Costs of a typical fly system
- “How much does a typical fly system cost?”
This is a question we get asked routinely by our dealers and by end users who are looking to estimate costs for upcoming projects. Let’s take a look at a typical 40 line set system as an example, and break down some of the costs involved.
For a 40 line set system, cost is about $6,000 per line set by the time it’s all over and done with. Wow – $240,000 is a big, fat, round fuzzy number! However, there are a ton of factors that can skew it either direction. In the “costs more” category, if you motorized 4 electrics, that would add another $75,000 or so. On the other hand, if the building is designed really well, i.e. not too tall or wide and they didn’t get all crazy with the bonding and insurance requirements, the cost might go down to $4500 per line set. Of course, the project doesn’t really break down exactly as a cost per set, since you’ll have about $40,000 of infrastructure (t-wall, lock rail, etc.). The add/delete of a set usually ends up being more like $3,000 to $3500.
People like to talk a lot about motorized rigging. There is a distinction between “motorized” and “automated”. Motorized rigging will run about $15,000 to $25,000 per line set. Motorized goes up, it goes down, it goes slow (less than 30 fmp) and has no cue or logic capability. Motorized is generally not useful during a show. It’s primarily for maintenance purposes.
“Automated” rigging will mimic what you can do with a counterweight set. It’s fast (120 to 300 fmp or more) it’s has PLC’s and encoders, can accelerate and decelerate, it tracks position information and can be programmed to coordinate complex maneuvers between sets. “Automated” will tend to run in the $25,000 to $50,000 per line set range but is highly dependent on the actual design of the system.
The argument that motorized/ automated systems are safer or easier to use is an argument we tend to reject. A batten for a drop is nearly unusable as motorized and in the hands of an untrained automation operator can be frustrating and impressively dangerous.
In summary, there are many factors to consider when estimating costs, but we hope this helps! Contact BellaTEX Stage Curtains at 1-800-372-3373 for more questions.