45'X approx 9' high corrogated semi trailer. Customer will have it parked inside and scaffolding set up. Black painted lettering on a white background. One side only. (This will be parked in a ditch for advertising) Three large words, three smaller words and two phone numbers.
Since I haven't done one before, I'm not sure how long it should take me. I'm thinking 4 hours to make a pounce pattern, and two people painting at 8 hours. Am I out to lunch here?
Suelynn
-------------------- "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -George Eliot
Suelynn Sedor Sedor Signs Carnduff, SK Canada Posts: 2863 | From: Carnduff, SK Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Hi Suelynn. I'm thinking about $1800....? Last year I did a 20' box truck 2 sides and back for that. In retrospect, I should have charged more. It was in 2 colors. And why not just project the durn thing? Corrugated is a pain to paint. So bid accordingly. Love...Jill
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
...Sounds like a "casual" project...maybe for a "casual" customer too? Does neatness count, or will thy be OK if you just "knock it out" ?
...if so, I'd make a handy size drawing, and lay the copy out w. charcoal.. Then tape some, and roll the lettering w. small rollers. Touch up w. a brush - of course.
posted
Hiya Suelynn, A pounce pattern won't work very well. I would try to project it or follow WR's suggestion. Either way, I wouldn't touch it for less than $2000. If there's a lot of prep required, or the space/set up is less than desirable, I would charge a lot more. An upsell would be to suggest a digital print mounted to a frame right on the trailer. Something along the lines of Road Shows or whatever's available locally. If you know the trailer won't be moving at all, you can rope or screw a big banner right to it occasionally update it as required.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
We will be painting this in a truck bay, so a projector just won't work. I guess I could snap a bunch of chalklines and sketch it out from a grid drawing. I have a feeling this guy is going to faint when I give him a price, and I won't have to worry about it!!
I also have a feeling this could be a bigger PITA than I originally thought too. He only called a couple of days ago and I explained that I was swamped and moving this weekend. He said "thats fine, I can't move the trailer until the ground firms up anyway" He phones back yesterday and says, "Okay, trailers ready. When are you coming" and sounded perturbed that it wouldn't be THIS weekend.
Suelynn
-------------------- "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -George Eliot
Suelynn Sedor Sedor Signs Carnduff, SK Canada Posts: 2863 | From: Carnduff, SK Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
suelynn, don't decide anything when you are in the midst of moving...trust me,i know!! it is catastropic!!!i have my 0/2 turned up as high as it can go,still frazzled.....lol
posted
. . . . just kin'da considered that you MIGHT give him a price to screw white aluminum panels to the entire side and slap vinyl on it . . . . ?!
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
me??? i'd run...run fast...it sounds like a nightmare waitin to happen...but follow your gut...moving is huge...to do that job(the word corregated...not fun)would suck unless it was like a 5k job....then i could feel the fun.
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
These can be an absolute nightmare IF you let them. Handlettering this would take forever. The best way to do one , providing it's inside is to mask off the border of the area to be lettered with 1 inch masking tape, roll on a coat of Spraylat Strippable Sign Mask, work on the pattern while the mask dries, roll on another coat and finish the pattern 2 1/2 to 3 hours at the most, pounce the pattern 1/4 hour max, cut and peel the letters with an x acto, 1 hour, roll or brush the letters 1 hour, peel the mask 1/2 hour. Six hours at the most. I'd be happy with $800 to $1000. I used to work at a commercial shop that did Old Spice trailers that were corregated, the mask made easy work of script over corregation.
-------------------- George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@bigriver.net
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
I love the idea of the diabond, but you guys must have customers like this! He got a deal on the trailer so that he wouldn't have to buy a sign!! Therefore, the lettering should be almost free! I faxed him an estimate this morning that I'm sure he'll choke on, so it should free up some time for me!!
Suelynn
-------------------- "It is never too late to be what you might have been." -George Eliot
Suelynn Sedor Sedor Signs Carnduff, SK Canada Posts: 2863 | From: Carnduff, SK Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sue, I admit I know very little about "di-bond".
Figger up what 11 sheets of 4x10x.o40 aluminum would cost. Figger the vinyl letters. Figger about 5lbs of sheet metal screws. Mark everything up 100% and add $300 for that shopping spree ya wanna go on.
Then give him the price and if he still chokes let him die choking.
PS: Consider that if you did it this way you might could put apply all the vinyl in-shop and let HIM install 'em.
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
From everything you have written, I would run from this customer. "Got the trailer cheap", well why not offer him intermediate vinyl on coroplast sheets, screwed to the trailer with #14 Tek screws and fender washers. Tell him $2000 per side. It is never about what the materials cost, it is always about the "advertising value" that the customer is paying for. Working on a project that you are not enthused about is "owning a job" and not advancing your talents. Think twice, no three times before accepting this job, and get a deposit, with a credit card number backup for the balance. You gotta cover yourself!
-------------------- Mark K. Roberts The InterSign Group Mark Roberts Instructional Productions 9700 Almeda Genoa Road Houston, TX. 77075 Posts: 8 | From: Houston, TX. U.S.A. | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
I like the idea of drawing it out in a grid and painting, but corrugated is a PITA. Once you finish the layout, think big and fast. Foam brushes for the edges of the large lettering, rivits and seams - rollers wherever you can. Take into consideration that it's going into a ditch. Don't fuss the small stuff...a run on a rivit is not gonna matter from 90 ft away.
Rapid
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
| IP: Logged |