TL;DR
Cut-vinyl signwriting on a single van typically starts around £200–£350. A printed partial livery sits in the £495–£900 range. A full printed and laminated van wrap is usually £1,800–£3,200, depending on the van and the film grade. Cheaper quotes almost always mean cheaper vinyl, no laminate, no warranty, or a fitter without a workshop.
This article breaks down what you're actually paying for, and what to ask when you compare quotes.
What "van signwriting" means in 2026
Three different jobs get lumped under "van signwriting" and they sit at very different price points:
1. Cut vinyl lettering. Your company name, phone number, website and maybe a logo, cut from coloured vinyl and applied panel-by-panel. No printing involved. Cheapest option. Looks great on a clean white van; doesn't disguise body damage and doesn't carry photographic detail.
2. Printed partial livery. Printed graphics applied to specific panels — usually the rear doors, the rear quarter, and a side panel — combined with cut-vinyl lettering elsewhere. Lets you use photographs, gradients, complex logos and brand colours that don't exist as stock vinyl.
3. Full van wrap. Every painted panel covered in printed, laminated wrap film. Used when you want a colour change, a full design wrapping around the vehicle, or maximum visibility. Most expensive — and most labour-intensive to fit.
A fourth job — colour-change wrap, no graphics — is technically the same product as a full wrap but priced separately because it tends to use a different film range.
Realistic UK prices in 2026
These are workshop prices for a competent installer using cast vinyls and (for printed work) laminated film. Cheaper exists; it's almost always either calendered vinyl, no laminate, or a roadside fitter without proper bays.
| Job | Small van (Caddy, Connect, Berlingo) | Medium van (Transit Custom, Vivaro) | Large van (Transit, Sprinter, Crafter) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut vinyl lettering, both sides + rear | £200–£300 | £250–£375 | £300–£450 |
| Printed partial livery | £495–£700 | £600–£850 | £750–£1,100 |
| Printed three-quarter livery | £900–£1,300 | £1,100–£1,600 | £1,300–£1,900 |
| Full printed and laminated wrap | £1,800–£2,400 | £2,200–£2,800 | £2,600–£3,500 |
| Colour-change wrap (no graphics) | £1,800–£2,400 | £2,200–£3,000 | £2,800–£3,800 |
Prices assume a single vehicle, in-workshop, no PPF, no window tint, normal access. Prices do not include design from scratch (typically £150–£450 depending on complexity) or removal of an existing wrap (usually £350–£900).
What drives the cost
Vinyl grade. Cast vinyl (3M IJ180, Avery MPI 1105, Hexis Bodyfence-grade and similar) costs roughly twice the price of calendered vinyl, but lasts twice as long, conforms around rivets and complex curves, and won't shrink back from edges. For a vehicle you'll keep three or more years, cast is the only sensible answer.
Laminate. Printed graphics need a clear protective laminate over the top to take the abuse of jet-washes, road grit and UV. A printed livery without laminate will start to look tired inside 18 months. With laminate, five to seven years on a cast film is normal.
Print area. A few rear-door graphics are a different job from covering both flanks, rear doors and a bonnet. Pricing usually scales with square metres printed and fitted.
Vehicle shape and access. Recessed rivets, complex curves and corrugated panels (some Vivaros, some Crafters) take longer to fit than a flat-sided Transit. Workshop-fitted is faster, cleaner and warm — mobile fitting outdoors in February will cost more and take longer.
Design. A clean, well-prepared brand identity supplied as a vector file is straightforward. A logo recreated from a low-resolution photo, a colour matched by eye to a paint sample, or a custom illustration designed from scratch all add design time.
Removal of an existing wrap. Old vinyl that's been on the van for five years and baked in the sun is a job in itself. Allow half a day to a full day per van.
Where it's worth spending more
- Always pay for laminate on a printed job. Skipping it saves around 10% on the print cost and costs you the whole livery 18 months later.
- Always pay for cast vinyl on cut-vinyl jobs that will live on the van more than a year. Calendered will lift at edges and shrink in the heat.
- Pay for design if your existing artwork is rough. A well-set-out van is a moving billboard for the lifetime of the vehicle; £300 of design over a six-year vehicle life is £4 a month.
Where it's NOT worth spending more
- Don't pay extra for "premium" colour vinyl if your design is simple two-colour signwriting. 3M Scotchcal and Avery 700/900-series cut vinyls are excellent at standard pricing.
- Don't pay for a full wrap if you only want visibility. A well-designed three-quarter livery looks like a wrap to most people, costs less, and is easier to remove cleanly when the van leaves the fleet.
What to ask when you compare quotes
- Cast or calendered vinyl? (Cast — full stop, for anything you'll keep more than a year.)
- Is the print laminated? (For printed jobs — yes.)
- Is fitting done indoors in a heated bay? (Yes — outdoor fits in cold weather are a false economy.)
- What warranty is offered on the install? (Two years is reasonable; some shops offer five.)
- Will you supply a proof before you print? (Yes — always sign off a soft proof.)
- Do you retain my artwork for repeat vehicles? (Critical if you're likely to add to the fleet.)
PJT Print in Somerset
We fit van livery in our Weston-super-Mare workshop for trades, fleets and independent vans across Somerset, Bristol, Bath and the South West. Cast vinyls, laminated printed graphics, indoor bays, two-year fitting warranty as standard, and we keep your design on file for when you add the next vehicle.
[Get a quote for van signwriting →]