What does a $3500.00 USD fireworks display really cost?

[displayfireworks1]

I decided to make a fun post to see what people know about bidding out a fireworks display. How many fireworks are in a typical $3500.00 fireworks display in United States? How much is the cost of the product for the display?
After a reasonable mount of time has past and everyone that wants to makes a comment does so, I will give the answer based on an actual display fireworks contract. The company in the contract will remain anonymous. I have the complete itemization of the contract and will post it.
Here is the background on the display
This is an approved contract I will be referecing.
The entire display is 3 and 4 inch shells only. Mix of color and salute.
It includes and opener, the body of the display and a finale
The cost is $3500.00 USD.

Here are the questions for your post.
1. How many total three inch shells are in this display?
2. How many total four inch shells are in this display?
3. Using the pricing data from the publicly posted price list at Kellners Fireworks for fancy grade shells and Titanium salutes three inch, please list your cost in fireworks to produce this display. Ex. How many cases at what cost.
4. If you really feel you know this process, please shell count the Opener/Body and Finale

Kellners Fireworks Link to Display Fireworks
http://catalog.kellfire.com/professional
What you have to remember is the display fireworks company most likely is a direct importer of the fireworks shells and will not be paying the retail price you will be paying at Kellners Fireworks. However, for the purpose of this game we will base prices on retail at Kellners Fireworks in Pennsylvania. Of course, there are other cost associated with a fireworks display but we are just looking at the cost of the fireworks product. Have fun a please participate and post your answer.
Once we get through this first part of pricing out the product our next move may be to examine the “Other” cost.
.


In fairness to my advertisersI picked Kellners Fireworks for this example because he is a distributor that publicly post his 1.3 prices making it easier to reference prices for those new into 1.3 products.

[VFI_Fireworks]

Since the dawn of time I would say the bigger companies use a 1/3 bases. So how much is $1166.66 in fireworks ummm!!! So (3) cases 4" or 108 shells and (4) cases 3" or 180 shells leaving 3 cases of color and (1) salute finale string or 240 shells. So total shell count is 528. now I may be off by a case but this is a typical big boy show.

[PyroManiacs]

So roundabout $1116 for 528 shells? Sounds good to me. Thats hours of fun!

[VFI_Fireworks]

Oh and I would not have gotten any business at the beginning if I wasn't more competetive, so no i dont use this method, I actually work on visibility, distances, crowd and a host of other factors. Thats one reason most of our shows are repeats, I always give more than time and effort in making sure the shows a success, so even though this is about pricing shows, customer service and just working with the show cost is huge to alot of people. I would do (4) $1500.00 shows in a heartbeat easy quick and profitble just as much as a big show.

[pyro1361]

How can you make profit on $1,500 show, ( you have insurance cost, Paying your workers, Workers comp, oh and what about Dot costs.) If your making profit, you need to have all this in line to be legal. Dot Costs are very very expensive, you have drug testing as well. To do a $1,500 show I would have to do this show myself and not pay any workers, and shoot alot of class C, to make any kind of profit and that would not be much. and I import my fireworks.
Any Company out there would look at all the costs with fireworks, you pay for all the Insurance, Dot cost, by year, so you will need to work out what costs come out of each show, so at the end of the year, everything works out.

[laquil]

Your show, sorry if may I ask, it is going to be during the day or night time ?

That's make a lot of difference with that kind of money, you can make a big show it's all
boils down what are your expectations you. it is also depends were the show it is going to be
may be we can add some ground fireworks to, my problem is the exportation, To USA

With that kind of money we can make a good show

Say just an example

Example show

1) We start with a 5' Salut x 21 Titanium with the lifting whistling sound or white.
2) We can make 3' x 400 bombs
colour flash say 100 x white, 100x green, and 100x yellow also 100 titanium
3) We can make Maltese Beraq small 3'x400
colour flash say 100 x white, 100x green, and 100x yellow also 100 titanium

4) We can make Color ones we can make 300 x 3'

5) We can make 100 x 3' Whistles

6) 5' x 10 Balls at the end.

First We start with White Bombs then followed by white Beraq, then we go to the Green Bomb followed with green Beraq then we go with colored ones then we change to the whistling ones and finally we continue with the rest of Bombs and Beraq and to close the show the 5' x 10 Balls so on then if you wish in the interchanging we ca fire a small "barrax 20 x 3' colored bombs goes all in one go"
even we can add some say 50 rockets and to close everything we make 6 x 8' Bombs

We can make some small Ground Fireworks to0 like we can make 4 x 4 St Cathrine Wheels each one if I show you how to make the wheel we can make a nice show.

What do you thing my Friend

[laquil]

Please find what the Beraq looks like some thing like this to fill the Show

Green Beraq

http://vimeo.com/19390886#


Red Beraq

http://vimeo.com/19406491#

Yellow Beraq

http://vimeo.com/19407554#

White Beraq


http://vimeo.com/19390134#


Please follow this link to see what you can chose From

http://www.unionbandmalta.org/page66.html

[laquil]

We can make some thing like this too


http://vimeo.com/5443610

[laquil]

Finally these are all my Work the traditional Maltese BERAQ
For All those who wanted to see my work here you go

Enjoy the show


http://vimeo.com/5720419

[laquil]

This is were I live in Malta Qrendi


http://vimeo.com/5583133

[displayfireworks1]

Laquil

The more comments and videos you post on the forums the more I think I need to take a vacation and travel to Malta to visit you. You posting from Malta are much appreciated. Perhaps next year this may be something for us to consider.
I am not sure what the money conversation for $3500.00 USD to money in Malta is. Does Malta use the Euro? You may be surprised how little fireworks are used for this money in a professional display in United States. Remember in this example this is what a professional fireworks charges to have a fireworks display for a small town.

Dave displayfireworks1

[laquil]

Hi Thank you for the compliment, and appreciate a million, my idea is to share with you the Beauty of Fireworks, We the Maltese, we do all this fireworks for passion not for money, because
we love fireworks more then any thing.

you are more then Well come, or any one on this Forum, if you wish to come to visit us,

just let me know,or may be you can organized a tour trip to Malta for all the members in this forum
To come and watch Great Fireworks live, I can arrange a good round trip and some Visits to some Maltese
Fireworks Factory's and also, I will help you were to stay.

Now coming to the show We use Euros the equivalent to 3500 dollars to euros are 2,721 Euros

IS that money is only for fireworks? or you also need to pay insurance permits and other stuff.

If the answer is with 3500 dollars only for fireworks, we can make a big show, in Malta, fireworks are not that expensive, l will get you the prices for sure and we will see how to get them there, but it depends what do you want to do, you have two options

1) If want to make the audience, were is the show going to take part, and you want them
to say a big (WOW)

2) If you are looking to make some money from it, but we can still make them say WOW
but we can put more ground Fireworks in the show, because it is cheaper and more crowd pulling

I think the best way to export them to USA, are dismantled, then I will assist you in the assembling them, Regarding the Ground fire works, I am ready to send some diagrams how to make nice Cathrine wheels with very Cheap Fireworks, you will be amazed, but every one will enjoy seeing them
they make a nice atmosphere, We can create what ever they want.

I can even make, 30 feet The USA Flag rising from the ground in to the sky with the National Anthem playing and some small Background fireworks from behind that should create a big atmosphere, sky is the limit. let continue discussion here what we can do we pan it and we do it, I am ready to help all the way down, because I want to make a nice display that leaves every one to talk about it.

The most important thing in Fireworks, it is not how many do you have, but the way you put them together.

Thanks every one for your support.

[VFI_Fireworks]

AHHH! yep try doing 3500.00 show yourself thats where you make $$$$ and 1500.00 only requires 1 person DONT FORGET volunteers need no WC or nuttin and when your a small family drug tests are just for who runs, shoots, drives, leads, loads and every other aspect, your thinking to big, small companies can make it and I have an insurance that allows us a certain budget for a cheaper insurance... Yep it works out just fine you just have to want to do all the work and that dont happen much in this society anymore.

[Palermitano2]

Hi Thank you for the compliment, and appreciate a million, my idea is to share with you the Beauty of Fireworks, We the Maltese, we do all this fireworks for passion not for money, because
we love fireworks more then any thing.

you are more then Well come, or any one on this Forum, if you wish to come to visit us,

just let me know,or may be you can organized a tour trip to Malta for all the members in this forum
To come and watch Great Fireworks live, I can arrange a good round trip and some Visits to some Maltese
Fireworks Factory's and also, I will help you were to stay.

Now coming to the show We use Euros the equivalent to 3500 dollars to euros are 2,721 Euros

IS that money is only for fireworks? or you also need to pay insurance permits and other stuff.

If the answer is with 3500 dollars only for fireworks, we can make a big show, in Malta, fireworks are not that expensive, l will get you the prices for sure and we will see how to get them there, but it depends what do you want to do, you have two options

1) If want to make the audience, were is the show going to take part, and you want them
to say a big (WOW)

2) If you are looking to make some money from it, but we can still make them say WOW
but we can put more ground Fireworks in the show, because it is cheaper and more crowd pulling

I think the best way to export them to USA, are dismantled, then I will assist you in the assembling them, Regarding the Ground fire works, I am ready to send some diagrams how to make nice Cathrine wheels with very Cheap Fireworks, you will be amazed, but every one will enjoy seeing them
they make a nice atmosphere, We can create what ever they want.

I can even make, 30 feet The USA Flag rising from the ground in to the sky with the National Anthem playing and some small Background fireworks from behind that should create a big atmosphere, sky is the limit. let continue discussion here what we can do we pan it and we do it, I am ready to help all the way down, because I want to make a nice display that leaves every one to talk about it.

The most important thing in Fireworks, it is not how many do you have, but the way you put them together.

Thanks every one for your support.

The second to last line hit the nail on the head!!!!!! i feel the same way as well

[pyro1361]

First off there is no such thing big or small, If you are accepting money(money changing Hands) you need to follow rules. That is the problem with the firework industry, if I need to have all the right insurance and meet all Dot requirements, so should every other company out there. How is it fair to bid on shows when the other company is cheating. " not playing on the same field".
Told by me by one of the Largest firework companys in the US " If I have to play by the rules so should every other firework company no matter how big or Small". No matter if you do 1 show a year if you are accepting Money, you need to placard and meet all Dot requirments, including drug testing. I work just about every show I can, I do over 60 shows a year, So if someone can out bid me, and they are not following the rules how is this fair.
This just makes me laugh all the time, I run into to people that think they can run a firework business and give the customer so much more fireworks, of course you can when you run under the radar. Call Federal motor carriers )FMCSA and check the laws and rules.
I have 6 family members that work for me 3 are drivers, they need to be drug tested, and meet all dot requirments, and one of them I dont pay.
Everyone that wants to start a business never thinks about DOT NEVER. DOT gives big money fines, this is one thing you dont wanna screw with. There is so much more to runnning a business then just buying fireworks and setting them up, tons of paper work and laws that need to be followed.
So there is more to a bid then just Fireworks, there are alot of costs that need to be covered.

[tgis81]

I would like to make a motion for Dave to just go ahead and post the answer to his question, before this sidetracks into an argument about fireworks laws, in which people will most definitely begin quoting and posting sections of the orange book, federal DOT laws, experience, certifications, etc which will ruin the fun of the original intent of the OP.....

[pyro1361]

I am not side tracking anything here, all I am simply stating are the FACTS. I just love how everyone thinks you get a ATF Permit, and pick up a liability insurance policy, now your a company and now you can do shows.
All I am saying is there is so much more to doing shows then that.

[laquil]

Hi guys Calm down,

first of all I don't know your Law's so forgive me about it,
but, What I don't under stand is this Drug Testing, why they do such
a think don't tell me that people who are involved in fireworks take drugs.


over Her, I am not trying to start no business at all, far from it, I am retired now, what I am saying is the other way round.

I am ready to help every one of you in this whole Forum that needs to make a nice beautiful Show, I am ready to help every one, all the way down, please don't get offended, but, may be if I will give some help it may be a bit different from the one you use to do, we can add some new ideas and new Fireworks in your Shows, it is nice to hear that some of you, all ready has done shows before that's will help a lot.

I don't mind were are you From, which country are you coming from, what I care, I want to make the rest of the World talking about us, saying that the PYROTALK Forum Members are making great shows,
so I will imagine saying, What's going there?

Please don't talk about money making, if you love Fireworks it has to be from your heart.

but obviously there has to be a budget some were, so I think we have to setup a small committee
to organize a Big show all those are in Favor Rise there Hands.

Lets do something that never happened in the World, I have an idea.

we can merge all together and we do a great show with all together here I mean all the members in all the Pyrotalk, will participate, with any one of you from all parts of the World,

I believe that every one here is on this forum because he loves fireworks, so every one can contribute
from some sort or an other, Let's make this thing happens.

Let me give you small idea how we set up show here in Malta

First We set up a small Committee ( you Decide who is the best to be upon, may be you a lot of guys here)
then we plan a program how we are going to do the show, then every one will be assigned with his task and we can put it up all together We also have to get some sponsors to cover the Expense.

Dave I am starting up the list please take note I would appreciate if others contribute to the List

1) We need persons who takes care of the LAW permits and other paper work staff
2) We need persons who work Arial Fireworks
3) We need persons who work Ground Fireworks
4) We need persons to install and setup firing systems
5)We need shooters

and Plus other things we have to put down on a paper come on guys you the Americans you love it when it comes to do a great shows, I watch on TV and Movies and you are so great about big Shows

Please those in Favor or you have a better suggestion leave a reply in this thread.

Regards to All

From The little Island who loves Fireworks MALTA

[laquil]

just to give you an Idea, what I am talking about, please watch this Video watch it all and leave a comment.

The Extensive newsclip of coverage of the Symposium by Maltese television. I am afraid it is in Maltese, but with comments in English from John Bouman of Walt Disney, Donna Grucci of Fireworks by Grucci, Paul Csukssay of the Montreal Competition, Fred Wade ISF.

Why you don't believe we cannot do some thing Like this I believe in you Guys.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl9dI9k7P-g&feature=player_embedded

[tgis81]

I am not side tracking anything here, all I am simply stating are the FACTS. I just love how everyone thinks you get a ATF Permit, and pick up a liability insurance policy, now your a company and now you can do shows.
All I am saying is there is so much more to doing shows then that.

I don't think that anyone who is actually doing displays as a business disagrees that there is more to it than getting an ATF permit and a liability policy. In an attempt to re-direct the discussion, let me repost the questions which Dave wanted posters to answer:

As asked by the OP:
Here are the questions for your post.
1. How many total three inch shells are in this display?
2. How many total four inch shells are in this display?
3. Using the pricing data from the publicly posted price list at Kellners Fireworks for fancy grade shells and Titanium salutes three inch, please list your cost in fireworks to produce this display. Ex. How many cases at what cost.
4. If you really feel you know this process, please shell count the Opener/Body and Finale

Thanks for playing

[PyroManiacs]

Agreed. Get on with the topic.

[laquil]

Hi, Are you talking to me ?

To answer your questions please read in Red and I shall try to give you the answer N.P.

1. How many total three inch shells are in this display?
What are we talking about here colored ones or Beraq or salutes

2. How many total four inch shells are in this display?
What are we talking about here colored ones or Beraq or salutes

3. Using the pricing data from the publicly posted price list at Kellners Fireworks for fancy grade shells and Titanium salutes three inch,
I am not understanding what do you want here, who is Kellners and what is this Fancy grade shells please send me a picture or a video

please list your cost in fireworks to produce this display.
What do you mean my cost?
Ex. How many cases at what cost.

4. If you really feel you know this process, please shell count the Opener/Body and Finale
Is this going to be a show with Music free style firing, we need more detail

[laquil]

Dave how about some thing Like this watch the Video this what I have told you that we can mixed Colored ones and Beraq watch this Video please and please leave a comment


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTh_QOahVNA

[PyroManiacs]

Laquil, im pretty sure hes asking, that if you had to do a show for $3500 USD. How many 3 inch shell/4inch shells would be used. You can use your own imagination to make your show and how many shells YOU (the person putting on the show) would use. You can decide on how many of those would be color OR salutes. You decide the opener, body and finale. Kellners is an importer of 1.3 product. http://www.kellfire.com/OnlineCatalog.aspx You can use this pricelist as a guide to budget out your imaginary show.

Laquil, also, this topic is for everyone and anyone to make an imaginary show and guess how many shells it will take. Now that I think about it. I might play with this and try to see what numbers I come up with myself. And I have no idea about the bidding process. So im just gonna use the pricelist and see what I get.

[laquil]

Please watch the colors we can make the spectrum and there is mixed with Beraq these are all three inch shells

[PyroManiacs]

Dont forget, you have to use 4 inch shells also. I think your going a little too far into detail though Laquil. Although I love the videos you post.

But the question is really more about using a certain pricelist to bid out a $3500 show. Not to manufacture shells for the show. Cause im sure you could get waaaaay more shells for $3500 from a manufacturer than shells that were already imported into the U.S.

[laquil]

Hi Pyromaniac1981 thanks for your help, and your reply, listen guys, let me clear up one thing with you,
I am not going to bid nothing here, I am here to help the Bidder or who is going to run the show,
if he likes, I am offering my help for free, I don't want nothing, from no one,
I want to share with you my knowledge, if you like, I am ready to help you, if you like, to add some
of our ideas and some of our fireworks of Malta with yours, I am sure we can make a great
Show.

With that kind of Money in Malta you will make a big show, for an example say you will get between 1500 shells 3' and 500 shells 4' even some 20 x 6' Balls but our problem is how we are going to travel to USA and how we are going to bring them in USA, I don't know your Law what it says, you have to help me Guys with this, we are to far from each other, I have to find a sponsor to pay My Flight to USA, may be I will come to pay a visit there, and for sure I will give my contribution to each an every one of you.

I was thinking of an Idea, we can mix ground Fireworks to, I don't know, you tell me,
do the Americans Love Ground Fireworks, like the ones we do here.

[laquil]

Hi, Pyromaniac1981, first of all thank you for your reply, I went to see those price list on that web site.

Please don't get offended, and I hope no one gets, we are here to talk, and each an every one give his opinion, but what I saw in that website were is the price list, those are kids stuff,

what I am talking, i mean real fireworks for grown up Guys.

with full of colors and quality and were you make the Crowd start to jump in the air with Joy. (LOL)

but still with those fireworks in that website of kellfire, I can still make a great show

I shall go back to that site and I will have a look this time very closely and I shall put on some of
my Ideas here, what we can do, I don't mind I will spread my knowledge with you, I am retired man now and my dream is to pass on the beauty of fireworks with others

[displayfireworks1]

It looks like this thread went all the way to Malta and back. I will outline the display. Remember these figures are from an actual contract for a $3500.00 fireworks display.

Opening

10 three-inch assorted color shells
10 three-inch Titanium Salutes


Body
144 three-inch Assorted Color Shells
72 four-inch Assorted Color Shells


Finale
120 three-inch Assorted Color Shells
60 three-inch Titanium Salutes



If someone wants to price it out at Kellners Fireworks please feel free to do so.
http://catalog.kellfire.com/professional

[PyroManiacs]

Awesome to know Dave, thanks and great post.

Laquil, those on that website are 1.3G items. That is what is legal in the U.S. but only with proper permits.
I sent you the wrong link, I meant to send you this one.. http://catalog.kellfire.com/professional

[laquil]

Hi All

!!! Be prepared because Maltese Fireworks is coming to Town !!!!!

[laquil]

Dave Please find down below what I can offer you for the show this is the best I can do but it looks that it is going to be a good show

Opening

25 three-inch Titanium Salutes
25 three-inch assorted white/Titanium Beraq shells

Body

25 three-inch Green Salutes
25 three-inch Green Beraq shells
25 three-inch Yelow Salutes
25 three-inch Yellow Beraq shells
25 three-inch Red Beraq shells
10 Single Break Beraq 6” green/red/white/titanium
3 Multi break of Beraq 2 breaks and a salute 6'
3 Multi break of Beraq 2 breaks and a salute 6' /Green/Red
3 Multi break of colored Beraq with 5 breaks and one break of 2 sounds Beraq and a salute 6'
50 Fjammi 1¾
50 three-inch Assorted Color Shells
3 Single break Multi Colored 6”
3 Multi break of Colored Cylinder 2 breaks and a salute 6'
50 Single Break of Whistling Sfafar 3”


Finale

50 three-inch Assorted Color Shells
25 four-inch Assorted Color Balls
5 six-inch Assorted Color Balls
50 three-inch Titanium Salutes

[laquil]

By the way all these are with minus mortar tubes, only fireworks

[PyroManiacs]

Thats looks like an awesome show there!!

[VFI_Fireworks]

OK I'm off a few shells but thats the difference between shows and shooters sometimes... Paying 4700 for insurance and 5000 to Dot you are looking at just the start of doing this for real. Doing 40 shows plus a year is 250.00 per show just added in for insurances. This isn't for everyone and believe me if you try you better do every little show and big show you can just to make some cash. My quote on the first page shows you the difference between what I can do and what others can do based on daves quote. There are many people who can get more detailed but I'm happy with what I do. Anyway thanks Dave. I dont wanna get off track.

[laquil]

Hi VFI, Your not of track, it's good to know such things, because I don't know nothing about them, and some one like bring them to attention, I believe every one of you out there, can contribute to this how,

by the way this not my show, but it is Dave's, any way but still I can help.

It looks in the state, it is that hard to shoot fireworks?

You make Space shuttles and we do fireworks so what's wrong with that

Guys let me find some airplane that we do with fireworks may you will like them to be added o the Show

Dave what about Ground Fireworks no body is interested is such Fireworks

[laquil]

Dave if you want to remove the Multi break from the show and to add more single 3 inch shells it's up to you

[laquil]

Please watch the Video and some were at the 3/4 of the Video watch the airplanes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX0cuV3tOVE&feature=related

[laquil]

Dave is this Still on ?

[laquil]

Enjoy the The Maltese Beraq with different sounds

I can make some thing Like This Dave for you this is very common in Malta


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqoP7LQVecE&feature=relmfu

[laquil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JQf8yK5VRY&feature=relmfu

[laquil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Uujs9pTN8&feature=relmfu

[laquil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0vGYLPhTyg&feature=related

[laquil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0waW2wRIkJM&feature=relmfu

[PyroManiacs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ5lEahlmXA&feature=youtu.be

Laquil can you tell me anything about these types of shells. These are the most amazing ones I have seen.

I posted this before somewhere cause I thought it was just fantastic. And I WANT THESE!!!

[laquil]

Hi PyroManiac1981,

We call those shells in Malta (Beraq) and as I have already explianed in many threads those are very common in Malta as I see in your Video nothing of that special, the Beraq are only of one sound
we do more hen that because we now ath the moment we are doing 6 sound shells

The whole video is what they in call it in Mata (KAXXA inFernali) nothing of that special

let find you some videos about them these type of shells what I use to do in my firework factry of Qrendi in Malta we specialize on them

[laquil]

These are from Gozo a small island next to Malta


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-laG1cYSdQ

[laquil]

This is a standard (Kaxxa Infernali with Beraq) of a traditional Maltese Fireworks, in Malta the beginners they start with some thing like this we tech our children to start with the (Kaxxa infernali)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx0Sg1OH9wM

[laquil]

This is an other one next to our village 4 18 year old kids has done this KAXXA INFERNALI

no big deal, this is what I have offered to Dave these type of shells they are not expensive in Malta
because they are very common but still they look amazing


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8yRkhFhIEw

[laquil]

We also fire these KAXXA infernali on Sea as you see in this video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiqwEQ_M4Bk

These are on sea aswell


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTm_uKq_Pec&feature=related

[laquil]

From Gozo


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWc0V6NFOoE

[laquil]

From this Video you can watch the shooters and a very good BERAQ


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO0BRcWaaYI

[laquil]

These are Italians fireworks not Maltese they are trying to them like us but they are improving a lot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ5lEahlmXA&feature=youtu.be

Laquil can you tell me anything about these types of shells. These are the most amazing ones I have seen.

I posted this before somewhere cause I thought it was just fantastic. And I WANT THESE!!!