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Farming out jobs

Stormyj

Stormyj

Just another guy
Hi all,
Being a smaller sign shop, I occasionally am asked about larger jobs that I cannot really accomplish, due to lack of equipment or it's just to dang big. I am considering farming these jobs out to another sign company in my area. My questions is what do you all expect in return for passing them these jobs? Is there a percentage of the price, passing on smaller jobs back to you, a slap on the back and a little lunch? I know it all depends on the situation, but I was hoping that I could get a basic idea to work from. Thanks
Jim
 
Stormyj

Stormyj

Just another guy
If nothing, then why farm out. I guess if they need something smaller at a later time, then they might consider contacting you, or just contact the company you farmed them out to.
 
Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
J Hill Designs said:
accept the job, have your other sign company do the install/whatever you cant do

pay them, get paid
Click to expand...

Though before you do that... and depending on the work...
check your state to see if a contractors license is required.

Technically, in California, you can't take a job that requires
a contractors license then subcontract that out to a licensed
contractor.
 
nikdoobs

nikdoobs

New Member
We have a smaller print shop that sends us stuff they can't handle. We send them smaller vinyl/decals/banner stuff every now and then. We also brought them cupcakes last week.
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
I have home shops come in all the time thinking I am going to "cut them a deal" cause they are "sign makers" too...I ALWAYS tell them my price to those types of customers is 10% MORE than I charge my normal customers....
 
Joe Diaz

Joe Diaz

New Member
Are you passing on the work and wanting a finders fee, or are you outsourcing? I'm confused as to what you mean by "farming out". I usually think of farming out as outsourcing. As I'm sure we all know, outsourcing work also comes with the sometimes not so glamorous responsibilities of being the middleman and in some cases aren't as worthwhile as simply passing the job onto someone who is better equipped to do the work. Ultimately you would be responsible for the end product even when you didn't have a hand in making it, and unless you cross your t's and dot your i's, the middle man has a greater chance of taking it on the nose if the customer doesn't want to pay, or if the outsourcee fails to deliver. I'm not saying outsourcing work is always bad, it's just important to know who you are working with and for all parties involved to know their role. It's also important to know when it's worthwhile to act as the middle man. We do it for certain jobs.

But when we don't outsource, we've never asked to be compensated for passing on work. (Not to date anyway). We do have a nice thing going with a local t-shirt place who sends us design work all the time and we send her t-shirt work as well. It's a nice loose partnership. No contracts or anything like that, we just benefit best from working together in that way. Since we won't do electrical work, we have a similar arrangement with a larger shop who does but doesn't hand letter or pinstripe. So the question I have for you is, are there any shops out there that you could try that with?
 
G

GypsyGraphics

New Member
Rick said:
i just gave you 2 powdered donettes... GET TO WORK!
Click to expand...
well the guys with the signs that say "will work for food" don't put down their sign when you give them money. maybe they really do want WORK.
new sign...
"no CUPCAKE, no work"

on topic... i often send work i could do in-house, to vendors who can turn a job around faster because it's what they do all day long. sometimes i outsource it and mark it up, but if i just pass the job along to them, i never expect a percentage. we have no agreement to trade services but building good relationships with your vendors can only help.

one vendor in particular who does promotional product printing, does not offer logo work in the true sense of being able to pass along ownership of original copyrightable design. he's upfront with clients about the extent of his services. most of the people who walk in his door aren't looking to invest real money in their logo. the ones who are... he directs to me. he gets nothing, other than the satisfaction of knowing he did right by his client.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
When I "give" jobs to my friends at another shop I get a percentage. These are big jobs requiring engineering, site surveys, form and pour concrete, sub grade excavation etc...

Otherwise I do everything here with the help of magnificent trade only printers.

Absolutely incredible what can be accomplished.
 
visual800

visual800

Active Member
Rick said:
Though before you do that... and depending on the work...
check your state to see if a contractors license is required.

Technically, in California, you can't take a job that requires
a contractors license then subcontract that out to a licensed
contractor.
Click to expand...


You have got to be kidding! That is the dumbest thing I have heard. What idiot makes these rules. Killing the little guy! So I wonder if that means the sales rep for a company has to have a contractors license? I men where does it stop? Can the accountant do the paperwork for an electrical sign without having an electrical license.
 
Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
visual800 said:
You have got to be kidding! That is the dumbest thing I have heard. What idiot makes these rules. Killing the little guy! So I wonder if that means the sales rep for a company has to have a contractors license? I men where does it stop? Can the accountant do the paperwork for an electrical sign without having an electrical license.
Click to expand...

I agree, if a licensed contractor is making and installing
the sign then why not have the ability to SELL the sign.

All I said was the OP should make sure he knows what
he's getting into before attempting to sub work out...
especially electrical or any sign over 6'

The people that help make the rules are the ISA, State
and local sign organizations as well as national standard
slowly being adopted throughout the country.

Since the OP is in Indiana... a state I have never done work
in, he may be okay as the state does not seem to have a sign
specific contractors license. But he should go to his city
planning and building and inform himself before potentially
losing his a$$ on a bad decision.

This how ridiculous it is... in Texas, I can't design an electrical
sign... if I do, I have to pay someone with a master electrical
sign license to sign off on it

That non-illuminated foam sign you did? If it was over 500
bucks here, it would have required a license and maybe even
a permit (if the sign was grandfathered in).. yeah, it's pretty bad
but at the same time, I can't afford a $10,000 fine for each infraction
ticket, or thrown in the hoosegow for a day or two cuz I think
the rules suck... and a lot of them do...
 
TyrantDesigner

TyrantDesigner

Art! Hot and fresh.
Expect nothing in return if you do find a shop you like the work from.

It's a business not a charity. Why would they send you smaller jobs that they can batch out with their big jobs.

Find a shop that will do wholesale production for you (expect only 10-20% discount on their prices, locally though) and sub the job out that way. You still do the install and customer service ... they do the work making the job.
 
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