The Spaces Between the Figures: Making Litho Estimates Truly Comparable

A litho estimate is not simply a number. It is an offer with boundaries, assumptions and omissions, some of which are spelled out and some of which are left to the buyer to discover. When two quotes arrive for the same specification, the difference between them often sits not in the figures but in the spaces between them. Procurement teams that compare only the total line risk choosing the cheaper-looking estimate and paying for the gap later.

The practical response is not to demand a longer quote for its own sake. It is to ask a consistent set of questions of every printer, so that the offers can be compared on the same basis. The aim is a like-for-like decision, not a longer document.

Begin with the specification both quotes assume

Before interrogating terms, confirm that both printers are pricing the same job. Check the sheet size, paper stock, weight and finish; the number of ink colours and whether specials are included; the extent of finishing and binding; the quantity and spoilage allowance; and the proofing route. A quote that assumes a house stock rather than the named paper, or a standard delivery rather than a timed one, is not directly comparable with one that does not.

Ask each printer to list the assumptions behind the price. This is not an invitation to renegotiate every line. It is a way of seeing where one quote has quietly simplified the job. A short assumptions list is useful; a missing one is a warning.

Delivery is a term, not a line

Carriage is one of the most common sources of false comparison. One estimate may include delivery to a single UK address; another may include kerbside delivery only; another may price ex-works. For a business receiving pallets, the difference matters. Ask whether the price includes tail-lift offloading, movement to a loading bay, pallet disposal, and delivery within normal working hours. Ask what happens if the receiving bay is occupied, if the site has restricted access, or if a timed booking is required.

Waiting time is part of the same question. A vehicle held at the gate for half an hour is not free, and a redelivery charge can erase the apparent saving on a quote. Ask how waiting time is calculated and whether it is included in the carriage figure. For repeat work, agree the access details once and have them recorded on the estimate.

Paper is the part that moves

Paper is a traded commodity, and estimates often carry a validity period. Ask how long the paper price is held, what triggers a surcharge, and who bears a mill increase between order and delivery. A quote that is silent on paper validity is not necessarily a poor quote, but it is an incomplete one.

Also ask what happens if the named stock is unavailable. Will the printer substitute an equivalent, and who approves it? A mill shade difference or a slight bulk variation may be acceptable for one job and unacceptable for another. The answer should be agreed before the plates go on, not after the paper arrives.

Waiting, approvals and the press slot

Production time is another quiet term. If approval of a proof is delayed, does the printer hold the press slot or release it? Is there a charge for rescheduling? What is the deadline for artwork and approval, and does the estimate assume a particular turnaround that depends on the buyer responding promptly?

These questions are especially relevant for campaigns with fixed dates. A quote that appears cheap may assume a flexible press slot; a quote that appears higher may include a protected slot. Neither is wrong, but the buyer should know which one is being offered.

Amendments, plate changes and reprints

Ask what counts as an amendment. A revised file after approval may require new plates, a fresh proof and a reset of the press. The estimate may not mention plate changes because it assumes none will occur. That is reasonable, but the rate should still be available on request.

Reprint liability is equally important. If an error is found in artwork that the buyer approved, who pays for the reprint? If the error is the printer's, what is the remedy? Ask for the printer's position on colour variation, finishing tolerances and stock shade within normal commercial limits. These are not adversarial questions; they are the terms that determine what happens when a job does not run exactly to plan.

The exclusions page

A useful estimate will state what it excludes. Common exclusions include VAT, delivery, storage beyond an agreed period, pallet disposal, special ink, overtime, courier costs, file correction and additional proofs. Some of these will not apply to a given job. The point is to know which ones do.

Ask for the exclusions to be listed in one place rather than scattered through the quote. If a printer cannot provide that list, ask the questions directly and keep the answers with the estimate. The record is as valuable as the price.

A simple comparison sheet

Set up a sheet with columns for price basis, delivery terms, paper validity, approval deadlines, amendment rates, reprint terms, payment terms and lead time. Ask each printer to complete the same fields. The exercise takes less time than resolving a delivery dispute after the job has been printed.

A comparison should then be made on total cost and total risk, not on the bottom line alone. The cheapest estimate may become the most expensive job if it excludes carriage, assumes a flexible slot, or leaves the buyer carrying the cost of a reprint. The higher estimate may already include the terms that matter.

Questions to send before you compare

• Is delivery included, and to what point: kerbside, tail-lift or loading bay?
• What is the waiting-time policy and redelivery charge?
• How long is the paper price held, and what triggers a surcharge?
• Who approves a stock substitution, and on what basis?
• What is the deadline for artwork approval, and what happens if it slips?
• What are the rates for plate changes and additional proofs?
• Who carries reprint liability for approved artwork errors?
• Which items are excluded from the quoted price?

A litho quote becomes comparable when its boundaries are visible. The buyer's task is to make those boundaries explicit before the order is placed, so that the decision rests on the whole offer rather than on the most prominent figure.