How much to charge??

[Hamstar 0]

I

[megacab 1]

there are plenty of vinyl calculators floating around here. but, with weeding like that, you are better off thinking it through first. a vinyl calculator isn't gonna consider all the time you have in this. on things like this, i work out an hourly rate ahead of time for all the artwork that goes into it. i can get away with about $75 an hour. around here, most shops are right around $100 an hour. then, you gotta be fair about it. if it takes 4 hours, then that's what they get charged. but, if it takes 45 minutes, you don't try and hook someone for 3 hours. i also will take an unweeded decal sometimes to a customer to show them what actually goes into what we do. most times, they are happy to pay me for an honest amount of time. if they whine, offer to get them printed for them. you can sub it out to someone here on the forum and then double or more the cost and only have to provide the customer service aspect. in the end, it's your time. the material is cheap. so you have to come up with a sytem that will provide you with the return needed to satisfy what this business is to you. if it's a hobby, $50 might be acceptable to you. if it's your job, you won't be in business very long. you absolutely have to make money for your time to make a business outta this. good luck man, looks like you do good work. now just get paid for it.

[Hamstar 0]

You make a valid point.

I wonder what folks in the Minneapolis area charge, I wonder if I called and asked (not posing as a customer) if they would be honest and tell me.

Right now its a hobby mostly.

I've made over 100 decal designs, I think I've sold 11 of them (at $2 each) in the last 3 months.

Luckily its a lot of fun... I've been working OT just to pay for this "fun" little venture, but to be honest the hours invested vs the output tells me I'm doing something very very wrong, but I'm hoping that it will break soon.

[john! 1]

I never understand but applying vinyl on the inside of a window where the adhesive is towards the sun is a bad idea. The adhesive is NOT uv resistant and standard vinyl is made for window, sign and vehicle graphics to withstand weathered conditions.

I would charge for your art creation time, This is something you should have quoted BEFORE all this work because now you will most likely get stiffed on your time which it sounds like you already have. Then you need to charge for your service of producing the vinyl.

I wouldn't say your a terrible business owner, but i would say your just uneducated on how to price your time and services.

To be honest, subscribe to sign craft magazine and join some other sign forums and learn the trade a bit better. I would have been about $50-100 for the recreation alone since it was complex but i would explain this is a one time charge so it can PROPERLY be used for anything else he may need (cards, menus, decals, banners, shirts etc)

Why work overtime to pay for this "hobby" of yours when you can find out how to price your work and get PAID for the "hobby" jobs. Then the overtime is not needed or if you are still working overtime it's extra income. I'm sorry but nobody is getting any decals for $2.00 unless it's a bulk order at my shop.

[HazzCoDaisy 1]

I never understand but applying vinyl on the inside of a window where the adhesive is towards the sun is a bad idea. The adhesive is NOT uv resistant and standard vinyl is made for window, sign and vehicle graphics to withstand weathered conditions)

I'm sorry but nobody is getting any decals for $2.00 unless it's a bulk order at my shop.

I agree with both points here. Using the adhesive side out on a window app is not a good idea. 

Unless i'm running some kind of a special, I refuse to turn on my plotter for less than $10. The only people who balk at that either want something for nothing or are "one small decal" customers that i will never see again. 

I started this business like you, as a second income.  The biggest mistake i made was undercharging because i did not feel confident in my work.  That is EXTREMELY hard to come back from.  When you start charging accurately, the friends and family who paid your low starter prices will have a hard time understanding why you are asking so much more now.

I am a couple hours North of the twin cities in a rural area.  I charge $25 an hour for art prep if I'm keeping the design in-house.  If i supply them with the artwork on a disk they are going to pay an extra $125 for it and can then take it wherever they want. 

To cleanup that logo was an immense task and you blew it out of the water.  GREAT JOB!  Maybe instead of charging them more money for it they will let you tag their window with your info?

What kind of plotter are you running?  An hour to cut that seems steep.  The weeding will get faster too .. i promise.  You have a knack!  You should be very proud of this piece.

[Hamstar 0]

I'm running the US Cutter 24" cutter, but I have it at the sloooooooowest setting because I find it makes the corner cuts better.

I ended up driving down to there to install the dragon for them... OH MY GOD they gave me soooo much food.

Really nice people, it made me feel pretty good, but I think I'm going to go with your $25 an hr quote from now on, thank you!

Now to try to figure out how in the heck to lay two color vinyl properly!

[bayotle 26]

Since i do this as a hobby and pretty much give away all my work I'll keep my 2cents to myself on how you should charge BUT, gonna hafta throw in my 2cents on the work, freaking sweet job! 

Almost tempted to try that on my own just to see if i have the paitience! never mind, i have the paitience, just not the eye sight!

Great job though!!

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I never understand but applying vinyl on the inside of a window where the adhesive is towards the sun is a bad idea. The adhesive is NOT uv resistant and standard vinyl is made for window, sign and vehicle graphics to withstand weathered conditions.

I would charge for your art creation time, This is something you should have quoted BEFORE all this work because now you will most likely get stiffed on your time which it sounds like you already have. Then you need to charge for your service of producing the vinyl.

I wouldn't say your a terrible business owner, but i would say your just uneducated on how to price your time and services.

To be honest, subscribe to sign craft magazine and join some other sign forums and learn the trade a bit better. I would have been about $50-100 for the recreation alone since it was complex but i would explain this is a one time charge so it can PROPERLY be used for anything else he may need (cards, menus, decals, banners, shirts etc)

Why work overtime to pay for this "hobby" of yours when you can find out how to price your work and get PAID for the "hobby" jobs. Then the overtime is not needed or if you are still working overtime it's extra income. I'm sorry but nobody is getting any decals for $2.00 unless it's a bulk order at my shop.

Exactly the advice I got directly from Oracal

hobby or not that was WAY tooo cheap, your time is worth more than that I hope or we will have to get you some self worth counseling

[john! 1]

I never understand but applying vinyl on the inside of a window where the adhesive is towards the sun is a bad idea. The adhesive is NOT uv resistant and standard vinyl is made for window, sign and vehicle graphics to withstand weathered conditions.

I would charge for your art creation time, This is something you should have quoted BEFORE all this work because now you will most likely get stiffed on your time which it sounds like you already have. Then you need to charge for your service of producing the vinyl.

I wouldn't say your a terrible business owner, but i would say your just uneducated on how to price your time and services.

To be honest, subscribe to sign craft magazine and join some other sign forums and learn the trade a bit better. I would have been about $50-100 for the recreation alone since it was complex but i would explain this is a one time charge so it can PROPERLY be used for anything else he may need (cards, menus, decals, banners, shirts etc)

Why work overtime to pay for this "hobby" of yours when you can find out how to price your work and get PAID for the "hobby" jobs. Then the overtime is not needed or if you are still working overtime it's extra income. I'm sorry but nobody is getting any decals for $2.00 unless it's a bulk order at my shop.

Exactly the advice I got directly from Oracal

hobby or not that was WAY tooo cheap, your time is worth more than that I hope or we will have to get you some self worth counseling

It only makes the legit companies out there and people doing this look bad when you charge so little.  A few months ago a customer told me he can get it cheaper elsewhere, i said alright do it. Everytime i ride by their business i see a dry erase board sign and i laugh. Guess the cheaper guy is missing in action LOL

[HazzCoDaisy 1]

I'm running the US Cutter 24" cutter, but I have it at the sloooooooowest setting because I find it makes the corner cuts better.

I ended up driving down to there to install the dragon for them... OH MY GOD they gave me soooo much food.

Really nice people, it made me feel pretty good, but I think I'm going to go with your $25 an hr quote from now on, thank you!

Now to try to figure out how in the heck to lay two color vinyl properly!

You drove "down there"?  We might be neighbors. 

As for layering vinyl .. what software are you using?  The easiest way until you can "eye it up" is to make yourself registration marks.  Pick up the top color with your apptape and lay it down on the bottom color using the registration marks.  Easy peasy.

Just wanted to comment on that dragon again.  Wow. 

[vicentillo29 0]

can you share the dragon it looks awsome

[Hamstar 0]

I

[bayotle 26]

Not everyone can do everything and sounds like hiring the gal was just what you needed!

Good luck! - though sounds like things are going to work out just fine for ya!