Color vs black-and-white plan printing: what it costs and how to pay for color only where it matters
Color is the line item that surprises people. A set that costs $48 in black-and-white costs $144 in full color, and if you sent one PDF and clicked “Color,” you paid for color on twenty sheets that had no color on them. This post explains the prices and the fix.
The prices
| Sheet | B&W 20# | Full color 20# | Multiple |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARCH C 18×24 | $1.25 | $4.00 | 3.2× |
| ARCH D 24×36 | $2.00 | $6.00 | 3.0× |
| ARCH E 36×48 | $3.50 | $9.00 | 2.6× |
| 30×42 | $3.00 | $8.00 | 2.7× |
| Ledger 11×17 | $0.35 | $0.50 | 1.4× |
| Letter | $0.10 | $0.25 | 2.5× |
For comparison: Plans4Less publishes $3.75 for ARCH D color, which is lower than our $6.00 — if your work is mostly color and mostly large-format, that’s a real difference and you should weigh it. FedEx Office and Staples quote large-format color per store; typical figures we’ve been told by customers are $10–$20 a sheet.
Why color costs three times more
Ink. A B&W plot on 20# bond uses a small amount of black pigment; a full-color plot lays down four inks and, on a rendering or a filled site plan, a lot of them. Color plotting is also slower per sheet, and a color-heavy sheet needs a moment to dry before it’s rolled. None of that is padding; it’s what the sheet costs to make.
The split-set method
Most plan sets have between two and five sheets where color carries information:
- A rendered elevation or perspective for the owner or the planning board
- A site plan with colored zoning or wetlands overlays
- An MEP coordination sheet where each trade is a color
- A landscape or lighting plan
- A color-coded demolition or phasing plan
Everything else — floor plans, sections, details, schedules, notes — was drawn in black line and reads identically in B&W.
So split the PDF. Export the color sheets as a separate file, upload it as a second line item on the same order, and choose Color for that item only. One box, one tracking number, one invoice.
| 24-sheet ARCH D set | Cost |
|---|---|
| All 24 in B&W | $48.00 |
| 20 B&W + 4 color (split) | $40.00 + $24.00 = $64.00 |
| All 24 in color | $144.00 |
Splitting costs you a third more than all-B&W instead of three times more. On three copies, the split set is $180.00 (the 60 B&W sheets get the volume discount; the 12 color sheets don’t) versus $388.80 for all-color — a $208.80 difference on a single permit submission.
When all-color is right
Presentation sets for owners and planning boards. Marketing sets for a developer’s leasing office. Color-coded field sets where every sheet has trade colors. In those cases the color is the point, and you should price it in; a 24-sheet presentation set at $144 is still less than $168 in B&W at a FedEx Office counter.
One file-prep note
If a sheet is going to print in B&W, make sure the PDF’s colored linework has enough contrast when converted to grayscale. Light yellow and cyan lines nearly vanish in B&W. Our file prep page covers the export settings.
More worked pricing on the pricing questions page.
Ready to print?
Order by noon ET, ships same day. ARCH D from $2.00/sheet. Free UPS over $100.
Start an order Request a quote