The Framers Forum

JFeig wrote: ↑Fri 10 May, 2024 4:48 pm Remember this old adage "you have happier customers if you lower your price than to increase it".

That’s my next concern! I already have a lot of repeat customers! I’ll blame the government!!

Just remember that my ambition is to assist. This is one of many things that is not always taught in art schools I absolutely appreciate it. I think artists are renowned for being bad at this. I didn’t go to art school - I studied Maths at uni, where they teach you even less about this stuff!! I ne...

There are 2 profits for any business, one is the wages you earn as an employee/owner-operator and the other is the profit of the business (return on investment). If you want to be paid for you skills as being self employed you have to charge accordingly to survive. Adding a framing department is ad...

I do think I need to trial some software again. Being completely Mac based, there are very few options that don't require Parallels to run them - and I've used my my parallels trials. So to trial any would require me to buy parallels up front. As far I can see, I-Framer is the only one out there tha...

You're buying materials wholesale and adding value by cutting, joining etc. If you're not charging a proper markup on materials then in effect you are supplying them at a wholesale price?! That's what I'm seeing now! I've been classing my hourly rate as my 'adding value' but you're right, that mean...

Those assumptions would mean your cost of goods and labour (I've called it 45 mins to make it easier) are 22.01+30 = 52.01 plus 30% - (and many do not mark up their hourly rate but you must) = 67.61 plus VAT = 81.14. It's definitely the mark up that I'm missing. In simplified terms, what I'm doing ...

I'm £105 & £230 no vat. I have a few framers on speed dial and we often price check and compare notes. They're not local to me, but we work to the same standards, so it has helped me ensure I'm not undercharging. When you say you have low overheads, are you sure that you are considering all of ...

One factor that I noted is you only have material costs and an added markup in your calculations. Being from the US, one factor is missing. That is the labor charges for assembly of the parts into a frame. We call that a "fitting" charge. I do have labour added within the calculations. Fo...

Waste is also make or break for a lot of framers, mine is 25% but not always enough. Today I finished 2 frames, total metereage 5.5m and I used 9m 63% wastage That does seem to be one of the hardest things to get right. I suspect even more so if you're not a big framer. I still have almost full len...

StevenG wrote: ↑Fri 10 May, 2024 9:05 am Hi

Job 1 - £90
Job 2 - £200

Thanks Steven. Even with just two, there's a pattern forming here!

Hi. I'd be £96.50 for Job 1 and £250 for Job 2. We are based in the South with very little local competion. From where I'm looking you seem to be under pricing. Clearly I have no knowledge of your location/overheads etc or the prices your market can tolerate. Do you get many pushbacks on price? If ...

I wondered if I could pick your brains regarding pricing. 2 years into bespoke framing and I thought I’d got a handle on pricing, but recently I’ve been told by two separate people that I’m about half the price of their current/previous framer (which I find hard to believe). I use a spreadsheet to c...

Filled in for you!

My process is 1) select the best length(s) I have for the job 2) make the frame 3) sand with 180 grit 4) adjust colour if necessary* 5) sand 320 grit 6) shellac (1 coat for matt, 2 or 3 for gloss) 7) Liberon wax (1st coat rub off again almost immediately, 2nd coat leave overnight then buff) *Colour...

I use ASC packaging. They have a box builder so you can choose a box style and exact dimensions. You do have to order 25 boxes, but that’s better than most for bespoke boxes. Their website is www.ascdirect.co.uk

I know I'm late to the party on this discussion but I also have this problem. Drives me nuts. I've got quite a bit of 'oak' stock that looks just like the ash version of the same moulding, in tone at least. :head: When I've brought it up, different suppliers blame either the fact no one was plantin...

Apologies for not responding but for some reason I periodically can’t log in for weeks and then it magically starts working again. I switched my oak to Lion and it’s so much better. I hadn’t noticed but they actually state on their website that their oak is American white oak.

I bag most of my mounted prints. I use cello bags from https://www.fulcrumfilms.co.uk/. They do most sizes you would ever want… except 18” x 18” (so i buy the 20” and fold 2” over and tape it. I use 2400 micron mount board and a 1400 undermount and they fit fine.

I buy from Rose & Hollis and Centrado for oak. I have found both to be good quality, although the colour and grain pattern does change from length to length. As a matter of course I sand, shellac and wax oak, and often stain it too, in order to get a good finish. But this is part of the job if ...

Nolan, I notice that you are not clarifying the type of oak that you are ordering. Are you ordering your moulding by asking for "oak" or "white oak"? There are 2 major variants: white oak and red oak. They are different species. If you have not have had a chat with your supplier...