FUNDRAISING FAQ
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM ORDER YOU WILL ACCEPT?
The minimum order is one. However, pricing is broken down according to quantity ordered, so it behooves you to accumulate orders and submit all of them at once. Once an order has been entered, additional or supplemental orders will be priced per applicable quantity. 4x8 and 8x8 brick will not be combined when determining quantity.
AFTER WE PLACE OUR ORDER, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR DELIVERY?
The standard response is 4-6 weeks. On smaller jobs, perhaps 25-100, delivery is usually sooner if the brick is available. Larger jobs, over 1,000, may take a bit longer. Heavy times usually include August (before school begins) and Oct-Nov (before the cold weather hits.) There are times when our inventory is depleted and the brick manufacturer is out of the brick we need for your project, in which case the lead time is delayed.
HOW MANY CHARACTERS AND LINES ARE INCLUDED ON THE BRICK?
For 4x8 brick, the price includes 2 lines per brick and 18 characters per line, including spacing and punctuation. A third line, if needed, is an additional cost. The same guidelines apply to 8x8 brick, except the price includes 4 lines per brick. Extra lines, up to 6 total, are also an additional cost.
WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE BRICK WE USE?
Ceramica keeps several lines of high quality, clay paving brick in stock for your convenience. These include brick from the following manufacturers: Belden, Pine Hall, Endicott, Whitacre-Greer and Glen-Gery. The majority of these are available in both 4x8 and 8x8. In more cases than not, the customer just wants a red brick, or a tan brick or a gray brick, etc. In those instances, we usually suggest a brick from Belden with a chamfered edge. In other instances, you know the brick you need or it has been specified by an architect. If we do not stock that particular brick, we would pursue other avenues in order to acquire them. The cost to get that brick to Ceramica would likely be your responsibility. We do not stock any concrete pavers, but we do engrave those as well; getting them to Ceramica would also be the responsibility of the customer.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SOLICIT DONORS AND HOW MUCH SHOULD WE CHARGE OUR DONORS FOR THEIR NAME BRICK?
A well thought out and attractive order form can greatly increase the response your fund-raiser will receive. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. Include the heritage or historical significance of the project and what the funds generated by the project will be used for. If the donation is tax deductible, clearly indicate so in a prominent fashion. It is important to state the deadline for orders so that there is a sense of urgency and donors won’t miss out. Encourage donors to forward the order form to family and friends. Samples of other donor solicitation forms are available and Ceramica has a generic form that can be modified to suit your own needs. The amount you charge depends in part of the prestige of the project, but aiming for 3x ROI is a good start.
CAN WE USE OR OFFER CLIP ART OR LOGOS?
Absolutely, and that is done so frequently. Simple clip-art options can be included on a 4x8 brick in place of a second or third line of text for an additional charge. More detailed or elaborate clip-art images may be used on an 8x8. Inscriptions thereon would need to be limited to 4 lines. Examples of simple and popular clip art images are a heart, cross, star, paw prints, graduation cap, baby footprint, school symbols and the like. More elaborate images that might be used on an 8x8 brick might include the mason’s symbol, praying hands, dog or cat heads, angels, sports symbols, etc.
Logos are somewhat more complicated. Some logos, such as emblems for the military branches or logos that include small text, may have too much detail to be feasible to use on even an 8x8 brick. Logos also carry a set-up charge that depends on the detail and quality of artwork provided. Ideally, the artwork provided would be a high resolution .jpeg or .pdf in black and white. Examples of poor artwork would be business cards, small or lo-res jpegs and full color images. Set-up charges for logos are determined on a case by case basis. Encourage donors to email their high resolution logos.
HOW MUCH WILL MY SHIPPING CHARGES BE?
Shipping charges vary according to the number of brick shipped. The cost to ship one brick from our location in Indianapolis to, say, Birmingham, Alabama, would be about $7.00. To ship 10 brick to Birmingham, the cost would be about $35.00, or $3.50 each. These would be shipped via FedEx Ground. Larger quantities would be shipped via commercial carrier. Shipping 50 brick to Birmingham would get the cost per brick down to about $2.25 each, 100 brick to $1.25 each and 500 brick to $0.60 each. Accessorial charges, such as lift-gate service or residential delivery may need to be included.
WHAT DO WE DO IF WE NEED BLANK BRICK AS WELL?
If you’re working through a local distributor, they can accommodate you. If not, Ceramica can usually provide the blank brick as well as the Name Brick.
WHAT ABOUT INSTALLATION?
Ceramica does not provide installation, so you’ll need to contact a qualified installer in your area to help you. We may be able to offer recommendations. While installation for a Name Brick project is not much more involved than any typical paver installation, be sure to account for proper drainage and expansion/contraction for your project.
HOW SHOULD I SUBMIT MY ORDER?
Ceramica will provide a job submittal form that will need to be filled out and returned with a 50% deposit and the list of inscriptions. Inscriptions are generally submitted in Excel, Microsoft Word or Notepad documents. All text will be automatically centered on the brick unless specifically indicated otherwise. All letters will be upper case unless specifically indicated otherwise, except for obvious instances such as McCormick or LeBlanc, in which the second letter will be subscripted. Inscriptions, however, do not need to be submitted in all upper case, nor do the inscriptions need to be centered. Just type and move on. Inscriptions should not be numbered if submitted in a Word or Notepad document. A text entry fee will apply if Ceramica is required to enter the list of inscriptions.
DO YOU RECOMMEND WORKING WITH A LOCAL BRICK DISTRIBUTOR?
It is our policy, whenever practical, to market our products through the masonry products distribution network. We
believe there are certain advantages to working through a local distributor and we will recommend one if we have one located near you. However, there are occasions when a local dealer is unavailable or uninterested in working with you. In those instances, we have no objections to coordinating our efforts to best meet your needs.