Using The Official Sign Contractors Pricing Guide

[Lynn]

Hello Good Signmakers! I have just purchased a copy of the Sign Contractors Pricing Guide, and have started using it in earnest. It's making me very happy ! MY question to any of you with an inclination to reply is this: How does a vinyl shop use the pricing when it is quoted for hand painting only? For instance, under the Magnetic Signs heading, it lists prices for handpainted magnetic signs ony. These seem a little high for vinyl. Does anyone have any sage words? I'm trying to quote a set of magnetic signs for a customer whose logo I already have on the computer. It's two colors, but still requires registration. The price in the book would suggest $162 for each sign, and $324 seems a little out of line for vinyl magnetic signs (22"x15" each). What do you charge for a set of magnetic signs for a pickup?
Thanks!
Lynn
Colville Sign

[GraphiXtreme]

Most will agree that the "Official" guide is WAY outta line in nearly any market. I used it as a guideline and then developed my own spreadsheet.

Oh, a 2-color set of magnetic signs as you described...I'd sell them for around $85 a set.

As far as I know, the pricing guide is good for vinyl, digital, screenprinting and hand-painting.

[Skippy]

I have the Australian price guide and it's a joke.
I could get really rich if people would pay those suggested prices
My formula is to halve those prices, even then be prepared for some desperate to undercut me by 50%.
Most quotes I do by figuring the material cost and waste without markup, then estimate the hours involved and decide an hourly charge based on the complexity.
I work from home with lower overheads and pricing but it still doesn't get me a lot of work.
Tommy.

[Lynn]

Thanks you guys. Pricing seems to be the most difficult aspect of this business! Your advice helped.
Lynn

[DigitalArtist71]

u want advice...throw that mutha in the trash...seems the first thing every sign person buys and NEVER uses...but yeah..some do... so if it works for ya..great...but i think the prices are WAY to HIGH....i knew a salesman at a electric sign shop that used it soley for all his pricing... some customers go for it and some don't. the sales guy even knew they were too high...but he didn't care. he was the owners husband anyways...taken care of by his wife...so didn't matter if ever brought in work....really...don't know why he even showed up to work?! hahahah

[DigitalArtist71]

easiest way...is to just figure your COST...and mark up to what u think is a FAIR final price and what you can make as a descent profit. But if u have tons O overhead and lots of machines and employees sitting around .....then u have to figure up a much higher rate of income...and pass the cost of YOUR overhead mistakes onto DUMB customers or customers spending somebody else's money (hmmm.. FASTjipSIGNS?) ....maybe check out www.estimatesoftware.com and look at that software...or even the free program that helps u come up with your hourly rate.

[Stewart]

Definitely Look Into EstiMate Software!

An Excellent And Easy To Use Pricing Software.

They Have A Demo You Can Download And Try It Out.

Also Mark Smith Is A Merchant Here And You Will Not Find
Better People To Deal With – Very Nice – Stand Behind Their
Product And Are There When You Need Them!

http://estimatesoftware.com/estimate/index.php



sTu

[intensegraphics]

I have been using the commercial sign industry price index manual (www.signprice.com) and have had really good luck. I have only found a couple of areas where I think their pricing is off, so I adjust accordingly for my area. The nice thing is that they have pricing for hand painted and vinyl. They also have different forms throughout the book that have come in handy.

[Kimon]

Here is a quick tip some folks use the contractors guide like this. Customer comes in and says I want a sign and this is the size and type. Signguy says hmmm lets see what the national guide says about it. Hmmm xxx dollars, that seems a little high maybe we can knock of 10% forya. Great the customer says thats very nice of you. Sign guy says is that cash or charge.

Now let me say I don't price that way and I don't use a guide to do mine. What I do do is know my overhead and know what I need to make a living. (Mark Smith has a cool overhead shop rate tool for free on his website) I figure material cost and time needed to produce the sign. In my opinion unless you price using a shop rate you are leaving money on the table. Even with no shop you need to charge as if you did or you never will

[DigitalArtist71]

good idea Kimon! hahaha

ps... hey "Elvis"...howz good ol LV? man i miss the south west.... I'm back here in TN now...do like the south tho... but CA was great...and Vegas was fun!

ok...back on topic! THANK YA VERY MUCH (as elvis would say it)