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What should I charge?

dj_elite

dj_elite

New Member
I have a repeat customer of mine that does maintenance and body work for fleet companies. He recently just picked up a new contract and they asked him if he could do lettering. He said yes and contacted me. They are looking to do a bunch of these trucks and would like a flat rate for the installs on them. The back of the truck is 26' long. The flag that goes on the back is 89" x 69" and the problem I see is it ends up where the doors are and the bars that lock the doors closed. There are 3 doors on each truck, 1 on the drivers side and 2 on the passengers side. I have never installed someone elses decals before, so I was wondering what you guys would charge for something like this? I dont mind being on the high side as it looks like a PITA. Im thinking a day and a half with 3 guys. Any help is highly appreciated
 

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Signed Out

Signed Out

New Member
drop the locking bars on the back door. Just be sure to work from the top down so they slide down as you go and will be resting on the floor by the time you take the last bracket off. An employee of mine did this once and worked from the bottom up, and I ended up with lump on my head. :Oops:
 
Circleville Signs

Circleville Signs

New Member
you should charge your hourly rate x however long it takes.

Give a rough estimate but make sure they know you are charging whatever it takes.

Also, you need to consider whether these things are coming to you prepped or whether you are prepping them.

Just for an idea of the marketplace, if this was fully prepped in advance, I could do the whole thing by myself in 1 day - with some time left over.

Last thing - flipping the flag backwards is a no-no...
 
dj_elite

dj_elite

New Member
Design and layout has nothing to do with me as far as the flag. Prep is being done prior too my install. How would you install a 89" x 69" graphic by yourself? This is my reasoning behind having 3 guys to install. I am coming up around $1300.00. Does this sound about right?
 
dj_elite

dj_elite

New Member
I forgot to add in I have to drive to there location to install these. So I will be out of my element in their shop and charge for my driving.
 
P

PFS

New Member
Malkin said:
Interesting... I have seen this done on law enforcement patches on their uniforms.
Click to expand...

The flags on that truck are both going in the wrong direction, but it's called "flag forward." The military does it too. An example would be when the flag is worn on the right shoulder (the right side is the place of highest honor) the blue star field would be to the front giving the image of the flag flying in the breeze as the person moves forward. You see on on airplanes too.


Pete
 
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Rick

Rick

Certified Enneadecagon Designer
Is this cut vinyl?

I worked for a vehicle graphic place and we charged by the square foot, if there were doors and handles in the way, he added a percentage.

3 dudes and 1 1/2" days is a snails pace if that is one truck. One man should be able to do one in one day if they are a decent certified installer and the truck is prepped correctly.
On the flag, is it really 89" x 69" or is it panels? It still can be done by a single person but they would need some experience.
 
BobM

BobM

New Member
That truck would take me a full (very hard) day working alone. With that size graphic I would apply wet using Rapid Tac II. If the market will bear it work with a helper. I think you'll find that after doing a few trucks you and your helper will be able to do more that one a day.
 
visual800

visual800

Active Member
If the graphics came to me and the truck was clean, I could install this by myself in 6 hours. I would charge about $600.00. it might be nice to have a helper on this but a crew of three is not necessary and IF there was 3 you guys should knock this out before lunch!
 
S

signswi

New Member
PFS said:
The flags on that truck are both going in the wrong direction, but it's called "flag forward." The military does it too. An example would be when the flag is worn on the right shoulder (the right side is the place of highest honor) the blue star field would be to the front giving the image of the flag flying in the breeze as the person moves forward. You see on on airplanes too.


Pete
Click to expand...

Flag forward dates back to the days of sailing ships. A flag on a ship under sail looks like that as the wind is behind it, pushing it forward. We modern people think of the flag as going the other way from the wind created by the vehicle pushing through the air mass instead of being pushed by the air mass. The military is way too traditional to ever give up the old sailing style reference.

I've *also* heard it somehow is supposed to make it look like the military is "never retreating" but I'm not sure how the flipped version looks any more like retreat, but that's the military for you.
 
P

PFS

New Member
signswi said:
Flag forward dates back to the days of sailing ships. A flag on a ship under sail looks like that as the wind is behind it, pushing it forward. We modern people think of the flag as going the other way from the wind created by the vehicle pushing through the air mass instead of being pushed by the air mass. The military is way too traditional to ever give up the old sailing style reference.

I've *also* heard it somehow is supposed to make it look like the military is "never retreating" but I'm not sure how the flipped version looks any more like retreat, but that's the military for you.
Click to expand...

I've heard that too about the "never retreating" thing. Interesting stuff. Love the history of things like that.
 
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