The Framers Forum

Hi all, I have a new customer asking for an estimate for a high value (£600) large print 125cm x 75cm. It will need an Artcare Jumbo window mount, (making it glass size 145 x 95) and will be hinged to 5mm archival foam core board. He wants a black frame @ £4.80m. Now here is where I am struggling. This is larger than my 'go to' True Vue glass. I have looked online at UV protective Acrylic, and it will cost ME over £200. What mark-up would generally be reasonable for this? I know mark-up generally goes down for the bigger/more expensive mouldings on Estlite. It is always when I come to the larger, more expensive jobs that I feel that perhaps Estlite settings don't work for me, or probably it's just that I'm scared of justifying say, £50+ for a mount board etc If any of you have a spare moment to check your over all price for this job, or more specifically the price you would charge for UV protective acrylic (and supplier, as I've only found one) I would be extremely appreciative.

Jay, I understand your apprehension, do not make the customers problem your problem. Use the existing markup % for your largest size and do the calculation. You are in business to make a profit from your services and not become a charity.

If I were in your shoes I would be in the £450-500 range plus vat for the UV acrylic alone.

Wessex do cut to size glass, have a look online to get a quote as below

2mm UV Acrylic, Wessex suggest a 200% markup.
They have a brouchure called "All you need to know about Specialist Glass". Maybe worth asking them for a copy.

Very rough price, using uv70 around £430+

Thanks guys for taking the time to help with pricing. As a very rough guide, my understanding is, if you take in a material and sell straight on, then mark up 100%. Obviously if you do any work on it, the mark up will increase. I just find it hard to imagine charging £400+ for the acrylic alone, but as Jerome points out "do not make the customers problem your problem".... I appreciate that, and will remember this when I have a wobble! I am very limited, living out in the sticks in NE Scotland, for glass suppliers. Wessex won't deliver here, and I'd not be happy using glass on this size anyhow. I'll see if I can get a copy of their brochure for reference.... thanks Justin. The only supplier I can find for uv acrylic is theplasticshop. Bet my customer will wish he'd bought the framed option when he receives my price.