How much you should charge for a balloon arch depends on the length of garland along the frame, not the arch's width: an 8-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall arch is about 21 feet of garland, and in the example below it prices out around $650 installed before delivery. A partially covered arch on the same frame comes in closer to $440.
Here's how to measure an arch, price a full and a half-covered one step by step, and handle frames, weights, and teardown so they don't eat your profit.
Why arches are underpriced so often
Clients say "an 8-foot arch," and it's easy to think "8 feet of garland." But the garland runs up one leg, over the top, and down the other leg. That path is usually more than double the width.
If you price an arch with your per-foot garland rate times the width, you're charging for less than half the balloons you'll actually use. Add frame setup, anchoring, and a taller install, and arches become the job where decorators work the longest for the least.
The fix is simple: price the path.
How to measure a balloon arch
For a round-top arch, treat the top as a half circle and the legs as straight lines:
Path length ≈ (3.14 × width ÷ 2) + 2 × (height − width ÷ 2)
| Arch (width × height) | Top curve | Legs | Garland path |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft × 7 ft | 9.4 ft | 8 ft | about 17.5 ft |
| 8 ft × 8 ft | 12.6 ft | 8 ft | about 20.5 ft |
| 10 ft × 8 ft | 15.7 ft | 6 ft | about 21.5 ft |
Square, hexagon, and organic-shaped frames: just add up the sides you'll cover. Easiest of all: measure your actual frame once with a tape measure and write the path length on it.
Round up when you quote. Garland bulges at the curves, and a little extra coverage is normal.
Example: full 8 × 8 organic arch, indoor
Using example numbers (swap in your own): $0.30 per balloon, 20 balloons per foot for a standard organic garland, $30 an hour, $31 overhead per job, and a 25% margin.
Materials
- Path: round 20.5 ft up to 21 ft
- Balloons: 21 × 20 = 420 × $0.30 = $126.00
- 10% waste buffer: $12.60
- Consumables (strip, ties, glue dots): 21 × $1.10 = $23.10
- Frame wear: a $150 frame you'll use 15 times = $10.00
- Base weights or sandbag wear: $3.00
- Total: $174.70
Labor
| Task | Hours |
|---|---|
| Messaging, consult, and quote | 0.5 |
| Inflating and building (21 ft × 0.35 hr) | 7.35 |
| Frame assembly, attaching, and securing on site | 1.5 |
| Total | 9.35 hours = $280.50 |
Overhead: $31
Cost: $174.70 + $280.50 + $31 = $486.20
Price: $486.20 ÷ 0.75 = $648.27, round to $650, plus delivery.
Gut check: $650 ÷ 21 feet of path is about $31 per foot, right in line with a normal installed garland. Priced by width instead (8 ft × $31), you'd have quoted $248 and lost about $400.
Example: half-covered arch (asymmetric garland)
A popular look: the frame shows, and the garland covers one leg and part of the top. Price only what's covered, plus the frame.
Say the garland covers about 60% of that 20.5-foot path: about 12.5 feet.
If you use a base-fee-plus-per-foot system (explained in does per-foot pricing work?), with an $80 base and $26 per foot:
- Base: $80
- Garland: 12.5 ft × $26 = $325
- Frame fee: frame wear ($10) + assembly time (0.5 hr = $15) = $25 ÷ 0.75 = $33.33, call it $35
- Total: $440, plus delivery
If the frame is a backdrop (round panel, chiara wall, mesh arch) you'd normally rent out, use your rental rate as the frame fee instead.
What else changes the price of an arch?
Add these as line items or adjustments, so you're not absorbing them:
- Outdoors. More pops, wind anchoring, and heat. Add a buffer and anchoring time; see outdoor install pricing.
- Helium arches. Helium, Hi-Float, weights, and tighter timing all cost more than air-filled. Price them separately.
- Classic spiral arches. Count clusters, not feet. Build a test section, count clusters per foot of path, and price the balloons and time from that.
- Extra-full or chrome. More balloons per foot, slower work, higher balloon cost.
- Florals, foils, signs, and neon. Price each add-on as its own line.
- Venue time windows. A 1-hour setup window may mean bringing help. Price the helper's hours in.
- Teardown and frame pickup. If your frame stays at the venue overnight, you're making a second trip. Charge for it (see teardown and pickup fees).
Arch pricing at different sizes
Same example costs, full organic coverage, before delivery:
| Arch | Path (rounded up) | Materials | Labor hours | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 × 7 ft | 17.5 ft | $147.75 | 8.1 | about $565 |
| 8 × 8 ft | 21 ft | $174.70 | 9.35 | about $650 |
| 10 × 8 ft | 22 ft | $182.40 | 9.7 | about $675 |
The 6 × 7 math, for example: materials $147.75 + labor $243.75 + overhead $31 = $422.50, then $422.50 ÷ 0.75 = $563.33. A "small" arch still isn't cheap, because height adds path length fast.
Notice the 10-foot-wide arch isn't much more than the 8-foot one at the same height: the wider top is offset by shorter legs. Clients often expect width to drive price. It doesn't. Path does.
How to quote an arch in the DMs
When someone asks "how much for an arch?" give a starting price and get the details that change it:
Hi! Full organic arches start around $565 installed, and half-covered arches start around $440. To quote yours, can you send your date, venue, indoor or outdoor, and an inspo pic? I'll also confirm whether you need teardown at the end of the night.
If they want an arch on a smaller budget:
I can do a half-covered arch on the same frame with your colors for $440. You still get the arch look in photos, with fewer balloons. Want me to send that quote?
For weddings and larger events with an arch at the center, see wedding balloon decor cost. For the full method behind these numbers, see how to price balloon decor.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for an 8-foot balloon arch?
Measure the garland path, not the width. An 8-foot-wide, 8-foot-tall round arch is about 20.5 feet of garland, and with example costs ($0.30 per balloon, 20 balloons per foot, $30 an hour, 25% margin) it comes to about $650 installed before delivery. Your price will change with your costs and fullness.
Do you price balloon arches by the foot?
You can, but use the length of the garland along the frame, which is often more than double the arch's width. Then add a frame fee for wear and assembly. Pricing by width alone is one of the most common ways decorators undercharge for arches.
Should I charge extra for the arch frame?
Yes. Frames wear out, take time to assemble and anchor, and sometimes stay at the venue overnight. Spread the frame's cost over the number of jobs you expect from it, add assembly time, and include it as a line item or inside the arch price.
How much less is a half arch than a full arch?
Price only the garland that's covered, plus the frame fee. In the example here, a frame with about 60% coverage came to about $440 versus about $650 for full coverage. It's a good option to offer when a client's budget doesn't fit a full arch.