mabscotthandyman

Well I went crazy and bought a few thousand dollars of equipment. I bought a ce6000 60 some software, a couple heat presses and a few supplies. Now I need to find a store front in a busy location and make a return on my investments. I am only going to offer signs,lighted signs, banners, plastic letters and door & window lettering and a few garments. Now I have to figure out the heat press vinyl for the best type and quality for different applications. Up untill this point I have done mostly installs and a small amount of signs and banners but now I need to sell a few jobs to pay for my equipment.

I know what you mean Jay my own places get worked own last after the paying customers

it's not the equipment it's the service that grows a business. I just bought a 6600 sf building in September because I outgrew my second one storefront. Most of my customers don't know I don't have a printer inter the back they just assume I do. I've seen Dan's work and I don't see him having any problems staying busy. Thanks Jay that reminds me you haven't ( unless I missed them ) shown us photos of you store lately.

JeremySI like I said the store front would be more for exposure then for walk in customers. All my contracting business us referral and repeat customers but I need exposure for signs so the store front idea plus a place to display the other products like pvc sign post kits, plastic letters etc. Plus I am too lazy to build another building at my place lol

I am not interested in decals or even garments as far as that goes I will push signs, lighted signs, plastic letters and store front lettering, along with car and truck lettering. The heat presses are more for me then for retail It was only around a thousand bucks and the small one was free either the cutter. By the way I have two more cutters. The store front is for exposure and actually cheaper then most forms of advertising. And I never compete I set a price that is fair for quality work. @ Jay I decided death would probably be my retirement I am still fairly healthy so I plan on at least another 10 years if my body will permit. ( besides I spent a good bit of time at home this winter because of the severe weather with the wife retirement is highly overrated ) @Sue thank you and thanks to every one else.

my opinion is that 651 or other intermediate vinyl should be used for banners or other temporary signage and high performance vinyl 751 or 951 or similar for any autos, trailers and long term signage.

I dont know too many mothers that would admit to using a stripper pole ( you noticed I said admit )

Hell just dish up the Tits who needs salad

He better be careful with that camo they may not see him on that blue water

Even running that thing through 3 carwashes is going to leave a lot of prep work. The cost of material seems low compared to the total price but you have design time, cut weed and taping, removing all the residue, trying to get rid of the ghost lettering or manipulating the new vinyl to try to cover the shadows ( or both ) and then install and with box trucks all this is done off ladders or scaffolding so you have setup or move time on that. all factors that need to be figured in on a price.

Like jay said it wont matter if you dont make a go of it whether it is homebased or a store front and as Slice said you will probably get walkins right off. I saw some photos of Slices store and he had lots of signage to let people know he was there. If you do good work at a fair/competive not always the cheapest but fair for quality work and product. Quality will win out over price most times and the people that only looks for cheap you probably dont want as customers. My customers are mostly repeat customers on the handyman service and sign service both some for over 20 years. I have not worried about competiors for 35 years when I first started contracting someone would say Joe Blow will do my job for $xxxx amount and I would offer to beat the price after a few no or very little profit jobs I learned you cant do a quality job at a low price so after that I gave a price and stuck by it. So quality work, fair prices and customer service and odds are very good you would do well with a store front.

I would be in the $700.00 to $800.00 range with a high performance vinyl

Welcome from West Virginia

Hello and welcome from West Virginia

I guess I am older then dirt my first car and trucks had push button starters the car a button on the dash my old 49 Chevy pickup had a switch near the gas pedal. I gad a 55 Buick that the starter was in the gas pedal turn on the key and depress the gas pedal all the way down to engage the starter.

It sounds like you could be streching the vinyl with the heat then it shrinks and cracks try rapid tac 2 its better in cool weather and for intermediate vinyl.

need a eps outline of west virginia Thanks Dan

Scott I leave my desk top on almost continously .

MABSCOTT the name of our little town of 1700 HANDYMAN my primary trade hence mabscotthandyman that's big city. North sc pop. 800.

Led lighting has became much more reasonable in the last few years I use led in back lighted signs and channel letters because of the longevity of the lights and the stability in extreme temperature difference.

Nice work Scott

Here ate a couple shop built lighted signs backlight with led lighting and a small post mounted sign

Thanks

Looks nice

1/4 inch over lap is plenty the larger the overlap the more noticable.