Printing on a short deadline
We cannot promise a date on a web page, as every job and every week is different. But some choices make a tight deadline much more achievable, and they are mostly yours to make.
First move: phone, do not email.
Call 07968 952157 before you do anything else. A short conversation shows if your date looks possible, and that may save you hours of work on a file that needs to change. Have these to hand when you ring.
- The date and time you actually need it, and where
- What it is, how many, and what size
- Indoors or outdoors, and how it will be fixed
- Whether the artwork exists, and in what state
Please give us the real date. A false early deadline makes planning harder, and a true one lets us look at the job honestly.
Simplify the specification.
Every extra process adds a step. If time is tight, ask which version of your idea has the fewest steps.
| Original plan | Simpler route to ask about | What you give up |
|---|---|---|
| Framed print | Print mounted on Foamex | The look of a frame |
| Stretched canvas | Photo paper print | Canvas texture and depth |
| Print mounted, then laminated | Mounted only | Some surface protection |
| Custom shape cut from board | Rectangular board | The shape |
| New design from scratch | Your existing file with new wording | A fresh look |
| Many sizes | One size throughout | Some fit to each location |
Those are ideas to raise, not promises of a faster result, as it depends on the work already in hand.
Get the file right the first time.
On a short job there is no spare round for corrections. Print-ready artwork at the correct size removes the biggest unknown. Use our file check even if you feel you have no time, and leave out any step that can wait, such as tweaks to colour. If your artwork is not ready, tell us immediately, as our design team may be able to help.
Delivery.
Allow for the journey in your planning. For UK priority orders, these are the listed services.
| Service | Each order |
|---|---|
| UK overnight courier, next working day | from £20 |
| UK Special Delivery, by 1pm next working day | £25 |
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Ask us whether collecting from Willow Walk is an option on the day. Remember that rigid boards and long rolls can be harder to send, so check how yours will travel.
Rushed jobs make the same mistakes
- Only one person read the wording, and it was the person who wrote it
- A logo was grabbed from a website
- The size came from memory, not a tape measure
- Two people changed the file at once, and the older version was sent
A second reader takes five minutes. A reprint on an already tight deadline may not be possible at all.
Next time
Once the rush is over, keep your approved files and sizes together in one place. Our guide to planning print deadlines shows how to avoid a repeat.
Print that had a date to meet.
Your questions.
Is there a surcharge for urgent work?
Ask us when you call. It depends on the job and the timing, and anything extra will be shown in your quote.
Can you print outside normal hours?
Ask us. We can tell you what is possible once we know the job and the date.
What is the quickest type of file to work from?
A correctly sized PDF with embedded fonts and bleed, and a clear note of what you want. Anything we have to query takes longer.