Pricing policy

 By their very nature, every custom map is made just for you and priced separately. Having said that, it is only natural to want to have some idea of what a custom map would cost. The most expensive custom map we ever made was $3000. The cheapest was $75. To be perfectly candid, we price out our projects at $75 an hour. We typically "throw in" one rough draft and  a laminated final plot standard size is usually 44" high by 36" long.  The largest map we ever made was a US wall map for an elementary school that was about 10 feet wide and 7 feet high. Probably 60% of our projects fall in a range between $300 ~ $500.
Frequently asked questions:
What makes a custom map so expensive?
Each map is made by a professional cartographer. The cost is a function of two variables. The data required to make the map and the time required to make your map. Sometimes we have to buy street data from your local county to make a detailed map showing property boundaries or individual streets. We do this to give the absolute most up-to-date map possible.
How could I change my specifications to make the map cheaper?
There are several things you can do in working with us to reduce the cost of the project. First, you can make the decision to eliminate some of the detail. For example, showing every road, street and cul-de-sac on the map that covers more than a 4 mile radius is probably not necessary. Second, you can try to find some of the map data for us and provide it as part of the project. Often a local taxpayer can get street and property data cheaper from the local county planning department than a stranger calling from out of town. The same is true for demographic data. Does your company already subscribe to a service that will give you that data? Third, if you want your customers plotted on the map, type them into an Excel spreadsheet with a separate column for name, street address, city, state and zip. Finally, consider a semi-custom map. We have the ability to piece together pre-printed maps that have consistent cartography at the same scale. Often we can make a territory map with lots of highway detail at a fraction of the cost of a custom map. The folks in our Cartography department will refer you to the Wall map department if you can  take that option. Here's an example.
Do you discount for a quantity of custom maps?
YES. We discount two ways. First, you must remember that what you are really paying for is our cartographic time. Therefore, the price we quote is for our first copy. We will plot as many copies as you want for $50 a copy or less for a smaller map. Furthermore, we keep your project on file so you can request copies later at the above price. Second, if we are doing 3 or more separate maps for you at the same time we would give an additional 10% off. 10 maps garners an even higher discount.
What if need the map right away?
Our typical lead time for a custom map is 2 weeks. We can get one done faster with overtime, but we have to charge a rush fee based on the size of the job. We once did a rush job for The Department of Justice for a bank robbery trial that we finished in 15 hours!! That rush fee was $300.
How do I get the project started?  Read the section below on our ordering  procedure.

Ordering Procedure Start by giving us a call at 800-532-6675 anytime from 9a ~ 5p Eastern time. Ask for the Cartography Department. We have some people who tend to specialize in one type of map or another, but anyone there will be glad to talk to you.  They will ask your name, daytime phone, fax and general map needs. Next they will fill out something we call a Custom Map Request form and give you a ballpark estimate, just to let you know if a custom map makes sense. After they fill out the form, they will review it, put a firm estimate on the form and fax it to you.  You review the form and the map specifications. Have we left any information off the form that you would want to see on the map?? If so, call us again. If not fax it back with a 50% deposit. (Credit Card is the preferred method of payment) That will get the project started. We will do the map per your specs and send you a rough draft in paper or as a slightly fuzzy Jpeg file attached to an e-mail for smaller maps. If we left something off the rough draft that was on the custom map request form, we will fix it at no charge, do another copy and send it to you. If you or someone else in your office see something that should be on the map but was left off the Custom Map Request form, we may have to charge you something for the change. If an additional rough draft is required, then we will have to charge you an additional $50 for the next rough draft.
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