Help on pricing !

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

Came across 2 nice big job ( to me anyways), they are looking at 5x12' light sign, double sided, needs all new cabinet, and electrical, the pole is already there for one, for the other, we need to add the pole.

I am looking to know about how much this retails for? I don want to charge too much, or leave too much money on the table.

TIA
Jo-Jo

 

[Marlene]

you can't really get a "how much does this retail for" as this isn't a shirt or pizza. not sure how much knowledge you ahve when it comes to lighted signs, bases or poles but can help with general what to charge. I assume you wil be buying the cabinets and faces, mark them up your usual mark up plus shipping and off loading the crates. as for the pole/poles. if one exists, was there a 5' x 12' cabinet sign mounted to it that has come down? if not that pole may not be what is needed to hold the weight of the new sign. how old is the pole? what is it mounted to or in? who is doing the power? who is doing the base?

 

[rjssigns]

Lets start with: Are you licensed, bonded and insured for this type of work?

Ditto what Marlene said plus you'll need an engineer to do a site survey and spec out the footing for the pole. Then you'll have to pull permits $$$$$. So many important details.

 

[Gino]

After reading your profile, this is completely out of your league. Your best bet, would be to find someone who can do this.... soup to nuts, and ask for a finder's fee.

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

great points!

you can't really get a "how much does this retail for" as this isn't a shirt or pizza. not sure how much knowledge you ahve when it comes to lighted signs, bases or poles but can help with general what to charge. I assume you wil be buying the cabinets and faces, mark them up your usual mark up plus shipping and off loading the crates. as for the pole/poles. if one exists, was there a 5' x 12' cabinet sign mounted to it that has come down? if not that pole may not be what is needed to hold the weight of the new sign. how old is the pole? what is it mounted to or in? who is doing the power? who is doing the base?

I have a licensed Electrician here , the new pole/ poles is already taken care of.


All I was aiming to know is an "ABOUT " price, or how much of a mark up. average.



Thank You

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

liscensed, bonded and Insured?

Lets start with: Are you licensed, bonded and insured for this type of work?

Ditto what Marlene said plus you'll need an engineer to do a site survey and spec out the footing for the pole. Then you'll have to pull permits $$$$$. So many important details.

of course!

 

[Marlene]

I have a licensed Electrician here , the new pole/ poles is already taken care of.


All I was aiming to know is an "ABOUT " price, or how much of a mark up. average.



Thank You

the mark up is based on your mark up. you can try using the Sign Craft pricing guide if you don't have a mark up decided on and base it on the range that matches the best to your shop. it also depends on are you buying a standard cabinet with bulbs or with LED? flat, pan or flex faces? painted, vinyl or printed graphics/copy? will the cabinet have an internal sleeve to slide over the pole or a match plate? all those things make the base price vary way too much to even give an "about" price

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

thank you!

After reading your profile, this is completely out of your league. Your best bet, would be to find someone who can do this.... soup to nuts, and ask for a finder's fee.

my profile, I cant remember when I last looked at that! but thank you for taking your time to comment on this.



I don't give up, I find ways, I am ambitious to grow my business and give opportunities to my employees! We have done many sings, (that are not on my profile,) . This particular one/s is one where we must supply almost all.

I use this site as a resource, Because I am not Google and know it all. and always appreciate an honest answer, and helpful.


don't let my profile fool ya!

 

[Billct2]

I have no standard mark up for jobs like this. It depends on how much I'm doing in house, how much I'm buying wholesale and how much I'm subcontracting, and sometimes how much I can quote without laughing (Thanks Si). Seriously, you can't use a set formula for something like this without knowing all the details.

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

thank you,

the mark up is based on your mark up. you can try using the Sign Craft pricing guide if you don't have a mark up decided on and base it on the range that matches the best to your shop. it also depends on are you buying a standard cabinet with bulbs or with LED? flat, pan or flex faces? painted, vinyl or printed graphics/copy? will the cabinet have an internal sleeve to slide over the pole or a match plate? all those things make the base price vary way too much to even give an "about" price

it will be printed, I am going to give the customer a choice between LED and Bulbs, it is flat face. I will just do my regular mark up plus equipment rental.



Thank You,

 

[Marlene]

it will be printed, I am going to give the customer a choice between LED and Bulbs, it is flat face. I will just do my regular mark up plus equipment rental.



Thank You,

that should work. just don't forget the shipping and uncrating as that is where some leave money on the table

 

[Gino]

So, how much of this are you fabricating in-house vs. what you are subbing out ??

Are you buying the cabinets all ready to go w/UL stamps..... or knock down kits ?? Is your shop UL approved for your electrician to work on the cabinets ??

On electrical, if you, your electrician and shop are actually UL approved, I would guess a 40% mark up would do fairly, compared to someone building it entirely in-house for less.
Decorating a face like that..... do you actually have a printer which prints 60" ??
The equipment rentals I would imagine about 25% or 30% markup. It's not really your customer's fault you aren't prepared with the proper stuff.
Obtaining the permits, getting the engineered drawings and other incidental things should be about normal shop rate.

There is no magic number for you... as there are many items needed for input.

Most of the time, we all second guess ourselves for this kinda thing.... something new to us, but ya just need to throw a number out there and hope for the best. Just don't miss any numbers or you could be up that famous creek without a paddle.

I look at everyone's profile.... you're no different. If what is in there is true, it helps formulate answers when the OP doesn't give enough information.

As for LED or fluorescent. No question or choice needed. Hands down, on new stuff, go with LED. You can go with a thinner cabinet and they will save the money in meter costs within 2 years. Just use the correct LEDs for the size cabinet you make.

My last question is simple...... your thread started out like you had the sign jobs and wanted to double check your numbers..... now it sounds like you're in the bidding process. Do you actually have the job or not ?? Like your profile, the storyline seems to be changing. Just curious.

Good Luck...... ​

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

So, how much of this are you fabricating in-house vs. what you are subbing out ??

Are you buying the cabinets all ready to go w/UL stamps..... or knock down kits ?? Is your shop UL approved for your electrician to work on the cabinets ??

On electrical, if you, your electrician and shop are actually UL approved, I would guess a 40% mark up would do fairly, compared to someone building it entirely in-house for less.
Decorating a face like that..... do you actually have a printer which prints 60" ??
The equipment rentals I would imagine about 25% or 30% markup. It's not really your customer's fault you aren't prepared with the proper stuff.
Obtaining the permits, getting the engineered drawings and other incidental things should be about normal shop rate.

There is no magic number for you... as there are many items needed for input.

Most of the time, we all second guess ourselves for this kinda thing.... something new to us, but ya just need to throw a number out there and hope for the best. Just don't miss any numbers or you could be up that famous creek without a paddle.

I look at everyone's profile.... you're no different. If what is in there is true, it helps formulate answers when the OP doesn't give enough information.

As for LED or fluorescent. No question or choice needed. Hands down, on new stuff, go with LED. You can go with a thinner cabinet and they will save the money in meter costs within 2 years. Just use the correct LEDs for the size cabinet you make.

My last question is simple...... your thread started out like you had the sign jobs and wanted to double check your numbers..... now it sounds like you're in the bidding process. Do you actually have the job or not ?? Like your profile, the storyline seems to be changing. Just curious.

Good Luck...... ​

thank you,

I am bidding the jobs, sorry if thread seemed to come across as HAVING the Jobs. but if I did, I probably would not have posted for help/ advise. We are buying the kits. we do the rest here.

equipment rental, I just pass the customer the charge. I don't add no mark up on that. ( we are in the process of buying our own equipment, to avoid rentals!, super excited about this! )


I do have a printer that prints 60"


I will try to be more clear next time.

 

[Marlene]

thank you,

I am bidding the jobs, sorry if thread seemed to come across as HAVING the Jobs. but if I did, I probably would not have posted for help/ advise. We are buying the kits. we do the rest here.

equipment rental, I just pass the customer the charge. I don't add no mark up on that. ( we are in the process of buying our own equipment, to avoid rentals!, super excited about this! )


I do have a printer that prints 60"


I will try to be more clear next time.

you are buying kits and doing the rest in shop. are you a UL shop? if not, you will have to buy a listed cabinet

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

you are buying kits and doing the rest in shop. are you a UL shop? if not, you will have to buy a listed cabinet

We are not UL shop.

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

you are buying kits and doing the rest in shop. are you a UL shop? if not, you will have to buy a listed cabinet

Though my Electrician is Licensed, and I Checked with my supplier and the Kits are Listed.

Our City is super small ( 5000 population), The city only required for a licensed Electrician to do all he wiring.

I appreciate the UL being brought to our attention.

 

[Gino]

We are not UL shop.

Though my Electrician is Licensed, and I Checked with my supplier and the Kits are Listed.

Our City is super small ( 5000 population), The city only required for a licensed Electrician to do all he wiring.

I appreciate the UL being brought to our attention.

Not sure of the rules in Missouri, but usually, if you are not a UL approved shop, you cannot build the cabinet, even if some of the components are stamped. It must be built by a UL approved shop. Buying a cabinet fully built from your vendor is one thing, but buying the parts, voids all responsibility. God forbid anything happens, but if it does and you're not registered, you're in deep do-do. Records are kept and things filed away on each and every shop/sign, building within UL codes.

Size of town or how many people are in it does not justify going around the law. Your vendor not knowing the rules does not justify going around the law. If you delve deeper into the law, a regular electrician can stick the junction box where indicated and hook it up to the building dedicated line, but you must provide a UL stamped cabinet with parts and fabrication falling under your shop's stamp. If that sign is ever inspected [which it should be according to most municipalities] and it fails for whatever reason, it will cost you dearly to make the changes.

 

[Graphics@ToysForTrucks]

Not sure of the rules in Missouri, but usually, if you are not a UL approved shop, you cannot build the cabinet, even if some of the components are stamped. It must be built by a UL approved shop. Buying a cabinet fully built from your vendor is one thing, but buying the parts, voids all responsibility. God forbid anything happens, but if it does and you're not registered, you're in deep do-do. Records are kept and things filed away on each and every shop/sign, building within UL codes.

Size of town or how many people are in it does not justify going around the law. Your vendor not knowing the rules does not justify going around the law. If you delve deeper into the law, a regular electrician can stick the junction box where indicated and hook it up to the building dedicated line, but you must provide a UL stamped cabinet with parts and fabrication falling under your shop's stamp. If that sign is ever inspected [which it should be according to most municipalities] and it fails for whatever reason, it will cost you dearly to make the changes.

No intend to go around the law ever, I will be contacting UL, to look at certification. If I must refer these customers to another shop, while we are in the process of it, I most definitely will. Nothing is worth going around the law.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Marlene]

No intend to go around the law ever, I will be contacting UL, to look at certification. I must refer these customers to another shop, while we are in the process of it. I most definitely will. Nothing is worth going around the law.

Thank you for your time.

becoming a UL shop when you don't build cabinets all the time is a waste of money. just buy a UL cabinet and be done with it. there are a few whole sale vendors on the site, check with them for a quote. no need to refer to anotehr shop. we aren't UL and sell cabinet signs and channel letters everyday

 

[J Hill Designs]

becoming a UL shop when you don't build cabinets all the time is a waste of money. just buy a UL cabinet and be done with it. there are a few whole sale vendors on the site, check with them for a quote. no need to refer to anotehr shop. we aren't UL and sell cabinet signs and channel letters everyday

yep