Pricing by sq ft or by the inch?

[biggmann]

We currently price our printed vinyl by the square foot but that only covers the printed area and if we print a 8 foot long by 3 foot wide thats 24 sq ft but on the 54 inch wide film we actually used 36 sq ft of film and since we cant use the excess left over then its basically goes to waste. I have been thinking about charging by the linear inch (or foot) so I would quote by the length of the job so they must pay for the excess vinyl. Anyone use this way or have an alternative solution for pricing? The cut vinyl we can easily use the excess so that isnt a problem its just an issue wit ht eprinted films with lamination.

 

[Gino]

You simply just calculate as always to make whatever you want, then your offall, gets calculated at a different rate. So, it might have an extra dollar or two a square foot for unused areas.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I figure costs by the linear foot. My customer requested 14" square magnets and no matter how I did it they were going to have alot of waste. I explained that 14" magnets on a 24" or 36" roll would leave waste. I quoted it but then also quoted 12" which was almost half price and they went with it. It's also easier to visualize costs coming off the printer when your figuring linear foot.

 

[bob]

Here at the home we charge for all media unrolled with at least 100% markup, and often more . Then we charge for the print, the cut,or whatever, based on the size of that part of the job using our algorithm for that portion of the job.. Media unrolled is never re-rolled and you charge for it accordingly.

No matter what the job we charge for the media, the substrate if any again with at least 100% markup, and then the creation of the image. Plus any other germane costs. Producing the job is producing the job regardless of out of what you might be making it, within reason, and upon what you might be sticking it.