HolidayCoro has a full production team ready to make your custom props. The following article covers:
How to determine the cost of your custom prop
Design considerations to consider when designing your prop
Common questions we receive about custom props
Design costs
HolidayCoro designed props from customer designs
$.25 cents per pixel for design with a minimum design cost of $50
1 revision is provided at no cost, additional revisions are $25 each
We do need some idea of what you want designed and we can take most formats.
Customer designs provided to HolidayCoro
Do not attempt to do this unless you are experienced with CAD
Customer must provide CAD files in DXF or DWG format
All vectors must be closed without any start or end for inside profiles (pixels, slots, cutouts) and outside profile (actual outline of the design)
We recommend that you add a few dimensions callouts so our production staff is 100% sure if you are using mm or inch dimensions
WE DO NOT CORRECT CUSTOMER ERRORS AND HOLIDAYCORO IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGN ISSUES WITH CUSTOMER SUBMITTED DESIGNS
We will not adjust a design for incorrect size holes, lack of mounting holes, borders or any other consideration - we highly recommend thinking through your entire design prior to submission
All holes / inside profiles must larger than .125 inches (1/8")
You must ALWAYS leave .5in (1/2") of gap between any two outside profiles and the outside of the material (see the maximum dimensions listed below)
Inside and outside profiles must be on seperate layers within your CAD drawing
For each revision of the submitted drawing that does not meet these requirements, there is an $10 review cost
See this video for specific instructions on delivering your CAD drawing:
Custom xLights models with pixel path layout are $.10 per pixel
Submodels are additional cost based on customer request
Select your Material
10mm Coroplast
$60 per sheet up to 100 inches by 88 inches
Black or white
This material is good for self supporting props like snow flakes or candy canes
Multiple layers of material can be stacked for structural projects
4mm Coroplast
$20 per sheet up to 95.5 inches by 48 inches (flute is along 95.5 length)
Black or white
This material is good for mini light props
.038" or 1mm HDPE Flexible Sheet
$35 per sheet up to 100 inches by 88 inches
Black or white
This material is good for props that require flexibility such as minitrees
Production Cost
Each "run" of the machine is $125 - this is typically one sheet. This applies if the machine produces 1 prop or 30 on the same sheet.
We have a one-sheet minimum run and you can put as many props on the sheet as have been designed. For example, it might cost the same to produce 10 of the same prop as it would to produce 1. Consider this when designing your props for the most efficient use of materials.
It is possible to stack multiple layers of material on top of each other and cut all of them at one time with only the material cost being added.
Typically 5 sheets of HDPE can be cut at once and 2 sheets of 10mm coroplast material can be cut at one time.
Customization
We offer custom UV printing for both reverse (pixel path) and front (designs). Printing is designed for outdoor use. Pricing is based on complexity and part count. Typical costs start at $50
Shipping
Shipping is charged based on actual shipping costs. For larger props we typically will fold them but any method of shipping is possible if a prop must arrive without folding.
Production Time Frame
Off peak (Jan to Aug) - 1 to 2 days, no additional fees
Peak
Sept - 2 to 4 days + $100 peak fee
Oct - 3 to 5 days + $200 peak fee
Nov - 4 to 6 days + $400 peak fee
Example of a custom prop pricing
Example: Custom snowflake prop without printing using 10mm coroplast material and with one design revision and 150 pixels and during the off peak season
As you can see, the cost per prop decreases as the quantity increases by having more props on each sheet.
FAQs
Q: Why is it so expensive to make a simple plastic prop?
A: The cost to design, setup and produce one prop that is sold one time to one customer is the same cost as to design and produce a props that is sold dozens of times per year. This means there are a lot of up-front costs involved that are not covered when the prop is sold to many people.
Q: How many revisions does it typically take to get the design right?
A: This can vary based on how prepared the the customer is with their idea or design. For someone that brings just an "idea" of what they want to do, it can require 2-4 revisions and for someone that is very clear on their prop - the size, shape or number or spacing of pixels it could be no revisions. We recommend thinking through your prop in as much detail as possible before starting the design process.
Q: Why is there a fee to make products during peak season?
A: The peak fees are because of the amount of work it takes to custom make a one-off prop during the busy holiday season and the time it takes away from our normal sales and processing activities.
Q: Can you design a copyrighted design for me?
A: Customers can submit any design of their own if they attest to owning the copyright.
Q: When do I have to pay for my custom prop?
A: We typically will discuss with the customer the general pricing on a prop before starting the design work. We require payment in full before we start the design process.
Q: Can my custom prop ship with my regular order?
A: Yes, in most cases we can combine your custom prop with your regular order.
If it looks like having HolidayCoro design your custom prop is right for you, please reply to this email with the following information:
Any drawings, website links, sketches or photos of the prop
If you do not have such items, please describe as much as possible about what the prop looks like or does
Dimensions of the prop
We typically use inches and measure props to the outside edge of a prop