It is important for vinyl application experts to keep a delicate balance when gauging factors such as tack, bond, and film type.
Knowing what to include
Speaking of warranties, your material warranty will also vary by manufacturer and may be tied to full or partial replacement of the rolls you use. While not typical, it could also cover additional elements such as ink, labour, shipping, or installation. However, what you decide to warranty or cover is important as well. Do you guarantee clean removal? If so, what does that mean? One major vinyl manufacturer has a “clean removal” tolerance which allows for up to five to 10 per cent of the adhesive to remain on the application surface. Do you warranty the condition of the underlying drywall or paint? Does your bid cover both installation and removal? Are any of these things contingent on your team doing the installation? All of these additions should also be factored into your price for the project, building in a little insurance, should any unexpected complications arise on the jobsite.
Knowing what to charge for any job is a guessing game of how much is too much and what is enough. It is not uncommon for a wall mural job to be 10 times the cost of materials and print. Therefore, a material and print cost of $1 per 0.1 m2 (1 sf) for a 2.4- x 3-m (8- x 10-ft) wall would equate to an $800 job for print and installation with roughly $80 in costs. Time, travel, and installation will be factored in, but with a team of two and a well-prepared installation area, the job should take about 30 minutes from setup to completion. This is obviously a loose calculation, and the outcome will be different if the job is in a residential versus a commercial setting, or a retail or a multi-location repeating piece. Ultimately, you will need to determine what is best for your particular situation.
Conclusion
Based on all of this information, how would you respond to your key client in the opening illustration? Do you feel you would have a path for explaining the complexities and maybe some recommendations for materials to test on the wall (once the paint has cured)? How does this make you think about your current warranty? Does this pique your interest in pursuing future applications on complex varieties of walls or make you want to stay away? Do you think you can now spot the difference between a smooth wall and a rough wall, and deduce where to start on selecting the right materials?
The print industry is ever-changing with new materials, applications, substrates, and solutions. However, the constant in the midst of it is you, your relationship with your clients, and your particular expertise that keeps them coming back.
Jay Kroll is a product manager at General Formulations, a manufacturer of pressure-sensitive solutions for the graphics industry. His focus is on cut vinyl, transit, and wall graphic applications. Kroll has been designing and developing various manufactured solutions for more than 20 years in the medical, aerospace, specialty tape, and graphics industries.
