so take the $320 +$160=$480! you want to charge $5 sq ft, half the $320=$160. i alway set my least that i would work for @ $5 sq ft. is giving it away. smaller signs you cant do this.i usually price those on what they are worth.