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pricing for installation of dimensional letters

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
Dartboard. Figure what it'll take, do it and fix it on the next one. We all work at different speeds, it's not a question that will have a definitive answer.
 

Ian Stewart-Koster

Older Greyer Brushie
How long to pack, travel, unpack do the inductions, check-in, do the job, pack up, check-out & travel back?
One day? Half a day? Whether it's 3 letters, one logo, or 25 letters, the price is fitted into estimated % of the day used, timeframe, (1/4 day, 1/3 day etc) plus materials used, NOT $xxx per letter!
 
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Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
I was looking more for how you estimate your time for installation. Do you figure a certain amount of time per letter/piece? How do you adjust that time for stud mount vs tape/silicone, brick wall vs drywall surface, etc?

You have to get several of these under your belt in order to get an idea of how long it takes you. Masonry, brick, corrugated metal take longer than drywall. I like to make more $$ on the letters and less on the install because people see how long you're there. Just swag a number and start learning.
 

visual800

Active Member
are you goin in stucco, dryvit, brick? I dont have a set hour I just pull figures out of the sky based on the amount of BS it will take to do a sign install
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Based upon how many people will be on the job at site, travel time and whatever else will cost you money along the way. This is a very open-ended question, so it's tough to answer properly.
 

TopFliteGraphics

New Member
Too many factors to guesstimate. Time & Travel. If you are new to it, it will take you twice as long as you think. The wall surface makes a huge difference. I had one job where I went out to look at the site, they said they were having the monument redone & painted. Gave them a price. They gave me the job. When we went out to install, the monument now had a polished granite slab face! What should have been a 2-3 hour job on site, took 2 solid days and over $150 in drill bits. Of course since I had taken a deposit, they balked at a price increase. Luckily, I had plenty of mark up on the job so I still did okay.
 

Johnny Best

Active Member
I like the $100 an hour price from caribmike in post #8. If it is a lawyer's office, then $150 an hour. They always have office managers that take up your time on decisions of placement.
 

Stacey K

I like making signs
I've only done a few of them and I didn't need a ladder. It took longer for prep time than I expected. All the little posts had to be put in the back of the letters. My teenage son and I did the installation, and it went better than I expected but the prep and even site prep (thorny bush) was quite a bit longer than expected). For the next job I was sure to add more time on for prep but kept the install time the same.
 

Billct2

Active Member
Like has been said, the surface material makes a huge difference.
We did a set of letters on a drivit (stucco) wall. Two years later they decided to do a rock veneer.
The price to remove and reinstall the letters was as much as the original job. And I should have charged
more- the rock was crap.
 

jfiscus

Rap Master
Pre-prep at the office can go a long way on cutting down on on-site time.
Having a good template/pattern and having all letters pre-taped or studs inserted saves time.
Bagging words/areas separately also cuts down on figuring out what goes where.
 

jimbug72

New Member
We generally order ours from Gemini, and double the retail price per letter for installation + pattern cost. Keeps it nice and simple.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
Like has been said, the surface material makes a huge difference.
We did a set of letters on a drivit (stucco) wall. Two years later they decided to do a rock veneer.
The price to remove and reinstall the letters was as much as the original job. And I should have charged
more- the rock was crap.

Ugh, stone is the worst.

Pre-prep at the office can go a long way on cutting down on on-site time.
Having a good template/pattern and having all letters pre-taped or studs inserted saves time.
Bagging words/areas separately also cuts down on figuring out what goes where.

I do the same thing. Trim the pattern, remove letters and insert studs... much easier doing it at my work table at a comfortable height than onsite on the floor.
 
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