Trump Construction Signs...

[soundhound]

Just got a RFP for a Dept. Ag construction sign, and if we get the job we will have the pleasure of not only cutting 45, prez of US... but also Sonny Perdue, Sec of AG. So much winning!

Anyway--- they want standard plywood 4 x 8 (Marine Grade or equiv) and this sucker has 600 characters and a USDA 2-color logo. We would do it on factory prepainted 1./2" plywood, 1-sided.

I am sure someone will quote it cheaper than me ( I used to hand letter 400 helvetica characters a day for a couple hundred bucks back in the 70's)... but I am wondering what something like this in applied vinyl should quote for in November 2017.

Of course the true answer is how bad do you need the job.... but I would love to hear what kind of numbers established sign pros are quoting for a job like this. Might help me to get past my own never-ending sticker shock.

 

[Gino]

You have basically 3 ways to quote this. You might have all methods within your shop or you may not, but it still might be cheaper to farm it out, if you don't.

Die-cut vinyl letters, most likely the most tedious
Print the entire thing on a 4 x 8 digital print and apply
Flatbed print pre-painted boards

For actual numbers, you'd be better requesting putting this thread in the pricing section.

 

[soundhound]

The spec for the quote is vinyl letters.

Took a look at the pricing section... looks like nobody goes there... most recent post was February.

 

[Johnny Best]

See how much Signs365 would charge you for a 4x8 vinyl with laminate. Take that and the cost of the wood, labor to put it together, add your upcharge of the print and then come back with a price and we can decide then. I was making $6 an hour/ 40 hrs a week in the late 60s and thought I was rich.

 

[eahicks]

You have basically 3 ways to quote this. You might have all methods within your shop or you may not, but it still might be cheaper to farm it out, if you don't.

Die-cut vinyl letters, most likely the most tedious
Print the entire thing on a 4 x 8 digital print and apply
Flatbed print pre-painted boards

For actual numbers, you'd be better requesting putting this thread in the pricing section.

I would definitely do either flatbed or printed vinyl overlay. Seeing as we don't have a flatbed, and MDO is usually so warped flatbed is not even completely possible, we would overlay.
You didn't say how many signs.....we would be about $500/ea, unless large quantity.....if you do 50 they would be $375 ea.

 

[ams]

Not really possible to quote as we haven't seen the design, how many colors? is the logo printed? etc. What size vinyl roll do you need? 15", 24" 30" 54"?

 

[soundhound]

OK Johnny!

Doing it that way, I am out of pocket $250. All I need to do is spend an hour admin & setup, then another laying on the controltac (using a prepainted 1/2" plywood RTG panel). So what? Like $700 to make it worth my while?

OK- now they want me to quote vinyl... out of pocket say $175.

600 characters applied $350. Still $700 (at least) to make it worth doing.

Anyone else have a plan?

 

[Johnny Best]

I have no idea what the competition is up there but if there is a big budget for the project and you are going through a sub contractor then you might get $700, but eahicks is in at $500 so that might tell you something.
Price it at $575, could be huge for other projects.

 

[Gino]

Yowsa...... $700 for a single-sided 1/2" MDO board. You are expensive, but if that's what ya gotta get, then that's what ya gotta get, but you are right about one thing...... some other shop is definitely gonna outbid ya by a mile.

Board pre-painted is around $75
Digital print w/o lamination $20
Laminate $24
Shop time to laminate about 5 minutes
Shop time to apply to substrate 10 minutes

How do you get $700 out of that ??

On the flatbed, you'd be a fraction of those costs.

 

[Bigdawg]

The spec for the quote is vinyl letters.

Took a look at the pricing section... looks like nobody goes there... most recent post was February.

In another life we did a lot of work for the gub'net. If the spec is for vinyl letters - YOU HAVE TO QUOTE THE DAMN VINYL LETTERS or they are not allowed to consider your bid (materials outside the specifications of the bid package). If you have a contact, you can sometimes submit a supplementary bid if you have a better way to do it. But you have to back that up with facts and figures (cost savings, durability, reason the spec'd material is not suitable) - and odds are they won't even look at.

Yes, I know. A digital print is probably the easiest/best way to go. But it is not what was requested and when you are working with a federal or even state quote request, you have to bid what they are asking for.

 

[soundhound]

Wait a second-
If I am out of pocket $250 (vinyl from 365 and prepainted board ($160 up here) my shopkeeper self wants at least $500 just for the transaction. Add in a couple hours to admin & layout the panel... how is $700 high?

I am thinking $700 makes sense for the vinyl letters as well, although there is more labor (but less out of pocket).
Also-
Where can I get prepainted MDO for $75?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Wait a second-
If I am out of pocket $250 (vinyl from 365 and prepainted board ($160 up here) my shopkeeper self wants at least $500 just for the transaction. Add in a couple hours to admin & layout the panel... how is $700 high?

I am thinking $700 makes sense for the vinyl letters as well, although there is more labor (but less out of pocket).
Also-
Where can I get prepainted MDO for $75?

shopkeeper self?

 

[Johnny Best]

Grimco painted one side 1/2" MDO $77.11

 

[soundhound]

shopkeeper self?

If I go out of pocket $250, to keep the door swinging I need to charge $500.

 

[TimToad]

We pay $75.95 for 1/2" Enamel on both sides MDO from Denco.

SIGNS365 has a 4'x8' print with gloss lam on IJ35c for $80.00

How does that add up to $250.00 in material costs?

We have a couple government and military facilities nearby that we do work for and usually follow the specs to the letter, but a lot of the language on the processes to be used is just boilerplate that may predate advances in digital printing. Our contacts almost ask us if there is a better or more cost effective way of doing the same thing as in the specs.

 

[soundhound]

We pay $75.95 for 1/2" Enamel on both sides MDO from Denco.

SIGNS365 has a 4'x8' print with gloss lam on IJ35c for $80.00

How does that add up to $250.00 in material costs?

We have a couple government and military facilities nearby that we do work for and usually follow the specs to the letter, but a lot of the language on the processes to be used is just boilerplate that may predate advances in digital printing. Our contacts almost ask us if there is a better or more cost effective way of doing the same thing as in the specs.

We pay $160 for painted blank delivered.
Guess it's just where you are...

 

[soundhound]

So I notice that nobody is talking about computer cutting 600 characters and a 2-COLOR logo.
Even if you can get a $75 board... what do you charge for a tight packed vinyl applcation?

 

[soundhound]

I think it is time to see this mess:

 

[Gino]

Only because it doesn't make sense to do it that way, anymore. Regardless if they request it, you need to bring them up to speed. Explain the differences and why their way is long outdated. In fact, it used to say it was to be made of 3M materials, too.

Like mentioned, we've done signs for government, military and other avenues and all we've done is to explain to them the differences and when they see or realize just how far behind the times they are, they generally update their files or spec sheets.

edit: after seeing your diagram, you'd have about 1/2 hour of cutting and maybe 20 minutes of weeding. 5 minutes to tape it and maybe 15 or 20 minutes to put it all down. Still..... no $700 sign. How many are they requesting ??​

 

[Johnny Best]

And while you are bringing them up to speed, tell them about ACM which holds up better than MDO.