Quandary

[buckeyedesigns]

Good morning all! Looking for some input and recommendations on a situation I am confronted with. Long story short, we have a client we have done some decent sized jobs for in the past that has asked us for a favor for a friend that is head of a home owners assoc for a development. The development needs to replace a rotting wooden sign with a new one. They want a 6' x 8' sign installed after we remove the old one. We did some quick mockups and they loved them. Here's the problem- another sign company was involved before us and they now have what I believe to be an unrealistic budget of $1200. They want PVC (what the original company quoted) or aluminum. Any ideas on how this could be done? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Our initial idea was a smaller sign (4' x 6') with the face being .125 aluminum with some waterjet cut voids and a peak top. Even that would have been overbudget.

Thanks in advance.

 

[signmeup]

Not enough info to form an opinion on price. Need specs. Is it routed, painted, vinyl lettering, printed?

 

[mark in tx]

Sounds like apples and oranges.

2 different things

Use your spec sheet to show them the difference between the two designs, materials and price points.

 

[buckeyedesigns]

Sorry, I should have been a little more specific. This sign would be installed at the entrance to a subdivision on a heavily traveled street. With that in mind, my original design was to give this stability. Originally I wanted to utilize 3.5" extruded aluminum posts with a v-channel frame between the posts and around the signface itself. All aluminum would be painted and they simply wanted vinyl lettering on the faces. The aluminum would have some decorative cutouts (also would help eliminate wind drag) on the waterjet. That design was a 4' x 6'. They now want a 6' x 8' which I don't feel is even plausible in the environment (too big of a sail) and even if it were it would require two sheets for the face no matter what.

The client of ours whose friend this is has a graphic design/ architectural design background and she feels that if she can draw it it can be done. The other company that was involved told her they could do this out of PVC extrusion for less than $1200. I just can't see how. My concern is that we have several substantial projects with this client in the near future and I don't want to risk those.

Hope this provided more details.

Thanks.

 

[signmeup]

Single sided?

 

[GVP]

I think under the circumstances you need to explain your reasoning and that, for what they want, their budget is unreasonable. I would also be prepared to walk away from it if they can't be persuaded - anybody can work for nothing.

 

[Circleville Signs]

Couple of thoughts -

1. Do you have your own waterjet? If so, great - if not, I'd do something ont he CNC instead - cheaper.

2. Why not compromise with them and offer a 4'x8'? Then you can still use one sheet. I'd also recommend steering them away from PVC. If they INSIST on PVC, try to steer them to polymetal. You'll need to use some stabilizers, but so what?



Gary

 

[buckeyedesigns]

Thanks everyone for your input. Gary, we do not have our own waterjet but a state agency does five minutes from us and we can use it for a nominal fee. If we met in the middle on that by going 4' x 8' do you think the price is reasonable? For some reason I am coming out much higher when I figure on fabrication, removal of the old sign, and installation of the new. Maybe its just me. Also, this may sound ignorant but what is polymetal? I guess I'm not up on my substrates.

Thanks.

 

[gabagoo]

unrealistic budget? because the other sign company quoted it? if so why would they not just go back to the original company? It is obvious that the other company is not going to do the work you are planning and they must be able to see and understand that one would presume?