How to Quote a Vehicle Wrap: Step-by-Step for Wrap Shops
A systematic approach to wrap quoting — what to measure, how to price materials and labor, and how to present quotes that close.
Table of Contents
A good wrap quote isn't just a number — it's an explanation of value. Customers who understand what they're paying for object to the price far less. And shops with a consistent quoting process win more jobs and waste less time.
Here's how to quote a vehicle wrap, start to finish.
Step 1: Gather the Basics
Before you calculate anything, you need:
- •Vehicle year, make, and model (affects surface area and complexity)
- •Coverage scope: Full wrap, 3/4 wrap, partial wrap, or spot graphics?
- •Material preference: Standard, premium, specialty (chrome, matte, PPF)?
- •Design situation: Customer supplying print-ready files, needs minor tweaks, or needs a full custom design?
- •Timeline: When do they need the vehicle?
Get this information before your first quote conversation. A form on your website, a quick intake call, or a text thread with a few specific questions.
Step 2: Calculate Material Quantity
Material cost is based on surface area. Approximate square footage by vehicle type:
| Vehicle | Full Wrap Sq Ft |
|---|---|
| Compact car | 170–200 |
| Full-size sedan/coupe | 200–230 |
| Mid-size SUV | 250–280 |
| Full-size SUV/truck | 280–320 |
| Cargo van (Transit, Sprinter) | 300–360 |
| Box truck (16 ft) | 350–430 |
Add 15% for waste (cuts, overlap, mistakes). Multiply by your material cost per square foot:
- •Premium (3M IJ180mC + overlaminate): ~$3.50–$4.00/sq ft
- •Commercial (Arlon SLX + overlaminate): ~$2.80–$3.20/sq ft
- •Specialty (chrome, color shift): $5.00–$8.00/sq ft
Example: Full wrap on a cargo van - 340 sq ft × 1.15 waste factor = 391 sq ft - × $3.75/sq ft premium material = $1,466 material cost
Step 3: Estimate Design Cost
- •Print-ready files supplied: $0
- •Minor adjustments to existing files: $75–$150
- •Custom design with supplied branding: $200–$300
- •Full custom from scratch: $300–$500+
If you're unclear what the customer means by "I have a logo," assume you'll need time to prep their files. "I have a logo" often means a low-res JPEG from Facebook.
Step 4: Calculate Production
Production includes printing, cutting, weeding, taping, and prep:
- •Print time: ~$0.35–$0.50/sq ft on a wide-format printer (accounting for ink, media, and machine time)
- •Production labor: 2–4 hours at your shop rate ($60–$75/hr for most markets)
- •Typical production total: $150–$300 depending on coverage
Step 5: Calculate Installation Labor
Installation is your biggest variable:
| Vehicle | Install Hours | @ $125/hr |
|---|---|---|
| Compact car | 10–14 hrs | $1,250–$1,750 |
| Mid-size SUV | 12–16 hrs | $1,500–$2,000 |
| Cargo van | 14–20 hrs | $1,750–$2,500 |
| Box truck | 12–16 hrs | $1,500–$2,000 |
| Pickup truck | 10–14 hrs | $1,250–$1,750 |
For your first installs on a new vehicle type, track actual hours carefully. Your estimate for install time should tighten with experience.
Step 6: Add Overhead and Margin
Your material + design + production + install = your cost. You need to add:
- •Overhead: 15–20% of total cost (rent, utilities, insurance, tools)
- •Profit margin: 20–30% net margin target for a healthy wrap shop
If your costs come out to $3,200, adding 15% overhead = $3,680, then 25% margin = $4,600 quoted price.
Step 7: Present the Quote Clearly
A quote that closes breaks down: - What's included (vehicle, coverage, material grade, design) - What's excluded (changes after approval, additional design rounds) - Deposit required (typically 50%) - Timeline - Validity period (30 days is standard)
Send it in writing with a way to accept and pay the deposit electronically. A quote with a "pay deposit" button closes faster than one that requires a callback.
Common Quoting Mistakes
Quoting over text: Customers can't evaluate what they're agreeing to from a number in a text. Send a proper quote document.
Not specifying material grade: "Premium wrap" means different things to you and your customer. Name the material (3M IJ180mC, Avery MPI 1105) so there's no ambiguity.
Including unlimited design revisions: Scope the design work explicitly. Unlimited revisions is an undefined liability.
Quoting before seeing the vehicle: Complex curves, previous wrap or paint condition, existing body damage — these affect your quote. For jobs over $2,000, try to see the vehicle first.
Using Software to Quote Faster
A quoting tool with vehicle presets and saved pricing templates can get a basic quote from 20 minutes to under 5. If you're doing more than 10 quotes a month, it's worth setting up.
See Overlam's built-in quote builder — it has vehicle sq ft presets built in and converts directly to an invoice when the job is approved.
The Overlam Team
Wrap-industry veterans
The Overlam team is made up of wrap-industry veterans — shop owners, installers, and designers — writing about pricing, materials, and shop operations from inside the trade.
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