09/17/2026
In 2016, an inquiry emailed me asking why a 15-foot install cost $650 when "it's just balloons," and my first instinct was to apologize and offer them a discount.
I think about that a lot now when I see new decorators racing to the bottom, offering $1,000+ custom work for $250.
Here is what lowballing actually costs: the 6 am prep, transport, vehicle wear and tear, insurance, and real physical labor. You're not just losing money. You're training clients to expect custom installs for prices that don't even cover the overhead.
10 years in this industry taught me what happens next: decorators undercharge, burn out, quit, and leave behind clients who expect everyone else to match those prices. It hurts the entire trade, and the rest of us are left re-educating every single inquiry.
Undercharging doesn't build a business. It just burns you out.
If you're tired of working for free and guessing your numbers, Chapter 1 is the No-BS Pricing Guide. Real math, zero fluff, and how to actually charge what custom work is worth.
Comment PRICING and ill send it over!
