Home → EstiMate Version 1 → Financials: Hard Numbers Etc. → Difference in EstiMate's material cost vs. my calculations?

2.4. Difference in EstiMate's material cost vs. my calculations?

When I check the hard numbers in digital printing on oracal 651 vinyl with duracoat spot foils I am not getting the same cost as the program.

The decals are (250) 3 x 4.5 with two colors. When I figure my cost be outputting the job to the gerber edge and figure my cost per foot I come up with a cost of almost $50 bucks. When I do it in estimate it shows my cost about $25 bucks.

I use this process to check decals now and again and the cost is usually pretty close. Is it because of the way estimate configures the stacking of the decals or what?

To figure my actual cost I take the amount
of vinyl and foil and times it by my cost of each.

Oracal 651 runs about .30/ft and foils about .58/ft. On this job when I output the job it uses
405 inches of vinyl and foil. So to calculate my cost I take .30+.58+.58=
1.46/ft. Vinyl and two colors of foil. Then I take 405/12 to get it into
ft. this gives me 33.75ft. 33.75*1.46= 49.275. This I know is my actual
cost. I just trying to see how estimate arrives at its cost?

Here is how EstiMate is calculating the material cost:

One decal: 3 X 4.5 = 13.5sq in.
Total job: 13.5sqin X 250 qty. = 3,375 sqin

Media cost: 13.5 X .0016sqin = .0216 per decal.
Total media cost: .0216 X 250qty = $5.40
Transfer Tape: 13.5 X .0006 sqin = .0081 per decal
Transfer Tape Total: .0081 X 250qty = $2.02
Foil cost: 13.5 X .0026 X 2passes = .0702 per decal
Foil total: .0702 X 250 = $17.55

Media = $5.40
Transfer Tape = $2.02
Foil = $17.55
_____________________

Total Material Cost = $24.97

Notes and observations:

The difference in cents between your hard numbers and these calculations is due to rounding.

EstiMate is calculating square inches only for the media and not factoring in stacking or like parameters.

If using the gerber edge, you should have the min. sqin this foil must print setting in the foils database set to 11.8 instead of 1.

If your pricing seems low then one place to check is the markup you have for the foils. The default percentage of 100% is low based on collective input from sign makers who are doing digital printing. Levels in the 300-400% range have been recommended.