By signcraft
Posted on Friday, October 4th, 2024
In every issue, SignCraft gave a few sign makers an imaginary project. We asked them to do a sketch of the sign they might have produced, and to quote a price for the job. Most of the details were left to the designer’s imagination. The object was to see how different sign makers approach the same project. Here’s the scenario these sign makers were given:
A long-time customer contacts you about replacing the sign on their auto salvage yard. Their old sign had been done on overlaid plywood and was mounted on the side of their building, closest to the two-lane road that passes by their yard. He says he just wants “something bold and easy to read.” Make a sketch of the sign you might have produced for him and quote a price.
This article appeared in the July/August 2000 issue of SignCraft. While the prices have been adjusted for inflation to 2024, they may not accurately reflect current pricing for such signage.
Mark Fair
Mark Fair Signs, Montgomery, Alabama
This sign is a combination of paint and vinyl. The colors are warm red, dark burgundy, medium teal, and white on a cool gray background.
Price: On overlaid plywood, I typically charge $20 per square foot for signs like this, so the selling price for this would be $1300, plus sales tax. If they want to see a sketch, I charge a $50 sketch fee that goes against the selling price if the customer buys the sign.
Wade Gronwold
Ultimate Images, Fergus Falls, Minnesota
A simple, easy-to-read layout is the best bang for the buck. The sign says what it is supposed to say, and the customer spends the least amount of money they can. Well, this is true, but what about creating an image for the company and getting a sign that is different from the one you see around the corner?
Here’s how I approach situations like this. Once I get an idea of what the customer wants, I do two sketches—one that is in their budget and one that may be more than what they had planned to spend but will be a better investment in the long run. Usually, the customer goes with the latter of the two.
Although I spend a little more time doing two sketches, it is usually worth the extra time put into it. After all, it is about educating the customer and giving them the best sign and advertisement they deserve. In some cases, the simple and direct layouts are better than the latter of the two, which comes with the experience of designing signs and knowing what is too much or too little.
Sketch A:
Price: $1000.
Install: $250.
Total: $1250.
Sketch B:
Cost: $1600.
Install: $250.
Total: $1850.
John Deaton
Deaton Signs & Grafix, Harlan, Kentucky
This type of job is the kind I love to do. Overlaid plywood is my favorite substrate. This will be a very visible sign, and the customer wants it bold, so I think sharp, vibrant colors need to be used to draw attention. Most of my customers know what I can do, so they usually let me design it the way I think would best benefit their business. One unfortunate problem in my area is that the economy is bad, so that affects the pricing somewhat.
Sketch A:
The chrome yellow background is very vibrant, and the colors on all the copy contrast nicely. The orange faded panel also helps to break up the background.
Price: $1650, plus installation
Sketch B:
I would use the airbrush to do a fade on the name and again add panels to break up the background. I’ve put a little more emphasis on the business name in this design, but it gets the point across.
Price: $1650, plus installation
Installation: About $200.
Janette Balogh
Janette Balogh Sign Studio, St. Petersburg, Florida
Since this is an established customer, I’ll have some ideas about what they are like by my past experiences with them. In our initial meeting, I’ll ask some simple questions that will help determine how much they opt to invest in this sign.
Since this will be a permanent sign and is to serve them for a long time, I’ll encourage them towards making the best lasting impression they can afford. I’ll describe the dimensional effects of shadows as opposed to plain text, and suggest the addition of a graphic, explaining that doing so entails some design time and would increase the overall cost of the sign.
Using my portfolio to point out examples and perhaps sketching a quick rough thumbnail or two, I’ll narrow down some layout options that suit their tastes. Taking into account the nature of this business, I won’t spend a lot of time trying to up-sell this particular job.
After settling upon the type of sign that would suit their needs and budget, I proceed with a sketch for their approval before fabrication begins. A deposit and a signature beforehand gets me going full throttle. Depending on the results of our initial discussion, I would provide one or two of the following layouts with prices attached.
Sketch A:
Colors: Shadows, background blend, and graphic
Price: $1500.
Sketch B:
Colors: Shadows on text
Price: $1200.
I would offer a third version, if necessary, with a simple, text only layout, using the same colors as Sketch B without shading for a lower cost:
Price: $1050.
Installation: $250.
Pat Finley
Finley Sign Company, Montgomery, Illinois
I would use a black panel behind the City Auto Parts and Salvage. City is orange, vermilion, and fire red convex with a white center. Auto Parts and Salvage is white. The oval is medium gray. We Pay Cash is black on lemon yellow, For is lemon yellow, and Cars and Trucks is black on orange. I’d use the saber saw to cut the building shapes into the top edge of the board for effect.
Price: $1600, not installed.
Brad Ferguson
Brad’s Signs, Paris, Arkansas
Sketch A: This sign panel is .040-in. aluminum. All lettering is painted in automotive enamels and mounted to an aluminum tube frame, then installed on the fence. I offer a guarantee of no peeling of lettering or background for eight years.
Colors: The background is white with City in red with a black outline. Auto Parts & Salvage are black. The truck graphic is tan with gray and amber highlights. The car graphic is green with black outlines. We Pay Cash for Cars and Trucks is black. A gray pinstripe outlines the sign.
Price: $2050 plus tax
I would offer a lower-cost version of this design, if necessary, done on aluminum overlaid sign board, with lettering of high-performance vinyl or sign enamels, installed on the fence but without the aluminum tube framing.
Colors: Same as Sketch A
Price: $1500 plus tax
Sketch B: This is a low-cost alternate design. The sign panel of billboard-grade overlaid plywood has all the lettering in sign enamels.
Colors: The background is white, and the lettering is done in personal choice of colors.
Price: $1250 plus tax
Note: All costs include installation with stainless steel and/or aluminum fasteners.
