cheap asses.

[ttocs]

ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. I have been making some decals/stickers for people here/there since I got my vinyl cutter. I have just been charging per sheet of vinyl and prettymuch just discounting my time for nothing to get this going. One guy I picked up this week started asking about how I was charging, and when I told him he then asked if he bought me the material if I would make them for him? I could use any left overs for my own use of course...

I didn't really know how to respond. I mean I am already cutting him a deal and not many places would pick up such small orders and not still charge a good minimum fee. So I told him sure I could, but then I would need to charge him my hourly rate of $1k per hour.

This is the first time I have ever really done any kind of bizness on my own. Makes me wonder if this is going to be a regular thing.

[fuzzysnuggleduck]

It's up to you to charge whatever you feel the materials and your time are worth.

If it's going to be a regular thing don't extend yourself beyond where you are comfortable, obviously. If your time is worth say, $50 for cutting a decent sized decal be up front with it and see what the "market" decides.

[ttocs]

I know and I thought I was setting more then a resonable rate. Most places charge more for the time to design it then they do to cut them so I thought he would see the value in it. guess not.. It just cracks me up that when I tell him I am basically doing him the favor of not charging him for labor, he thinks that I would be happy just to do it for free...

[holmis]

Dont give away your hand.... people tend to take the whole arm..

When friends ask me to do stuff, I allwas take for the material, but not for the labor. When they come with the material and want things done, I still take for the material and not for the labor..
That way I have a little amount for the job.. & they stop comming with crap they got from a cheap lame supplyer...

[tonym]

flexisign has a job estimation tool in it that will give you the price .....

[Pillow]

Like the old saying goes. "No good dead goes unpunished" Although harsh, it is very true as a business person. Been there, done that.

But hell yes, running your own shop can be a blast!

[The Golden One]

when i fix or paint cars for people when it comes time for them to pay me for my work they seem to change their tune from the original agreement even though i charge less than half of what the shops charge. so i try to hold on to their key's till i get paid not sure if it's legal or not. but i dont like working for free and once someone drive's off it's not like their going to hunt you down to give you what they owe you.

[mhyde71]

im kinda in middle of something like this myself...
i quote number of hours to do a job, and maybe it ends out to be alittle more- so i bill for full time, and the guys was taken aback a bit by the number of hours i billed for. He (general contracting outfit here locally) wants to pick up the work with out a check... i said well perhaps thats okay- but i need to make sure i get paid. it is a 900$ job for all those radiators... 22 hours of blast time- i estimated about 2 hours each radiator or so... there were 10 of them, but three were 16 fin units that took 3-4 hours to blast down completely...
so should i let the work, out the door when they come pick up on monday? or require a check to be submitted prior to p/u? i just think it is a judgement call- i mean it is a lovcal outfit, i know where they are, and the work (radiators) are goingb into a local house up the street...

??

think i will let it out the door- but will express the need to get check submitted right away- not like a terms thing where they have 30days.

just nervous about letting work out the door w/o getting paid. The first time i have an issue with that- i will nip that in the bud and require check each time work is picked up.

but so far no trble... i think most ppl are honorable and legit, and will make good on the deal...but there are those few that ruin it for everyone.

m

[The Golden One]

it's you call but i think it's best to try to find a legitimate way to have them pay you at the time they come to pickup the work ive had to be hard on some people before. but i know some of them probably wouldnt have paid me regardless of the work performed i just try do keep everybody in check so i don't have to track them down to get paid.

[ttocs]

your working with contractors? I would never let them take the stuff with out paying just like I would NEVER pay them before their job was 100%. Contractors have earned these reputations......

[oldschoolfan]

I would gladly pay you tuesday for a hamburger today. My advice, this time do what you are comfortable with. From then on though, make it very clear when you quote any job, that full payment is due upon pickup.

It is very fair and in my opinion expected. I would not think of having work done on anything and asking if I can get back to you.

[12voltjunky]

i would set a pricing structure so that you understand your costs and have a price list for your customers. If asked how you charge, you can show them a price list and say "this many decals, with these dimensions will cost you this much." If asked how you get to those numbers you aren't required to be specific. Tell the customer that your costs include materials and labor and cost of the machine. Whenever you start discounting you find people who only buy based on price. this is ok but people always expect a "deal." when you have customers who are more concerned with quality, delivery time, etc.. they might be willing to pay more. All Im trying to get at is find the value in what you are offering and try to key in to that. Once you key in on the value that you ad in the printing biz (maybe it is the lowest price) or maybe its the fact that you can fill small orders quickly...you can establish yourself and perhaps command a premium price even?... Good Luck!!

[gridracer]

People that bring their own material should pay a flat hourly rate for your labor and also told there is no garuntee on the vinyl as you didn't supply it and don't know if it's the same quality stuff you use or it could be old and might not last as long on a window like your quality vinyl will.
You should have sign up front showing hourly rates for stuff that you do an stuff the customer supplies. You have lots of overhead to pay for shop equipment so you can't give your time away even to buddies you still havee to charge them something, or whats the point of going into business it's not illegal to earn money.