Paper Mats

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JackBingham CPF

JackBingham CPF

MGF, Master Grumble Framer
Joined
Jan 2, 2001
Posts
528
Loc
Lititz PA
Does anyone still use paper mats?

If so what would you charge for a 28" x 38"
paper mat such as Cresent 976? Our price, if we still used them, would be $15.00.

Thanks, Jack
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JackBingham,CPF:
Does anyone still use paper mats?

If so what would you charge for a 28" x 38"
paper mat such as Cresent 976? Our price, if we still used them, would be $15.00.

Thanks, Jack<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I would charge $9.00 if it is a single opening. Add $6.00 for v-grooves.

Jerry
 
Hi Jack-We use them on about 50% of the work we do. And we charge $20.00 for that size. Rag/Alpha about double that at $36.00. Not everything we do requires more. We also sell Regular glass and dry mount prints as needed.But we offer it all-kind of like that old adage "It's easier to sell from a full wagon than a half empty one." It's up to us to know when to use each.
 
Holy Cow! Why do I feel like I'm stepping into something here?

For a 28x38 mat with a single rectangular window, I would charge $36.40. Regardless of the size, I would charge a $12 minimum, since I don't stock paper mats and would order a full sheet.

Some people will say, "But it's just a piece of cardboard with a hole in it!" Others will say, "But you helped me pick out the perfect color for that piece of cardboard and the hole is very nicely cut." For a few dollars more, the latter customer gets a rag or Alphamat.

L-J's suggested retail pricing guide gives a price for this mat of about $18-19. I don't use this guide, but I sometimes look at it to see if I'm out of line. (I don't actually care much if I'm out of line as long as I'm busy. That's why I'm not yet a Wal-Mart greeter.)

Ron
 
We haven't stocked them in over 10 years, we feel it's a diss-service to our customers since the price difference is slight and the quality difference is HUGE. I ask them, "would you reupholster your couch in raw burlap?"
smile.gif
Our clients usually ask for "acid-free" and we educate them to Museum quality products, from the glass to the dust cover. They appreciate it in the end.

------------------
Amy, CPF
CBF Portland,Maine
right on the Bay
 
We use them $17.13 would be price with single opening. Like Bob we offer a full cart so persons that want it decorative get it for a decorative price. We always advise as to the difference.



------------------
Jerry Vandergriff, CPF cm
McCue and Blanford Frame Shop Supply
Crestwood, KY
 
Yep, I still use 'em. I believe if there's a demand for something, and it's possible, then sell it. But, I'm beginning to feel like Ron. I would get $26.40 for that mat. And I was afraid I wasn't charging enough for my work!

Betty
 
Ie regards to paper mats. If a customer brings a mat blank into your shop to have the opening cut out.

1. Would you cut it out? (We do)

2. How much would you charge for cutting it out? ($9.00 for any size)

3. Does anyone sell full sheets of matboard to customers?

Thanks, Jack
 
Jack-
About cutting a mat opening for a customers mat:

1. Yes (Only had one request so far)

2. $5.00 (Small mat)

3. I would, but as yet have not had that request.

-Mike.
 
We no longer stock paper mats, but will use them if the customer insists. The size in question would be $15, but after reading everyone elses responses I'm wondering if I should raise those prices.

I will cut an opening in customers mat, though rarely have had a request to do so.
Charge $5, again, maybe I need to rethink this.
I recently ordered mats for a young photographer and foolishly didn't make herpay in advance. She never picked up. I won't repeat that mistake.
Live and learn.
 
I haven't sold pulp mats in several years. A rag mat that size would be $35.00. What I have learned is this, if you don't give people a choice, they will buy what you offer them.
 
There's probably a risk of making this issue more complicated than it needs to be, but here goes:

I'll cut a window in a customer's board, but the charge is size-dependent. I could make a long, drawn-out case for this, but that would be silly. Basically , I have to allow for the risk that my Mat Maestro will go berserk and I'll end up replacing the board. If I'm cutting a piece of glass for someone, and the glass cracks, I'm probably going to end up replacing the glass, so I charge for that risk too.

I'll sell anything in the shop, including full or partial sheets of matboard, that I don't need soon to complete an order. (If one of my teens is hanging around here not doing anything useful, they are at risk of being sold. Nobody's offered yet, though.) If it's a surplus piece or a board I don't normally want to stock, I'll sell it at close to my cost. Otherwise, I have a fixed mark-up from my cost.

There. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Oh wait! That reminds me of a story. Years ago, I bought a new VacuSeal press. My sister happened to be in town and needed something mounted. I had the press on and did it for her immediately as a family courtesy. Out of curiosity, she asked what the normal cost would be for that mounting. When I told her, she gasped. "But it only took you 5 minutes!" I reminded her that it took me 5 minutes 'cause I had a $4000 mounting press. She's not stupid, but she said, "Well you don't expect your customers to pay for it, do you?" (That one's for you, Bob Carter!) I hope to have my customers pay for my Mat Maestro before it completely craps out.

Ron
 
We used to charge $5 to cut a window in a retail customer's matboard but it didn't take long to learn what a hassle it is.

Stuff like:
- Have to cut the blanks.
- Don't get the rems -- or don't want them.
- The board is some off brand that cuts like it has sand in it.
- Almost always an odd cut - say 2 inch top, 3 inch sides and 4 inch bottom -- and 10 minutes to sort out that is what they want.

The last one I recall quoting on the phone came in with 1/4 inch thick rag board and needed precision within 1 1/1000 of an inch ......uh, maybe I'm exagerating a bit.

And -- they usually want to wait for it.

I am now a snob and quote these random jobs at cost of regular mat board for that size less approximately what I would pay for a full sheet of the board.
 
Do you charge to cut the blank to size (outside dimensions) or just the mat opening? One of our customers brings the full sheet of mat board and asked us to cut the outside dimensions as well as the opening and she always uses ready made frames so the mat width has to be adjusted for each side. I'm thinking we should charge her the regular price for that mat size. Working on her pieces is very time consuming.

Michelle
 
I charge the same as I would for any custom mat, minus the material charge. This is easy to do if you are using a computer to price your framing. If I had to do a very large quantity for someone, I might just charge by the hour.

This hardly ever comes up. I charge a high labor charge for mat-cutting and a modest materials charge, so there's not much incentive to bring in their own board unless they happen to have some laying around.

Ron
 
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