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Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
Just out of curiousity...are you actually in the sign business? I just ask because you make it sound like you don't know anything about it, or design, and your profile says you don't have a plotter or a printer. It DOES say you're an engineering technician and to me that sounds a whole lot more entertaining that vinyl signs.

So, what led you into the sign business? No accusations, just curious.
 
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Steve Tapps

Steve Tapps

New Member
Pat Whatley said:
Just out of curiousity...are you actually in the sign business? I just ask because you make it sound like you don't know anything about it, or design, and your profile says you don't have a plotter or a printer. It DOES say you're an engineering technician and to me that sounds a whole lot more entertaining that vinyl signs.

So, what led you into the sign business? No accusations, just curious.
Click to expand...


To answer your question, no. Officially Im not in the sign business,I know nothing about this at all, and I wnat to learn alot. I am artistic though, I used to write graff ALOT and got myself in big troule for it(whole different story), but I have quite an extensive background in vehicle customizing(mig welding,audio,video,fabrication) im master state certified mechanic with some ASE certs along with an associates in automotive technology, I also have an associates in electrical engineering and an associates in electronics technology. I have been working with vehicles for about 10 years now. I work in the engineering field as a technician and I have my own mobile dj'ing business. This whole vehicle wrapping craze started for me when I decided to take my dj'ing business a step further, I wanted a creative way to promote and step my business up. Thats when I started looking into vinyl wraps, then the thought dawned on to learn how to do this because it looks really interesting and profitable and I have always wanted to have my own business working for myself. If I can learn this and start my own business I will quite my engineering job in a heartbeat. I would love to be able to do vehicle signs and dj'ing for a living. Hopefully it will work out, Im going to be signing up for Fellers vinyl installation course at the end of the summer and Im signing up for photoshop and graphic design classes at a community college in the fall. If anyone has any pointers for me to get in the right direction please fill free to give me advice.
 
Steve Tapps

Steve Tapps

New Member
How is vehicle wrapping not profitable, Im curious to know why? If I do my own graphic designs, contract out printing, and I do the installs thats not profitable? Can anyone give me a price range that I would be paying to have a printing service do all my prints. Im curious to hear feedback from experienced vinyl wrappers.
 
high impact

high impact

New Member
Steve,

It CAN be profitable BUT it takes quite a bit of effort, education, experience, risk and longevity to build your business toward being profitable...especially a wrap business. I am not saying that YOU can not build a profitable business, BUT I have seen many more attempt and fail than those who have succeeded. This business is not near as lucrative as you may currently assume.


Just for an example:
Think about just how difficult it may be to sell someone a wrap install that costs $2400 (to be profitable) on a trailer they paid $2500 for less than a month earlier in comparison with a kid down the street who is working out of his garage installing them for $1400 with no design skills, no primer, no laminate with Avery material.:frustrated:

Thought I'd add - I am not trying to snuff out your excitement about entering this industry...stick around and ask lots of questions. You can learn a lot around here.
 
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Steve Tapps

Steve Tapps

New Member
I completly understand the effect of unskilled lowballers ruining it for skilled workers that want to charge for quality, I have to deal with it in the dj'ing industry regularly. From reading post on this forum it seems like the average price range for vehicle wraps start to finish(design,manufacturing prints,install) seems to fall in the range of 2,000-4,000. Someone correct me if im wrong on that price range. Can someone break down how much of the price is going toward each part of the job. LIke how much is charged for the design, how much for manufacturing the prints, and how much for the install? Just an average. Thanks.
 
Cadmn

Cadmn

New Member
get all the classes $900-1000 a pop. but the bad wrap software another $900 computer to run it all $1500-2000. screw up first couple trys at wrapping Loose customers. another 600-900 in printing lost so now your a wrapper, 4000+ in losses & still no income. oh well fellers has people that claim $85,000 their first year, from complete noob.
Good luck, I'd keep my day job for a while.
 
Fuzzbuster

Fuzzbuster

New Member
Welcome from Canada EH!

Get a decent computer with all the adobe goodies and buy all your wraps at $3.00 a sqft (with lam)from merrit and your ready to make millions.

Right!:ROFLMAO:

All kidding aside, ask alot of questions, their are alot of knowledgable people here that can try to guide you as best they can

Best a Luck!!!
 
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