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National average wages/pay scale for a sign installer?
- Thread starter MrDesignGuy
- Start date
Christian @ 2CT Media
Active Member
You can always ask but I would have a contingency plan, if you pack or they send you packing where are you going to go?
HulkSmash
New Member
Just so everyone can get a better idea of my dilemma. I make $15.50 per hour plus some benefits (not all that great) in a region that has about 65,000 people. I want to ask for at least a $2.00 raise because in my opinion I am doing enough work for at least 2-3 people. The pace at which I am expected to work is no more than 2-3 days out on any job, with wrap jobs no more than 4-5 days, without letting any other work on top of that slip through the cracks... oh yeah and overtime is frowned upon! At any given time the pile of jobs on my plate is usually 30-40 jobs per week. Do I ask for more? ... or pack my bags
the job you're describing is typical for someone in your position. And so is the pay. 15.50 isnt terrible. If you go somewhere else applying for the same position you're going to have a hard time getting that starting out. You might get there in several months even a year, but how long until you make more then where you are comfortable now?
skyhigh
New Member
If the OP can really DO IT ALL....then why not go out on your own.
Pat Whatley
New Member
Man, $2 an hour is only $80 a week. If you're doing all that work and pulling sales that high step up and ask for $5 an hour. You're probably not going to get it but it's a whole lot easier to "compromise" for $3 an hour if you start high.
threeputt
New Member
We're in a similar sized market. I pay my top guy about $19.00/hr. plus full benefits. (health ins., vacations, holidays, cell phone) I'd like to actually pay a bit more (he's got a new baby, new house, etc.) but it's tough here in the Pacific Northwest. As I imagine it is most everywhere.
He has his own key and comes in with his own projects from time to time, thus freeing up his garage (and the need to own a thousand tools) which I consider a job benefit for him.
He's also been here eleven years.
Do we have people we pay $9.65 per hour, heck yes. But he's in a class by himself.
I hope that helps MrDesignGuy. I still do a great deal of the layouts but he also does many. He can completely work alone, go out and install (which we don't do much) and wrap a vehicle. (with extra helping hands)
He has his own key and comes in with his own projects from time to time, thus freeing up his garage (and the need to own a thousand tools) which I consider a job benefit for him.
He's also been here eleven years.
Do we have people we pay $9.65 per hour, heck yes. But he's in a class by himself.
I hope that helps MrDesignGuy. I still do a great deal of the layouts but he also does many. He can completely work alone, go out and install (which we don't do much) and wrap a vehicle. (with extra helping hands)
WrapperX
New Member
I think Pat may be right - although I get the feeling he's being facetious. If you ask for $2 raise you may only get $1.00. Ask for $3.00 and hope to get $2.00
Although you stated that you asked already and they stated that the company can't afford to give you a raise. I would start looking at other options. Get your resume nice and pretty. Start applying to other sign/print companies and see what THEY will offer you. Then if you like this company that you work for and don't WANT to move on then come to them and say "Hey - I have an offer at another company. They have offered me X and if you don't pay me Y then I will be seeing you"
Otherwise if you come to them and say I want a raise or I walk then you better be prepared to walk or forget about ever getting a raise. The way I see it, if you threaten to leave if you don't get the raise but when denied said raise - you DON'T leave because you don't have any other options you have lost that so called upper hand.
Although you stated that you asked already and they stated that the company can't afford to give you a raise. I would start looking at other options. Get your resume nice and pretty. Start applying to other sign/print companies and see what THEY will offer you. Then if you like this company that you work for and don't WANT to move on then come to them and say "Hey - I have an offer at another company. They have offered me X and if you don't pay me Y then I will be seeing you"
Otherwise if you come to them and say I want a raise or I walk then you better be prepared to walk or forget about ever getting a raise. The way I see it, if you threaten to leave if you don't get the raise but when denied said raise - you DON'T leave because you don't have any other options you have lost that so called upper hand.
MrDesignGuy
New Member
Excellent advice from everybody!!!
:U Rock:
:U Rock:
iSign
New Member
That's right, that is why I have two (2) question marks, for the two different answers.
Waiting for answers?
if you're talking to me...
don't hold your breath
iSign
New Member
Excellent advice from everybody!!!
i agree, now that you explained your situation, I would have more feedback to offer as well, but at this point I would say things have pretty well been covered.
I have an excellent work ethic as well, and worked at 5 sign companies before I began working for myself. Since then I've had 5 employees & nobody had the work ethic & level of diverse capability that I had for the later shops I worked at. I felt pretty irreplacable, but as was noted above, no employee is, and whether your employer describes you that way or not, you aren't either...
...that said, I think you are in a position to command a higher wage, however the weekly sales has little to do with profitability, and unless you know every bill they pay, you don't know enough to comment on what they can afford, except to say if they can't afford you... so, seeking a alternate position is not a bad idea, but you also may be surprised that a lot of us owners who compete against each other, also talk to each other about employee issues etc... and you seeking alternate employment in your local market may get back to your boss...
phototec
New Member
Yep, what Pat said, you better ask for $20 smack-a-roos, at least, and see what happens. He is taking advantage of you and YOU KNOW it!
He most likely will try and offer less, but I WOULD NOT start of asking any less than $20!
Good luck
threeputt
New Member
Jeff has his own design station adjacent to mine. He is my clone.
Phone rings, either of us pick up. Either of us quote jobs, schedule jobs, layout jobs, go to the counter with walk-ins, orders materials, How we keep all of this straight is at our morning meeting, we discuss what's on our plate for the day, who'll do what.
He can run all the machinery here. Printers, cutters, all shop equipment. He'll grab an armful of job orders in the morning and go out and cut all the substrates needed for the day, file edges, clean them and get them up on the tables. Weeds vinyl, runs the laminator, applies vinyl to substrates.
Meticulous in details and very fast with trucks.
As we finish each job, Jeff and I will bring the finished work up to the girls in front, along with the respective job orders, and we're done with it. They take care of billing the client, collecting, calling them, having them sign-off, everything else.
He can do everything I can do, except he's not quite as sharp in PhotoShop. (and I'm not very good) But he knows Omega Composer real well and some CorelDraw.
He (in better times) has his own helper, usually a college kid in the summers and is good at keeping him busy. Very organized.
We're not a large enough shop to have a man simply "design or production". Here we each do it all.
Jeff has been here eleven years. He worked at a large grocery store stocking shelves. He was only 19 when we got him. I think he has one year of college.
Phone rings, either of us pick up. Either of us quote jobs, schedule jobs, layout jobs, go to the counter with walk-ins, orders materials, How we keep all of this straight is at our morning meeting, we discuss what's on our plate for the day, who'll do what.
He can run all the machinery here. Printers, cutters, all shop equipment. He'll grab an armful of job orders in the morning and go out and cut all the substrates needed for the day, file edges, clean them and get them up on the tables. Weeds vinyl, runs the laminator, applies vinyl to substrates.
Meticulous in details and very fast with trucks.
As we finish each job, Jeff and I will bring the finished work up to the girls in front, along with the respective job orders, and we're done with it. They take care of billing the client, collecting, calling them, having them sign-off, everything else.
He can do everything I can do, except he's not quite as sharp in PhotoShop. (and I'm not very good) But he knows Omega Composer real well and some CorelDraw.
He (in better times) has his own helper, usually a college kid in the summers and is good at keeping him busy. Very organized.
We're not a large enough shop to have a man simply "design or production". Here we each do it all.
Jeff has been here eleven years. He worked at a large grocery store stocking shelves. He was only 19 when we got him. I think he has one year of college.
Sticky Signs
New Member
Couple questions.
Isn't Allegra a franchise?
What role did you play in the Increase of Sales? Have sales increased because you are the one selling? If that is the case, it would probably be beneficial for both parties to think about adding a commission to your wage.
Isn't Allegra a franchise?
What role did you play in the Increase of Sales? Have sales increased because you are the one selling? If that is the case, it would probably be beneficial for both parties to think about adding a commission to your wage.
Rydaddy
New Member
location
I don't post here often...
And in all honestly it is because in the year or so that I have been a member it seems that by the time I get to reading any threads that I could give note-worthy advice on... others with great wisdom have already solved or assisted the OP with sound advice.
On this one I will respond.
#1. State, City, AREA - where you are makes a big difference. Even if you surveyed every sign shop in your area the info you received would only be partially helpful.
#2. Given what I have read here I would say you might deserve a raise. I have guys working for me getting paid on both ends of the scales talked about here.
#3. Owning a small to medium size business is not a party. We can't pay everyone top dollar and sometimes it can take a while for the lower payrate employees to move up the ladder. I would say if you are truly doing all the work you have mentioned, and are doing it well and/or to the owner's satisfaction. Kudos to you. I wish you were in my town because there is a good chance you could work for me and get paid more.
#4. I've never had someone ask me for a raise that deserved one, those who deserved a raise typically received one before asking. A few years ago when gas first hit the $4.00 mark I gave everyone a "gas" raise. I am not in a position to do that today. I imagine many of the owners who post here would agree.
#5. If you like your job, keep at it and see if the raise comes to you. If you are truly busting your azz and it goes completely un-noticed you may have to make some hard choices on where to go from there.
Ryan
I don't post here often...
And in all honestly it is because in the year or so that I have been a member it seems that by the time I get to reading any threads that I could give note-worthy advice on... others with great wisdom have already solved or assisted the OP with sound advice.
On this one I will respond.
#1. State, City, AREA - where you are makes a big difference. Even if you surveyed every sign shop in your area the info you received would only be partially helpful.
#2. Given what I have read here I would say you might deserve a raise. I have guys working for me getting paid on both ends of the scales talked about here.
#3. Owning a small to medium size business is not a party. We can't pay everyone top dollar and sometimes it can take a while for the lower payrate employees to move up the ladder. I would say if you are truly doing all the work you have mentioned, and are doing it well and/or to the owner's satisfaction. Kudos to you. I wish you were in my town because there is a good chance you could work for me and get paid more.
#4. I've never had someone ask me for a raise that deserved one, those who deserved a raise typically received one before asking. A few years ago when gas first hit the $4.00 mark I gave everyone a "gas" raise. I am not in a position to do that today. I imagine many of the owners who post here would agree.
#5. If you like your job, keep at it and see if the raise comes to you. If you are truly busting your azz and it goes completely un-noticed you may have to make some hard choices on where to go from there.
Ryan
WrapperX
New Member
So you would say he's your #2 - Shop manager/officianado - but more then that. Ok - I just wanted to see what kind of work earns $19/hr - In your eyes - Good to know.
MrDesignGuy
New Member
Allegra is a franchise, his company was bought out by the network about 3 years ago. I originally had to go out and sell, cold call, etc. I was paid a monthly commission based on all sales that came through the sign division. After the first year, we hired a sales position and that clearly increased sales. At this point my commissions were taken away. But along with sales comes more production work where I went from a comfortable working environment to being overly stressed and always feeling behind. Yet I still somehow rose to the challenge and surprised myself at how much I could take on as only one person. This is where I feel a raise would almost certainly be at least reviewed due to my increased work load. If I know I can handle it, the smart move by my boss would to be increase my wages instead of hiring another person on, it would save him tremendously in the long run. I just don't understand why it hasn't happened yet? I truly believe he oversees what exactly goes on in the sign division, and only sees $$ signs. BTW, I don't want people here to think I'm bashing my boss, he has been pretty easy to work for as I have been given the freedom to be pretty much my own boss, but it's just frustrating to me that I work my ass off and he doesn't ever seem to recognize this, and the fact that I am have built the division from the ground up, doesn't that deserve some kind of credit in the form of some kind of financial gain??? Maybe I need to just bust my ass for another two or three years, then maybe the hard work might pay off in some way. It just sickens me to think that I am not working for myself in this situation.