Information to Help manage your budget on picture framing projects

Information on Pricing ______________________________ OVERVIEW ____________________________________________________________________________________ Our pricing structure is designed to encourage you to purchase in the most cost effective ways possible. This will save materials and furthers our green best practices, especially when you select from our current inventory which therefore eliminates the need for special orders which by nature is inefficient and consumes excess packaging and shipping services. We encourage you to purchase in the most eco-friendly way possible from sustainably made materials, and to determine the best blend of style, budget and quality. How do I get the best pricing? Framing is by nature custom work, therefore the best pricing comes when we work together to save labor and material cost. Parameters for discount consideration include the overall scope of your order, how many pieces are made in the same size and specifications, if materials are used efficiently, and whether we can make your project from in stock inventory. The best part is that in many cases the "greener you get" the more you save. In-Stock Selection This is one of the best ways you can save, and help protect the environment as nothing has to be ordered in, the workflow is simplified and we can produce your project quicker as well. Special orders are inefficient as they consume time, purchasing costs, packaging material waste and transport fuels, and delay your order. How much can I save by buying in-stock moulding? Mouldings are automatically 20% less for in stock, and can be as much as 70% from regular retail. Discounts apply, even if you only order ONE, frame Matting is also discounted for mats in-stock Scope of your order The more pieces you order at one time the lower the price, even if you order different mouldings and specifications. However, if it is appropriate to use the same moulding, or your pieces are standard sizes, and you are doing batches, this can save considerably on labor and material efficiency, and we pass that savings on to you depending on the specifications. Same Vender? If your order is with one vender, we may be able to extend savings further. This is especially important for special orders to reduce the costs of shipping, save packaging, and administration expense. How is a frame price determined? Custom framing is a composite of the following: • Size of the artwork and frame • Moulding Selection - prices vary considerable! • Complexity of specifications: matting, frame space, filets Matting: Acid Free vs 100% Rag, 4 ply vs 8 ply, single vs double matting, fabric wrapping • Conservation services: Glazing: UV-screening, reduced reflection Standard glass Standard Sizes If images are standard sizes, frames made the same size from the same specifications will result in much higher discounts due to increased efficiency in production. If the sizes vary, but you use the same specifications, your pricing still improve, but not to the degree possible as when you have standard sizes. We review the overall volume of your order, identifying efficiencies and help you obtain the best possible savings. Moulding Selection and pricing A frame is priced by measuring its effective outer dimension and multiplying this by the footage price. The price you pay is only for the actual frame - and it includes all our labor to chop, join, inspect the finished frame and we assume the overcuts and everything related to inventory costs. Moulding selection is a key consideration to the design of the piece. We believe that style as well as suitability for the scale of the piece is paramount to this decision, therefore first, we never want you to regret a selection. Frame mouldings range in base price per framing foot from $5 to as much as $200 for closed corner real gold gilded.  The normal range is $8-25, the lower being for imported moulding the higher end sustainable craft made US made hardwoods Top line profiles can however range up to $40/linear foot joined IF you select from our in-house collections, this saves the environment and also provides a discount which ranges from 20-60% from the normal retail price. Accommodating diverse design objectives means that we are full-line dealers for all leading manufacturers of frame moulding. However, we will guide you to products that are forest friendly, as local as possible, Made in America, certified and with the best supply-chain and transportation methods possible, Purchase from our Standard Selections We purchase moulding in case lots specifically to offer a wide range of styles at discounted prices. We offer many mouldings at accelerated discounts from retail! If price is the most important aspect of your selection process, we will help you identify the best moulding that meets the project requirements highest possible discount. Materials Optimization - Standard Sizes Equals more savings Frame materials typically come in standard sizes. Therefore, designing your work into those sizes will result in lower pricing due to improved materials utilization. This is especially important when designing volume projects.  For example, if you order frames that are 17 x 21, you can only get two mats from a sheet of 32 x 40" whereas 16 x 20 frames yield four sheets per mat board. Although the labor may be the same, materials costs are reduced, and there is less waste, therefore we are able to pass the savings on to you. Common Standard sizes 16 x 20 - efficient matting size, box glass 32 x 40 - standard mat board, foamcore, glass 36 x 48 - largest practical glass size; good for Acrylic (48") 40 x 60 - standard mat board, foamcore oversize 48 x 72 - limited mat board selection in this size 48 x 96 - foam core, mat board* -(100% white rag only) 48 x 96" Plexiglas *white rag only, some oversize mat board available Can I get a price over the phone or the internet? We encourage you to come in for a complimentary design session so that by working together we can find the best budget and style for your work. However, if you email your specifications, including size, quantity, glazing preference and style we will give you a range of pricing. How much is a Frame? The answer is "That depends" on the following: How big and how many are we making at one time? What style, type and quality of the moulding? How many mats and what type? UV, Plexiglas or Reduced reflection glazing? These are some of the consideration that combine to determine the price of a custom frame. Notes on Oversize pieces Standard mounting and backing materials are limited to 48 x 96. Frame moulding is normally not much longer than 96", sometimes ten foot. This is important to keep in mind in producing larger scale pieces.  Larger acrylic is available by special order, we stock to 60 x 120" What about Ready Made Frames?  The question to ask yourself is "Do I require custom framing. Readymades are often inexpensive as they are foreign made in large volume in factories. It is possible that they can be successfull for a range of projects, especially for smaller pieces. We can order these in for you and you may also have seen these in the larger 'Big box' stores. If you are OK assembling your piece and price is the most important factor, then you may not need custom framing and this could be a good solution. you will find the selection and sizes limited, and it will be very hard to match if you need to in the future. However, If you find something you love - chances are the price IS unbeatable. Our Ready Mades and Overstock We also have a variety of pre-made frames to choose from that we offer at discounted rates. These are often created from overcuts of our larger projects, and we provide full service with these orders such as matting and fitting. We encourage this as this way we are able to utilize a far greater percentageof our materials and reduce the amount of waste3 created in our shop that may otherwise occur. Note on Special orders - turnaround If your order requires a special order for materials we do not have in stock, your turnaround may be up to 3 weeks. This allows us time to aggregate orders, and maintain your best discount. If you must have a special order on an accelerated schedule, we may not be able to provide the same pricing Email your specifications here