How to Quote a VehicleWrap Job (Without Leaving Money on the Table)

Quoting is where most wrap shops either make or lose money. Too high and you lose the job. Too low and you're working for free. Here's how to build quotes that are accurate every time.

Step 1: Know Your Material Costs

Calculate the cost per square foot for each material tier you offer:

• •Vinyl cost per sq ft = roll cost ÷ total sq ft per roll
• •Laminate cost per sq ft = same calculation
• •Combined material cost = vinyl + laminate per sq ft

Example: A roll of 3M IJ180mC (54" × 150ft) costs $450. That's 675 sq ft, so $0.67/sq ft for vinyl. Add $0.50/sq ft for laminate = $1.17/sq ft total material cost.

Step 2: Know Your Vehicle Square Footage

Every vehicle type has a known wrappable surface area:

• •Sedan: 200-250 sq ft
• •SUV: 250-300 sq ft
• •Pickup truck: 250-280 sq ft
• •Cargo van: 300-350 sq ft
• •Box truck: 350-500 sq ft

Keep a template library so you don't have to measure every time.

Step 3: Calculate Labor

Break labor into categories:

• •Design: $75-$150/hour. Simple layouts = 1-2 hours. Custom designs = 4-8 hours.
• •Production: Print, cut, weed, tape. Usually 2-4 hours.
• •Installation: The big one. Varies by vehicle and complexity. Full wrap on a sedan = 8-12 hours. Van = 12-16 hours.

Multiply hours × your shop rate for each category.

Step 4: Add Overhead & Margin

Your quote needs to cover more than just materials and labor:

• •Rent and utilities
• •Equipment depreciation
• •Insurance
• •Software and tools
• •Marketing costs

Add 15-25% margin on top of costs to stay healthy.

Step 5: Present Professionally

A professional quote builds trust. Include:

• •Itemized line items (materials, design, production, installation)
• •Vehicle description
• •Material specifications and warranty info
• •Timeline estimate
• •Payment terms (50% deposit, balance on completion)
• •Validity period (30 days)

Sending a PDF on branded letterhead closes more deals than texting a number.

Common Quoting Mistakes

• •Not charging for design revisions
• •Forgetting waste factor (add 15-20% to material sq ft)
• •Quoting "per vehicle" instead of calculating actual costs
• •Not requiring a deposit
• •Verbal quotes instead of written

The Easy Way

Use a quoting tool that knows vehicle sizes, calculates material costs from your inventory, and generates professional PDFs. Wraptor's quote builder does exactly this — select the vehicle, pick the material tier, and it calculates everything automatically.