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Sign companies raping other sign companies

TheSnowman

New Member
I called a shop that does bigger work like that here locally because I get calls for it all the time, and I figured I could at least maintain a relationship with them even if I didn't make hardly anything on it. I'm assuming they know that they can charge me full retail and still get the customer since they are the only ones that can do it. I bid a few, and they bid the exact same price to my customers as they did me, so I eventually just decided to have people call them direct.

What they do and the overhead for that stuff is nuts. I don't blame them for charging a lot. Anytime you've got the machine/equipment there, rather they paid for it, or they're renting it...you get charged. It's only fair.
 

lexsigns

New Member
My installer is also my fabricator- I pay wholesale on fab work and retail on instal- Its fair. he has all the equip and liability plus insurance- I pay his hourly rate from the time he leaves his shop rill he returns- FAIR and I pass the cost to the customer. I dont even mark up- its a service I can provide and have a reliable sourece and like Jill saidf I would not get half the jobs I get with out him. We have been working together for 18 years!
I think your attitude to cover the subs cost is really crazy- just my 2c
 

GAC05

Quit buggin' me
If you can make out the name on the side of this truck give these guys a call, I'll bet their rates are pretty reasonable....


wayne k
guam usa
 

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peavey123

New Member
operator smoke breaks, text messaging breaks, wrong-turn delays
hahaha Awesome. Damn, I wish I could fake being a smoker just for the breaks.

$250 seems like a good rate IMHO if they do good work. Maybe if you developa relationship with them. Give them lots of work you'll get an even better discount in the future? Better hope they aren't on S101 though or your prices may skyrocket... ha
 

JTBoh

I sell signage and signage accessories.
John - not sure where your at exactly, but $250's a good price here imo. Bucket's aint cheap - honestly, we've paid more than that on the ones 2x little giants can't reach.
 

StarSign

New Member
Mistake #1 getting a job you knew you could not do start to finish.
Mistake #2 Assuming, we all know what that does.
 

tattoo.dan

New Member
Really silly saying other sign shops are "raping' you...good grief. $250 is extremely reasonable.

Why do you think they owe you ANYTHING? If I could get a company to do my installs for $250 I would sell my bucket van and save a ton on insurance and maintenance and fuel! Plus paying employees....

Your way of thinking that everyone owes you something is what is holding your biz back, not any other sign shops or customers.....sorry, just hit me the wrong way this morning..

but as suggested....get some scaffolding or something if you didn't allow $250 in the budget for the removal and install....
 

Billct2

Active Member
You sound like a lot of the customers that people ***** about on here.
" What? $250 for sticking some decals on a piece of plastic!"

$250 sounds like a deal to me.
One shop I worked at ran a full fledged crane service. 1/2 day minimum and the operator didn't do anything but pull the levers. You wanted an installer that was another truck & man.
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Since you think I'm always bashing you, I'll attempt this from another direction.

We do lotsa work in Maryland and we always need a 19' scissors lift. The cost is always a one-day cost of $225.00 for the unit plus delivery and pick up, which is usually between $125.00 to $150 each way. You do the math. If you need booties or a diaper, the costs go up about $250.00 more.

Now, recently purchasing a bucket truck myself, I had difficulties in determining a rental price, cause since we got it, some shops are calling to burrow it. They wanna give me like $50 to $100 per use. I told them to just do what they've been doing, cause I ain't going out for peanuts. We finally settled in on $125.00 per hour with a two hour minimum.

Now...... you say it's a piece of cake changing these faces out ?? Yeah, right. Unless you've already been up there [which, how could you if you don't have a lift of some sort] and got the exact dimensions, it's gonna be a frickin' nightmare 14' up in the air, when you didn't take into account for expansion and contraction for the size the can really needs. If the guy with the bucket has to sit there for another hour while you router down the edges for it to fit properly.... your price will go up even further.

You're a perfect example of someone trying to be in a business..... ANY business..... and always getting by, by the seat of their pants. Your questions and accusations are nothing but mistakes on your part and your blaming everyone else becasue you didn't know what you were doing.

First of all, the other company will have all the proper insurance and tools there to do the job and in case something goes wrong, they'll have the necessary things, you never thought of, at all.
Next, have you figured in the cost of a permit to do the job, let alone a permit cost to have a bucket blocking the street or parking area of a parking lot ??
In our little town, you can't be working on anything electrical, especially up in the air without proper permits. If not, you're just a sitting duck for a lawsuit/fines, should something go wrong or someone get caught.

Oh.... and don't think by just changing out the faces, you aren't conducting [no pun] work on an electrical fixture. There will be hands, tools and materials within inches of wires, ballasts and possible problems that you don't know until you up there. Since you were the last professional working on this sign and didn't report a bad ballast or possible short circuit, you'd be the first one nailed to the cross should something go wrong. Do you know how to service an electric sign or check for possible problems while you have the can open and the labor is already being provided ??

Well, that's enough for now. There's a lot more, but I'm sure you're thoroughly p!ssed by now.
 
J

john1

Guest
Lol funny how people think I received the job before knowing the install costs. Not sure how that came into the picture.

I said I had a job to quote, you know people call you and ask to have a job done, hardly getting the job first but alright.

$250 was reasonable, I explained this in a few posts why I thought they were being fishy about it. Jeez

Oh and ddark, your a joke. Your replies always make me laugh. Why so serious? Lol

Gino, you think I'm pissed? Yeah right I just got off the floor laughing. Such a simple job of swapping out panels and your talking about basically having to be a electrician while I'm at it. You worry way too much, Did you take your meds this morning?

Luckily I found a bucket truck finally and will be quoting and hopefully getting the job.

Thanks all!
 
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Border

New Member
If it wasn't for me not having access to a bucket truck or scissor lift the job would be done already.

:covereyes:

I believe this is the part of your original post that may have made people think (myself included) that you already had the job, even though in the beginning you did mention you were asked to do a quote.

Regardless, there were some very good points made by several that you should take to heart, going forward.

Darlak was short and to the point, and pretty much spot-on, if ya axe me.
 
J

john1

Guest
Nobody owes me or any other company anything. Funny how some seem to think that is how i am. If you say i am getting wholesale install pricing, then when i question the pricing and you said "I think you got 25% off retail"...Seems fishy to me.
 

CES020

New Member
I don't think he said $250 was high, he said he thought the $400 was high. So 99% of the posts on here agree with exactly what he said, yet some of you go after him like he did something wrong.

He said $250 was reasonable. He said he thought $400 wasn't. There are many replies that said "$250" would be there price. So all that said that agreed exactly with John.
 

J Hill Designs

New Member
I don't think he said $250 was high, he said he thought the $400 was high. So 99% of the posts on here agree with exactly what he said, yet some of you go after him like he did something wrong.

He said $250 was reasonable. He said he thought $400 wasn't. There are many replies that said "$250" would be there price. So all that said that agreed exactly with John.

see posts 2 and 3
 
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