Hello World! Welcome Friends! Artwork is typically a product of one’s skills and talent, and its value should therefore, be considered even when deciding on the shipping fee. Sometimes, you may underbid your artwork only to realize you should have charged more due to packaging and shipping. Therefore, we have created a guide for the estimated shipping costs from Toronto to Miami to help you avoid underbidding your paintings and enlighten you more about factors that affect the total cost of shipping artwork.
Factors that Influence the Cost of Shipping Artwork
What makes the delivery of art pieces expensive? The factors are as discussed below:
- Size: Large and heavy artwork 36×24 may cost more (around $80 plus) compared to smaller pieces of sizes 16×32 inches.
- Type of packaging: Custom packaging, mostly for heavy and large-size paintings, entailing the use of bubble wraps, glassine paper, or foam boxes to protect your painting from physical impact and scratches, contributes to an increase in shipping fee (roughly $50 to $100+).
- Insurance: Sometimes, shipping valuable art pieces may involve getting insurance coverage, typically for approximately $500 to $10,000, depending on your needs and the carriage or transportation company you use.
- The type of transportation used: Transportation methods, including air freight, specialized transportation, or ground shipping, affect the total cost of artwork shipping. Depending on your chosen method, the costs may range from $20 to $100 or more.
- Distance: international shipping, for example, from Toronto to Florida, is considered a significant distance that involves customs and paperwork rustling, which increases the cost (about $80 to $200+).
The Cost of Shipping Artwork Based on Size and Location/Distance
Shipping small artwork within the same state is cheaper than shipping large artwork internationally. Equivalently, discussions on Reddit show that larger paintings tend to have higher shipping costs. Below is a breakdown of the prices:
1. Small Artwork
Small art pieces of sizes 16×32, 18×24, and 20×24, up to size 32×20, can fit into art boxes of size 36x5x24 inches.
| Distance | Shipping Cost Minus Packaging | Shipping Cost Inclusive of Packaging |
| Local (within the same city) | $20 | $50 |
| Mid-way (neighboring city) | $50 | $100 |
| Cross-country/International | $100 | $180 |
2. Medium Artwork
Art pieces measuring 24×24, 30×24, and up to 34×24 inches can fit into packaging art boxes measuring 38x5x28 inches.
| Distance | Shipping Cost Minus Packaging | Shipping Cost Inclusive of Packaging |
| Local (within the same city) | $60 | $140 |
| Mid-way (neighboring city) | $100 | $190 |
| Cross-country/International | $120 | $200 |
3. Large Artwork
This entails paintings of sizes 28×28, 28×38, 34×26, and 36×24 that can fit into boxes of 32x6x42 inches.
| Distance | Shipping Cost Minus Packaging | Shipping Cost Inclusive of Packaging |
| Local (within the same city) | $65 | $160 |
| Mid-way (neighboring city) | $130 | $230 |
| Cross-country/International | $150 | $250 |
4. Extra Large Artwork
They involve custom artwork of sizes 30×40, 32×32, 32×44, and 36×30 inches, and the custom packaging art boxes for these artworks are 36x6x48 inches.
| Distance | Shipping Cost Minus Packaging | Shipping Cost Inclusive of Packaging |
| Local (within the same city) | $200 | $300 |
| Mid-way (neighboring city) | $250 | $400 |
| Cross-country/International | $280 | $410 |
5. Super Extra Large Artwork
Similar to the extra-large artworks, these super-extra-large paintings in sizes 50×40, 48×40, 44×68, 40×40, 42×42, and 36×36 need custom packaging boxes of size 48x6x72 inches.
| Distance | Shipping Cost Minus Packaging | Shipping Cost Inclusive of Packaging |
| Local (within the same city) | $240 | $390 |
| Mid-way (neighboring city) | $290 | $440 |
| Cross-country/International | $300 | $450 |
Please note that these costs are estimates; therefore, you will need to use online tools like art price calculators or consult with your preferred carrier or transportation company about the total shipping cost of your artwork. This needs to be done because each carrier and company uses different techniques to calculate the total artwork shipping fee.
The Cost of Shipping Artwork Based on Different Shipping Methods
- DHL: It is suitable for interstate and long-distance deliveries, and the cost is around $60+ based on the total shipping distance.
- USP (United States Postal Service): This is a pocket-friendly method offering options like priority and first-class mail. It is ideal for shipping lightweight, flat, and paper-based art pieces, and the prices range from $20 to $50.
- FedEx: This method can be used for packaging (like FedEx box solutions) and shipping services for high-value art pieces, with costs ranging from $30 to $50+.
- UPS: Used to ship sculpted or framed artwork across states. Available options include UPS Ground with a delivery fee of $30 and UPS 2nd Day Air Costing $70+.
How to Assess the Reasonableness of Artwork Shipping Costs
Here is what to look for:
- Insurance coverage offered: Often, high-value art pieces may require additional insurance, which, according to Noissue, is essential to protect your painting against loss. Thus, it is important to verify the insurance coverage provided by a company. This can be done by understanding the terms and conditions, limits, associated costs, and carrier packaging methods and confirming if they are up to industry standards. Also, check if the insurance policy covers self-conveyance and what the policy considers (actual market value of the artwork or specific percentage-based approach).
- An invoice that’s itemized: Confirm if the invoice details and outlines all costs, including insurance, packaging, and transportation, and check if it has hidden fees.
- Shipping quotes: Art transportation companies and carriers offer different shipping costs. Thus, choose three to five of the best companies specializing in shipping artwork, compare their services and costs, and finally, pick one that best suits your needs.
- Track record of the shipping company: Check if the company has good reviews and recommendations for handling the shipping of paintings. This will help determine if the company is reputable and reliable enough to handle your artwork.
Bottom Line
You can expect to pay approximately $20 to $390 for local shipping, $50 to $440 for mid-way shipping, and $100 to $450 for international shipping of artwork. However, always get quotes from your shipping company for proper bidding and artwork pricing.
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