2 questions

First I am a seasoned striper but am looking to go it on my own. I am figuring on charging $0.40/LF re-stripe and $0.65 LF new layout. But I am not so sure as I have never really job cost the difference between the two. I am fairly confident on the re-stripe price ( although it may be low) I am not so sure on the new layout. Is there a ratio? Such as 1.5 times restripe or something? I understand layout for hash marks, hadicaps and the like are individuallly varying but what about just straight parking lines?

Some don't charge anything for new layout and others double there per ft. price. The only difference in new layout and a restripe is the amount of time it takes you to do the layout. so what is your time worth and how much spare time do you have? The faster you are the more you could charge. So what you charge is totally up to you as there is no overhead so to speak unless you have a helper. It does seem you use a little more paint on new layout but not enough to ask for more money. More chances for a mistake. @ $.40 per 4" /ln.ft. plus layout you should be profitable as long as you can get the work.

I'm envious! If you can get work at that price, I'm living in the wrong part of the states.

Those prices are awesome !! In our market the going rate for re-stripe is less than .10 per ft. for say 5,000+LF . I guess it's all what your area can support.

I'm with Asphaltman. Around here there are so many guys with stripers that bid prices are going down. Makes perfect sense: gas, paint and insurance goes up, so let's drop the price a penny! This cost cutting & saturation has resulted in some very untalented stripers doing some very lackluster work. I keep my digital camera with me - each day brings a new "Stupid Striper Tricks' picture!

If paint is $8.00 per gallon & you get 300 feet per gallon your paint cost alone is .026 per foot. If you are not getting at least .12 to .15 per foot you are always going to be broke. Small jobs need to have a minimum price. Say $350.00 no matter how small it is. Your time & equipment is worth that just to get up in the morning. If you haven't figured that out yet get a day job. Would love to work at .40 per foot forever & ever.

I could retire next year at those prices. Where do you live, I think I'm ready to move there.

I Live in Anchorage, Alaska. I was talking to the Rodda paint guy today and hea actually thinks that I should be at $.60/LF. Up here paint is about $13.80/gal plus all the other inflation.

Welcome JW Juneau here, We are @ about .30 lf. give or take a bit. nice to here the pricing is respectable up there. hows the compitition? Had some frends up there last week say a lot of the places look like they were done with a paint roller. Even seen a store doing there own with a roller. I will e-mail you latter.

Guys,I am having trouble locating square 2x2 posts without holes in them.Nobody carries them and I cant find them anywhere.If anyone could help me find some,Iwould appreciate it.Thanks,.

Steel or aluminum? Try a steel supplier, some will have spec order items, you can get what you want that way. Such as base plates etc. Also, aluminum source may be the compatition, the local billboard type sign company here stocks the painted or anodized square tubes, the brown stuff (gov't brown).

I need steel posts,I can get regular steel ones and paint them black,but I believe these plans called for galvanized,to buy steel posts and have them dipped would be too expensive.

I wonder if a cold galvanizing compound would work? Might be worth a try.

please help iam starting a new bussines here in montana due to my wifes health i need to be with her 24/7 she has MS and is ON a KIDNEY MACHINE 4 hrs aday 3 days a wek ...cant count the heart atacks no more and the mini strokes .no one will help me here with priceing .iam a perfectionist so iam told so i will have only sweet craftmansship...with time,,,ive been laying down asphalt for 20 yrs .but that is not striping...ant help on the pricing would be greatly appreacated.handicap lines the hole ball of wax please iam a asking the pros.so i can make a living and still not take to much work from another man and his table..there is only two striping co.in billings so there is lots of work ...plesae help me thank you james

i feel that their are to many solids in the paint especially the white latex. a lot of times it don't spray consistant. too thick or heavy at times . any solutions appreciated. thanx.

add 1 pint of water

James, I can't imagine what you and your wife must be going through. I wish you both the best. James, pricing is relative to your market and the cost of living where you live. I doubt anyone here can give you the precise amount you should charge. If you have been doing asphalt for 20 years you should have some contacts. You did not say if you owned your own equipment or if you have had any experience striping. These things or very important. If you don't have either you are definitely be starting off at a disadvantage. There are some really good folks here that will be willing to help with any questions you may have but, I think most of them would be reluctant to give you pricing information because of the different markets across the country. There is also a newbie forum here just for beginning stripers where you can discuss things that others just starting out are experiencing. I will e-mail you some starting prices but it will only be a good idea for my area, Memphis, TN. Best regards and God Bless, Rock

curleypainter wrote on May 24, 2005:Go to #6

If paint is $8.00 per gallon & you get 300 feet per gallon your paint cost alone is .026 per foot. If you are not getting at least .12 to .15 per foot you are always going to be broke. Small jobs need to have a minimum price. Say $350.00 no matter how small it is. Your time & equipment is worth that just to get up in the morning. If you haven't figured that out yet get a day job. Would love to work at .40 per foot forever & ever.

OK I'll bite, what decent traffic paint is $8.00 per gallon? I dont remember anything that low on my little yellow post card I got a couple of weeks ago. Jim

Sound like your getting some old paint. Ask your store to shake all your paint before pick up. JIm

I do not believe in having to stir or strain paint. We use a hole punch or take advantage of the "tint holes" for the suction tubes. Lately we've been having atomization problems with most of the paints regardless of the manufacturer also regardless of the brand paint machine...(Graco or Titan). (My time is too valuable for removing lids.) Our only solution has been to add (like jpanz says) about a pint of water or solvent (depending on type of paint). Instead of removing the lids, we just add the solvent to the top of the bucket, place the suction on the bottom and the return tube on the top, then run the machine on bypass while going back to the work area. 3-5 minutes on full power and pressure mixes the paint sufficiently to atomize. If you have a Graco, you will need to separate the return tube from the suction as the return is built onto the suction. Not clear on the reasoning in this design as there is little mixing effect in this configuration because the paint returns to the bottom of the bucket right next to the suction.