installs only

[Geneva Olson]

How much do you guys charge for installs for big events?

 

[Superior_Adam]

pricing doesn't change for a trade show vs any other type of install. We charge by the hour including travel on all installs.

 

[Geneva Olson]

If you're charging by the hour, you're leaving money on the table.
We are doing an install only, none of our material will be used.

 

[Superior_Adam]

So, if we are not providing any material and only installing provided materials how are we leaving money on the table charging by the hour. What do you charge for outside of labor hours? If we get a job where we print vinyl we charge each separate. I quote the print job and another line item for install. I do not give a hard number on install just that we charge X amount per hour. We can give an estimate of how long it might take but also have a line saying it is only an estimate of the hours it might take.

 

[Geneva Olson]

So, if we are not providing any material and only installing provided materials how are we leaving money on the table charging by the hour. What do you charge for outside of labor hours? If we get a job where we print vinyl we charge each separate. I quote the print job and another line item for install. I do not give a hard number on install just that we charge X amount per hour. We can give an estimate of how long it might take but also have a line saying it is only an estimate of the hours it might take.

Ok...so if you charge by the hour: let's say the job takes you (2) 8 hour days = 16 hours. charging by the hour, $125/ hour, thats $2000. Most people, for labor only, charge by the sf. i've got 3200 sf of material. The going rate is anywhere between $3sf and $7sf. That's what you're leaving on the table.

 

[Superior_Adam]

Depends on what you charge per hour. We charge a higher per hour rate on provided material since we are not making money on the product as well as the difficulty of the install. Depends on what part of the country you are in as well because $9,000 to $22,000 based on your numbers won't work here you would not get any work to just install provided materials.

 

[Geneva Olson]

Depends on what you charge per hour. We charge a higher per hour rate on provided material since we are not making money on the product as well as the difficulty of the install. Depends on what part of the country you are in as well because $9,000 to $22,000 based on your numbers won't work here you would not get any work to just install provided materials.

What's the incentive of charging by the hour for your customer? they want you in and out.

 

[Geneva Olson]

Installation Pricing

I have been asked to print and install a large wall graphic 8' high x 60' long. I would be printing this in 52" x 8' tiles with 1/2" overlap. My question is what to charge for installation, I have never done one this big, do i discount my normal rate of $5.00 sq/ft? Most of the work we have...

www.signs101.com

in the comments I found my answer

 

[Superior_Adam]

What's the incentive of charging by the hour for your customer? they want you in and out.

the customer doesn't dictate when I am in and out I do. Also look at the replies and not just the one that backs your narrative. AMS replied that his vinyl labor rate for 2 people is $80/hr. solo said his crew can do 3,000sqft wall in 1 day. 10sacer said he charges $400/hr + travel and cleared $8 million in sales. You based per hour of $125 which is cheap. It really all depends on how you look at it and how the customer views it. I can charge $7/ft on a 3,000sqft wall, 2-man crew and have it done in 1 day (per a response in your quote) and the customer isn't going to be upset that they just paid $21,000 for 1 day labor for a 2 man crew? That is over $1,000/hr for each worker.

 

[Geneva Olson]

It really all depends on how you look at it and how the customer views it. I can charge $7/ft on a 3,000sqft wall, 2-man crew and have it done in 1 day (per a response in your quote) and the customer isn't going to be upset that they just paid $21,000 for 1 day labor for a 2 man crew? That is over $1,000/hr for each worker.

that's exactly what I'm saying. We aren't paying our employees that. That's what we make from the job.

 

[Superior_Adam]

that's exactly what I'm saying. We aren't paying our employees that. That's what we make from the job

This whole conversation is about what to charge the customer not company profit. If your company is profiting $1000 + per hour, hats off to you but that is not realistic in all areas of the country.

 

[Geneva Olson]

I'm not trying to argue with you. I'm just looking for what people typically charge. You seem to be out of the norm. Thanks for your input.

 

[Superior_Adam]

I'm not trying to argue with you. I'm just looking for what people typically charge. You seem to be out of the norm. Thanks for your input.

It's really not out of the norm though and I am not arguing either. There are different ways to operate, and I can promise that in my area charging that much you would have no work. 34 years of business we must be doing what works with our geographic area. Not everyone charges by the sq ft.

 

[Geneva Olson]

It's really not out of the norm though and I am not arguing either. There are different ways to operate, and I can promise that in my area charging that much you would have no work. 34 years of business we must be doing what works with our geographic area. Not everyone charges by the sq ft.

Ok. Thanks for your input.

 

[Gino]

the customer doesn't dictate when I am in and out I do. Also look at the replies and not just the one that backs your narrative. AMS replied that his vinyl labor rate for 2 people is $80/hr. solo said his crew can do 3,000sqft wall in 1 day. 10sacer said he charges $400/hr + travel and cleared $8 million in sales. You based per hour of $125 which is cheap. It really all depends on how you look at it and how the customer views it. I can charge $7/ft on a 3,000sqft wall, 2-man crew and have it done in 1 day (per a response in your quote) and the customer isn't going to be upset that they just paid $21,000 for 1 day labor for a 2 man crew? That is over $1,000/hr for each worker.

Generally with trade shows and time sensitive turnarounds, most likely the customer will dictate the times. We do one for Drexel U sponsored science fair for several states in the philly area. We get an instal price and a take down price. How many people I take is on me. We are not allowed to use our lifts or buckets to put up the wall signs, so we're at the mercy of the union workers on site that day for machinery..... and believe me, they move like molasses. Normally it takes a full day to set up and about 1/2 a day to tear down. We set up tables for around 1,400 displays. We only have the day before the event and the day after the event. The expo center has someone new coming and going all the time, so we can't dictate a thing. I set the original cost of set up at $3,900 and that's me and 2 other guys. Take down was the same price, but we only take 2 of us. We then take almost all of the things back and store in our basement and charge them $150 a month for storage. I always get the neighbor's kid to unload the trucks and pack them down there. He gets about$75 or $80 and he's a happy camper. Prices have gone up, since the first few times and I think they're moving the whole thing to a different area soon. Okay by me, I'm getting too old for that up & down sh!t.

 

[Geneva Olson]

Generally with trade shows and time sensitive turnarounds, most likely the customer will dictate the times. We do one for Drexel U sponsored science fair for several states in the philly area. We get an instal price and a take down price. How many people I take is on me. We are not allowed to use our lifts or buckets to put up the wall signs, so we're at the mercy of the union workers on site that day for machinery..... and believe me, they move like molasses. Normally it takes a full day to set up and about 1/2 a day to tear down. We set up tables for around 1,400 displays. We only have the day before the event and the day after the event. The expo center has someone new coming and going all the time, so we can't dictate a thing. I set the original cost of set up at $3,900 and that's me and 2 other guys. Take down was the same price, but we only take 2 of us. We then take almost all of the things back and store in our basement and charge them $150 a month for storage. I always get the neighbor's kid to unload the trucks and pack them down there. He gets about$75 or $80 and he's a happy camper. Prices have gone up, since the first few times and I think they're moving the whole thing to a different area soon. Okay by me, I'm getting too old for that up & down sh!t.

ok so this event, we are putting up vinyl all over the venue. We are using all of their equipment (lifts, etc). Do you charge per sf? and if so, what's your going rate? I saw a flat fee for you, but this is a time crunch too.