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Hey guys,

 

a friend of mine wants a quote for 6 real estate signs. The wood post type you see at a home that is for sale. Upside down L shape with a metal sign hanging from the arm and a another smaller metal sign hanging from that ( sign runner). He is a broker and his business partner needs them. I am also trying to get into business with his wife's company to provide and service their signs.

 

1: So I want to know what you guys charge for the whole sign, painted and vinyl applied and also a one time installation charge.

 

2: The wife's company pays a local sign shop to store, install and remove these signs as necessary for their properties. I have no idea what to charge for this type of service but I think it could be a good amount. 

 

Thanks in advance, I did look online but not sure if those prices would be comparable since they usually have cheap prices to compensate for the shipping and whatnot. 

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Are you sure its and upside down "L" or could it be a "7"  Just wondering cause it effects the cost...... Just kidding (I couldn't help myself)

 

I haven't done something like yet so I would have to sit down and put a pencil to it.  Maybe someone else has done one and could chime in...  I bet  

mabscotthandyman would be they one to ask!
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Is there a "no haunting" guarantee?

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I'll need a better cutter to get the text small enough at the bottom of the sign to say "not haunted at the time of appraisal, no warranty implied or upheld" 

 

Also I think that sign post looks terrible. I would make one that looks better than that.

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How's that laser point working with the new motherboard? Back in good shape?

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Yes sir! Using a serial port connection and my desktop computer she cuts like a hot knife through butter. I cut down a 54" sample roll of white 3M I have had for two years and looking forward to testing it's 35" capabilities. 

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Glad to hear you got it squared away. My 24" is in the shelf collecting dust right now, nothing wrong with it just running  the qe-60+ I bought from Dakota and the 31" LP2. If I ever need to run 3 at a time I'll have to hire help.

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I sell a lot of these PVC posts and stakes. Easy to install, look great and strong. Most of my local agents prefer these over the wood ones, they last longer, Fit into a trunk and such

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Jackhammer to install a real estate sign seems a little extreme.

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Only need the jackhammer in winter when ground is frozen. Otherwise a small 5 lb does it quite nice. I do give the female agents my small Bosch like this so they can easily do it. but it is far from being needed in the summer. 

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Couldn't help but think most customers do have access to an 80lb. jackhammer. Small sledge and the ground rarely freezes down here ;D Is the lower section steel, composite or???

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I have seen the entire sign (post AND panel, with full-color graphics) offered online for less than my discounted cost for just the post from my wholesale sign supply warehouse.

 

Real estate people are very demanding, need things done INSTANTLY, they monopolize your time, and are hardly worth the bother, in my experience.

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Cost on the post I showed are less than 20 bucks. Yes, many agents are demanding and price shopers but get a few good ones in your pocket and they are very good customers. 

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I sell a pvc unit like that that breaks down to transport using the ground stake . It has several options including rider clips ,different caps etc . They look good no painting and easily transportable . I make my sign out of diabond and usaly have to get it printed most want their smiling face on them . And BTW I have sold a ton of real estate signs .

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Alright I see a few votes for the PVC sign posts and just selling them to the customer for them to do with as they please.

 

I am pretty sure the company I am trying to win over wants someone else to deal with the sign installations. I have no problem doing it just wasn't sure what I should charge for the whole service. Maybe flat rates for certain areas: local vicinity, city limits and in the county. I would have first dibs on replacing the signs when needed and suggesting additional ones too. I think their current inventory is wood signs and those are more of a pain to install.

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I was thinking maybe a month to month flat rate Per sign and include X # of relocations and so much per additional install. Instead of selling them rent them out and handle it like a maintenance contract. If something breaks you handle it and make sure the signs are kept looking good like say washing between installs etc. most realtors I have met only deal with t he sign end because they have no choice. This could be a value added deal selling them on the time they will free up o focus on sales, not messing with dirty ol signs. And because they don't own them they would be less inclined to leave you company and have to replace all theirs signs out.

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As a former telecommunications technician, I need to advise you to BE CAREFUL OF UNDERGROUND UTILITIES when driving anything into the ground! So many cable, telephone, even water power and sewer lines get jacked up every year when someone does something so very simple like this. It just sucks when you have a big uh-oh moment when you were just tryna put something in the ground and if you would've just done it 6 inches over you woulda been fine. I've been on both sides of the equation. No fun being the guy who has to repair the damage but it's even worse when you're the one getting the bill for my work.  ;D No one wants to call in for a full on utilities locate when doing something this simple, or when putting in sprinklers or a grounding rod, cause you end up with multi colored paint marks everwhere that never go away. My advise, just before you run your implement in the turf is this...Look left, then right, north, south, east and west and look for those little green or concrete lids, sprinkler heads, conduit entering the ground at the base of a utility pole, water meter. Anything within 100 feet could possibly be crossing your path.

Rant over. Thanks for your time.  :blink:

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We have to call in a locator here in MN for every hole we punch or stake we drive in the ground. Its free and they mark wire locations. If we fail to use this free service the fines start at about $750 and go up from there. 

 

Even though this looks simple you need to call in a locate for this. I have seen many end users punch right thru fiber lines with this cause they did not see any thing above ground that looked like wires were in the area. Just play it safe and get a locator out and mark for you. 

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I think it's similar everywhere about call before you dig and if you don't and you hit something say bye-bye $$$

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I miss the underground utilitie's mascot from Indiana - Holy Moley - dig, dig, dig, chomp, chomp, chomp, <sound of electricity arcing> "Holy Moley, I hit a power line!"

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811 is the national number for "Call Before You Dig" many around here don't do it bc of being backwoods and most lines are above ground around here. Whenever I have to dig or drive anything into the ground for a customer I call 811 to have lines located, if the customer doesn't like it I refer them to Fast Signs and they end up calling me back in a few days.

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Looks like I'll be going back into the telecommunications field. Got a job offer from AT&T the other day. Orientation is Fri 21st.

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Yeah, I have hit my share of sprinklers and water pipes with rotary hammers. The fact that I can call someone for free to come and mark the real dangerous stuff sounds like a great deal to me. 

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