Planning print deadlines
Start with the moment the print has to be in place, and count backwards. Most missed dates come from the stages before anything is printed.
Plan from the finish line.
Copy this table, put your event at the top and fill in dates from top to bottom. We have left the durations out on purpose, because they vary so much by job. Ask us for the production time when you request a quote.
| Stage | Owner | What tends to slip |
|---|---|---|
| In place and checked | You or the venue | Access slots, keys, opening hours |
| Fitted or set up | As agreed in your quote | Weather, wall not ready, parking |
| Delivered | Courier | Working days, a venue that cannot accept goods |
| Finished: mounting, hems, eyelets | Print team | Extra finishing added late |
| Printed | Print team | Corrections after approval |
| Proof approved | Your named approver | Holidays and absent directors |
| Final artwork sent | Your designer | Missing logos, wrong sizes |
| Copy and images signed off | Your team | The biggest gap on most jobs |
| Site measured | You | Assumed sizes that turn out wrong |
Five dates people get wrong.
The event date. That is not your deadline. Your deadline is the last moment the print can arrive and still be set up, which at an exhibition may be the day before opening or earlier.
Next working day. Courier services run on working days. Something sent on a Friday under a next-working-day service will normally arrive on the Monday, and a bank holiday will push that back again. Our listed options include a UK overnight courier from £20 and UK Special Delivery, by 1pm on the next working day, at £25.
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Approval time. If three people must agree, allow time for all three, including the one who is on leave. Ask who the final decision-maker is at the start.
The venue's own date. Exhibitions and shopping centres often have a cut-off for graphics approval, well ahead of the opening date. Check the exhibitor manual or the landlord's rules.
Paint and walls. If vinyl is going on a freshly painted wall, the paint needs time to cure first. Ask the decorator or paint maker, and see preparing a wall for graphics.
Build in a buffer, and put it in the right place.
Spreading a day here and there through the plan rarely works, as each stage quietly uses it up. Keep your spare time at the end, between delivery and the event, so that a problem found on arrival can still be fixed. Busy periods also matter. Seasonal campaigns, degree shows and major trade events all make demand less predictable.
Share the plan
Send us your dates when you first enquire, even if the artwork is weeks away. We can then tell you whether the plan looks realistic. Include any stage where you need a proof, as it adds a round of checking. If time has already run out, read printing on a short deadline.
Getting print into position.
Your questions.
How long does a print job take?
It depends on the product, quantity, finishing and how busy we are. Tell us your date when you ask for a price, and we will confirm what is possible for that job.
Can delivery be booked for a specific time?
Our listed services include Special Delivery by 1pm next working day. For a specific slot at a venue, ask us and we will confirm the options.
Should I send artwork in stages?
If parts of a project are ready, that can help, particularly when there are many items. Agree it with us first, so that nothing is printed out of step.