TL;DR: Price a wall mural job by building it up from your own costs and time, then checking it against what comparable services charge locally. Most operators choose between per-area pricing (per square meter or per square foot) and per-job pricing, then add separate lines for site visits, surface preparation, white ink, design, travel and a minimum charge. This article gives a method, not market rates. Vertiq publishes no income, payback or return figures, and no number here should be read as a typical price.
Step 1: Choose a pricing structure
Per square meter or per square foot
Per-area pricing is easy for clients to understand and scales with wall size. It suits repeat commercial work and walls of varying sizes. The risk is that small walls become unprofitable once setup and travel are included, which is why per-area pricing almost always comes with a minimum charge.
Per job
A fixed price per wall or per project suits standard products — a logo wall of a typical size, a children's room mural package — and clients who prefer a single number. The risk is underpricing a job that turns out harder than expected, so per-job prices should rest on a site visit.
Hybrid
Many operators quote a per-area print rate plus fixed lines for setup, design and travel. That keeps the price transparent while covering costs that do not scale with area.
Step 2: Do a site visit (or a structured remote survey)
Before quoting, confirm:
Photos and a short video from the client can replace a visit for simple jobs, but complex or high-value jobs justify going in person.
Step 3: List your cost lines
Build the quote from lines like these. Fill in your own figures.
| Cost line | What it covers | How to estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Ink | CMYK + White UV ink | Printed area × your ink figure (Vertiq publishes $0.40–$6.70 per m², about $0.04–$0.62 per sq ft) |
| White underbase | Extra ink layer on dark or transparent surfaces | Use the upper part of your ink range for affected areas |
| Surface preparation | Cleaning, patching, primer | Materials plus labor time |
| Design and proofing | Artwork creation, edits, scaling | Your hourly rate or a fixed design fee |
| Setup and printing time | Moving in, setup, printing, cleanup | Hours on site × your labor rate |
| Travel | Driving, parking, tolls, accommodation | Distance-based or zone-based charge |
| Finish coat | Optional clear coat for protection | Materials plus time |
| Wear and maintenance | Printhead wear, cleaning supplies | An allowance per job based on your records |
Wear parts are real costs: replacement industrial printheads are about $1,500, Nova printheads about $3,200, and maintenance supplies about $150. Spread them across your expected jobs.
Step 4: Estimate time honestly
Time on site is usually the largest cost. Include:
Track actual hours on your first jobs. Estimates improve quickly with real data.
Step 5: Set a minimum charge
A minimum charge protects you on small walls, where setup and travel cost the same as on large ones. Set it so that the smallest job you accept still covers your time, travel and consumables. State it clearly on your price sheet.
Step 6: Check against the local market
Once you have a cost-based price, compare it with what clients would otherwise pay for similar results — hand-painted murals, printed wallpaper or vinyl installed by a sign shop. Ask local designers and contractors what they usually pay for comparable walls. Then decide where your price sits. Do not copy a number from the internet; rates vary by city, client type and job.
Step 7: Write the quote clearly
A good quote lists:
Clear quotes prevent disputes and make it easier for clients to compare you with alternatives.
Model your own numbers
The payback calculator uses only the selling price, job volume, area and costs you enter; it does not supply market rates. The business cost guide lists cost categories. Vertiq publishes no income, payback or return figures for any operator.
Common pricing mistakes
Reviewing your prices over time
After each job, compare the quote with what actually happened: hours on site, ink used, preparation needed and travel. Adjust your cost lines when they drift. Review your minimum charge and per-area figure every few months against your records and against what comparable local services charge. This turns pricing from a guess into a routine.
A blank quote template
Use a structure like this and fill in your own figures:
Keeping every quote in the same format makes it easier to compare jobs later and to see which lines are costing you more than you expected.