Paper recommendation for printing building/floor plans.

[Paul Eby]

I have a customer requesting large format building/floor plan printing. What are recommendations for a low cost paper for this type of work. From what I've seen in the past the paper quality seems similar to a higher grade bond paper.

Second question is, is it possible to be competitive on pricing printing from an Epson 7900? - Paul Eby

[neile]

I actually just started doing this for my own personal remodel project. I'm using Canon Matte Coated Paper 170gsm/8mil, 17"x100'. It cost me $27. I figure I'll save over $300 in printing costs by doing it myself instead of going to Kinkos.

No idea if you can be competitive in a commerical setting, sorry

Neil

[Farmer]

I have a customer requesting large format building/floor plan printing. What are recommendations for a low cost paper for this type of work. From what I've seen in the past the paper quality seems similar to a higher grade bond paper.

Second question is, is it possible to be competitive on pricing printing from an Epson 7900? - Paul Eby

I'd look at something around 120gsm - should be plenty and cheap.  The 7700 (and 9700) are designed to do exactly this sort of thing, so the 7900 just has more colours (and is slower as a result) but otherwise would cost the same and so should be competitive.

[jdoyle1713]

Paul

Any good Bond paper will do..Yes The Epson Can do it well but in a competitve enviroment there are better machines on the market for this.. Like a Canon, HP.. Than there are several Just Black Toner options..

These printers are faster and the ink costs are less..

The Cad market is extremly competitive and becoming a difficult market for shops to be successful as more Contractors,Builders ,Engineers and Arch. all have been purchasing these machines and bringing the work in house!

Hope this helps a little..

Questions call or email me anytime

Cheers
Jim Doyle
Shades Of Paper

[Farmer]

I agree with you, Jim, but for a user who already has a 7900, they should be able to produce plans at a reasonably competitive price so long as it's not the main stay of the business, particulary if it's a user who wants you to do other work :-)

[mkravit]

I have a customer requesting large format building/floor plan printing. What are recommendations for a low cost paper for this type of work. From what I've seen in the past the paper quality seems similar to a higher grade bond paper.

Second question is, is it possible to be competitive on pricing printing from an Epson 7900? - Paul Eby

As architects we do most of our own printing in house. I have three printers:

1. Epson 7900
2. Epson 9800
3. Xerox 510

Obviously, we use the Xerox 510 as it is a B/W production printer that is fast and economical. However, I have printed construction documents on the others when we had lots of work to get out.

We use a very inexpensive 20# plotter bond. It is something like $32 a roll for 500' and comes two rolls to a package.

Most blue print houses in our area charge us around $0.65 / sheet for 24x36 D size sheets. In our office, we bill the prints at $2/sheet and the covers the labor, machine and paper costs.