How to price a balloon garland (with a worked example)

The fastest way to price a balloon garland is per foot: add up what one foot really costs you in balloons, supplies and time, add a breakage allowance, then set your price so the margin you want is left over. Below is the method, a worked example and the mistakes that quietly cost balloon artists money.

#Why per-foot pricing works

Clients think in space — "the arch over the dessert table", "the stairs". A per-foot price lets you quote any shape in minutes and stay consistent between jobs. It also makes upgrades easy to sell: chrome balloons, fresh florals or a printed sign become simple add-ons on top of the base foot price.

#Step 1: Count the balloons in one foot

Build (or measure) one foot of your standard garland and count every balloon by size. A typical organic garland mixes large (16–18"), standard (11") and small (5") balloons. Write the counts down — this is your recipe.

#Step 2: Add a breakage allowance

Balloons pop during inflation and installation, especially in heat. Add 10–15% to the balloon quantity. Skipping this step is the most common reason garlands lose money.

#Step 3: Price your time

Time how long one foot takes to inflate and build, then multiply by your hourly rate — including the time of any helper. If you are not sure what your hourly rate should be, start with what you would need to earn per year divided by the hours you actually bill.

#Step 4: Add supplies, delivery and installation

Garland strip or tape, glue dots, hooks and weights belong in the per-foot cost. Delivery and installation should be separate lines on the quote so travel and late teardown are always paid.

#Step 5: Set the price from your target margin

Use margin, not markup: price = cost ÷ (1 − margin). A 60% margin on a $10 cost is $25, not $16. If you are used to markup, see how the Sarvyam pricing engine handles margin.

#A worked example

These numbers are an example — use your own supplier prices.

Item per foot	Quantity	Cost
18" balloons	1	$0.90
11" balloons	6 + 15% breakage	$1.04
5" balloons	4 + 15% breakage	$0.28
Strip, glue dots, hooks	—	$0.25
Build time	0.3 h at $25/h	$7.50
True cost per foot		$9.97

At a 60% target margin: $9.97 ÷ 0.4 = $24.93, so you would quote about $25 per foot. A 20-foot garland is $500 before delivery and installation.

#Mistakes that cost balloon artists money

• Pricing from competitors. Their costs and wages are not yours.
• Forgetting breakage and heat. Outdoor summer jobs need a higher allowance.
• Free design time. Mood boards and revisions are work; include a design fee for custom pieces.
• Discounting the base price. Offer a smaller garland or fewer add-ons instead.

#Do it once, reuse it forever

Write your garland recipe once and every future quote is instant. In Sarvyam's balloon starter pack the garland recipe, breakage and labour are already set up — you confirm your own prices and the true cost and margin of every quote update automatically.

#Key takeaways

• Price garlands per foot from a written recipe.
• Always add 10–15% breakage and your real build time.
• Set prices with margin: cost ÷ (1 − margin).
• Charge delivery and installation as separate lines.