Discussion How do you charge Vinyl letters cut with a plotter?

[MiguelGonzalez]

Hello guys, so i usually charge as a sqft when i cut letters and stuffs on vinyl, but when 1 sqft is completely filled with letters/shapes charging the same amount as 1sqft that contains a few cuts doesn't make sense. So how do you generally charge in this type of job. Im currently using graphtec plotter

 

[Johnny Best]

I use a Summa so my prices would be different than a Graphtec plotter.

 

[Boudica]

I've heard some charge per pick. But calculating that seems more tedious than the weeding.

 

[SightLine]

$50 minimum for one...... then price is adjusted based on complexity that weeding will require, amount of material, art setup, and some things we will simply decline (had one guy wanted just sheets and sheets of 1/2" tall thin serif text - like 500 of each letter and number).

 

[netsol]

$50 minimum for one...... then price is adjusted based on complexity that weeding will require, amount of material, art setup, and some things we will simply decline (had one guy wanted just sheets and sheets of 1/2" tall thin serif text - like 500 of each letter and number).

shouldn't you give him those UNWEEDED, with a dental tool and a roll of application tape?

 

[somcalmetim]

We always charge square footage for the material plus an hourly rate for setting up, cutting, weeding whatever it is.
If its actually simple or easy to weed it ends up cheaper and maybe cheaper again on repeat jobs.
Straight square footage pricing can be exploited on both ends.

 

[Sky Bryan]

I used to sell ready to apply letters for $1 per inch. So 1" is $1, 3" is $3, 12" is $12 etc. Now I just say small jobs fall under my minimum which is either $100 or $200 depending on the job and customer.

 

[BetaCtz]

Every job is different.
I usually ask "How much would I pay for this?", vs. "what value does this provide to the client and what are they willing to pay to fulfill their needs?".

For really detailed, high volume jobs. I usually bill a material cost + a cut fee + bill my hourly rate to weed them. It's more of a negotiated pricing method and needs a good client to understand. You don't want to lose your shirt, and they don't want to overpay - it's usually a good outcome.

For simple jobs with larger square footage (big letters) I have a range I estimate that's a lower $/sq.ft. If it's just a handful of stickers, but generally more intricate, I bump that rate up. You eventually get a feel for what you can charge for different sizes/intricacies.

The key is to elaborate to clients that it's very much a manual process (if they call you out on pricing). I often tell people the cost of a $10 sticker is nearly all labor, not much material at all.

 

[Small Lettering]

I price per character, not by area, with quantity discounts beginning at 13 characters that increase with each time the amount doubles: 13-25 -5%, 26-50 -10%, 51-100 -15%, 101-200 -20%,…. Caveats: each discounted group must be same color & grade; very-small lettering individual prices increase when below 7/16" or 11mm & at this point, lower-case letters are priced by the smallest actual height instead of font height. 1/8" is my limit. Works for me!

 

[garyroy]

I price per character, not by area, with quantity discounts beginning at 13 characters that increase with each time the amount doubles: 13-25 -5%, 26-50 -10%, 51-100 -15%, 101-200 -20%,…. Caveats: each discounted group must be same color & grade; very-small lettering individual prices increase when below 7/16" or 11mm & at this point, lower-case letters are priced by the smallest actual height instead of font height. 1/8" is my limit. Works for me!

This dude knows what he's talking about. I really liked your website too.

 

[MiguelGonzalez]

Thank y'all

 

[visual800]

I price per job I dont have time to sit there and figure out per character or per hour or none of that.

 

[MrDav3C]

For signs we created a price list, with rows for sizes, different columns for different substrates all based on being applied with standard cut vinyl graphics, with an additional columns for adding on costs if the signs are printed or use speciality vinyl.

For stand alone cut graphics / vehicle graphics etc. we generally work these out on a linear metre basis with a percentage added if we have to apply and a further percentage added if its a PITA and is going to take us more time.

Obviously all works well as a guide but we also use common sense if the end product doesn't quite fit the "normal" boxes.

 

[Gino]

Just like anything else..... time & material. How much material will you be using ?? How long will it take to input it all, cut it, weed it, tape it up, the tape itself ?? Add in your overhead and profit......... and ya got it.

 

[FlorenceC]

We account for cost of stock plus either a simple or complex cutting fee (each priced by sqft) plus a simple or complex weeding fee (also priced by sqft) plus premask by sqft. It's not bulletproof, but we find it covers most situations along these lines.

 

[gnubler]

50% surcharge for intricate weeding or layering/registering more than two colors of cut vinyl