Balloon Pricing Calculator | Peko's Balloons

📦 Materials

Add all materials used in your design. Remember to round up unit prices to cover waste and extras.

£0.00

💡 Tip

Round up small unit costs to cover waste and consumables (e.g., popped balloons, ribbon, clips).

⏱️ Labour

Time to Create (hours) Include prep, vinyl printing, assembly

Admin Time (hours) Client communication, ordering, diary

Your Hourly Rate £30/hr

💡 Self-Employed Hourly Rate

Self-employed rates often need to be higher than employee wages to cover unpaid time, tax, pension, holidays, and overheads. Set a rate that fits your costs and target income.

🏢 Overheads

Essential running costs not directly tied to making a sale.

Order Size

📍 Delivery & Hire

Round-Trip Miles Mileage rate (e.g., 45p/mile)

Hire Fee Type

Custom Hire Fee (£) Enter a fixed hire fee amount

📈 Profit Margin

Target Profit Margin 20%

10% = Average 15-20% = Good 20-30% = Excellent

⚡ Quick Calculator

A simplified calculator for faster pricing. Enter your totals directly without itemising each material.

Materials Total (£) Total cost of all balloons and supplies

Total Hours Creation time + admin time combined

Hourly Rate (£)

£30/hr

Order Size

Custom Overhead (£)

Delivery Miles (round trip) Charged at 45p per mile

Hire Fee (£) Props, stands, easels, etc.

💡 Quick Tip

Use this calculator when you already know your material costs. For detailed itemised pricing, use the Detailed Calculator tab.

⚙️ My Default Settings

Set your personal defaults to speed up calculations.

Default Hourly Rate (£)

Default Profit Margin (%)

Small Order Overhead (£)

Large Order Overhead (£)

Skill Level

Your experience affects your hourly rate.

🌱

Beginner

£15-20/hr - Building portfolio

⭐

Intermediate

£30/hr - Consistent quality

👑

Expert

£45-60/hr - Premium service

📊 My Overhead Calculator

Calculate your per-order overhead based on yearly figures.

Yearly Revenue (£)

Yearly Overhead Costs (£) Insurance, utilities, rent, equipment, etc.

Number of Orders Per Year

🎈 Helium Cost Calculator

Calculate the cost of helium per balloon based on your tank size and price.

Tank Size (Litres) Check your supplier's tank specifications

Tank Cost (£) Total cost including rental/refill

💰 Cost Per Balloon

Enter quantities to calculate total helium cost for your order. Industry standard fill volumes.

Size	Helium (L)	Unit Cost	Quantity	Subtotal
5"	2	£0.00		£0.00
9"	7	£0.00		£0.00
11"	14	£0.00		£0.00
12"	15	£0.00		£0.00
16"	42	£0.00		£0.00
24"	142	£0.00		£0.00
36"	425	£0.00		£0.00
Order Total			0	£0.00
Total Helium Required				0 L

Enter your tank details above and click "Calculate Helium Costs" to see per-balloon pricing.

💡 Helium Tips & Best Practices

🌡️ Temperature Sensitivity

Helium is highly sensitive to temperature. In cold environments, the gas contracts, causing balloons to look "deflated." In warm environments, the gas expands, which can cause balloons to pop if filled to capacity. Always inflate balloons in an environment similar to where they will be displayed.

🎈 The 5-Inch Rule

While 5" balloons can be filled with helium, they do not hold enough volume to float. They are included in calculations for gas volume only; for decorative purposes, they are usually air-filled.

📊 Wastage & Buffering

It is professional practice to add a 10–15% buffer to your total helium requirement. This accounts for gas lost during the nozzle connection process, accidental over-filling, or the occasional faulty balloon.

⏱️ Float Times

Standard latex balloons typically float for 12–18 hours. If your event requires a longer duration, consider using a balloon treatment (like Hi-Float) which seals the latex and can extend float times by several days.

🫧 Inflation Shape

Volumes are based on balloons being inflated to their intended "pear" shape. Over-inflating into a "lightbulb" shape significantly increases the volume used and the risk of popping.

🏭 Brand Variance

Balloon capacity can vary slightly between manufacturers. These figures are based on industry-standard professional latex balloons.

🎨 Design Presets

Quick-start with common balloon designs. Click to load into calculator.

🎈

LUXE Number Column

40" number with themed garland

🫧

Bubble Garland

Personalised bubble with mini garland

🖼️

Easel Display

Disc on easel with balloon garland

🌙

Balloon ½ Hoop

Floor-standing organic garland

🎁

Simple Bunch

Basic helium balloon bouquet

✨

Start Fresh

Clear form for custom design

📋 Example Unit Costs

These are example placeholders. Replace with your own supplier prices in My Settings.

Item	Typical Cost	Rounded Up
Sempertex 12" Latex	~15p	20p
Sempertex 5" Latex	~6p	10p
260 Modelling Balloons	~7p	10p
Grabo 40" Number	£3.58	£3.60
18" Heart Foil	74p	75p
Sempertex 18" Latex	60p	60p
Sempertex 24" Latex	£2.26	£2.30
24" Reflex	£5.00	£5.00
Orbz Foil	£4.14	£4.20
Mini Bow Foils	£1.10	£1.10

📚 The Pricing Formula

Price = (Materials + Labour + Overheads) × (1 + Profit Margin)

What This Calculator Includes

Materials — All components used: balloons, helium, ribbon, vinyl, weights, etc.
Labour — Your time for creation, setup, admin, and client communication.
Overheads — Running costs: insurance, utilities, equipment, education.
Profit Margin — What allows your business to grow and invest.
Contingency — Rounding up covers waste, popped balloons, and small extras.

💡 Common Omissions That Underprice Jobs

📋 Admin Time

Messaging clients, ordering supplies, diary management, invoicing — this time adds up. Include it in your labour calculation.

📦 Small Consumables

Ribbon, tape, cable ties, weights, bag clips — small items that get forgotten. Round up material costs to cover these.

📍 Signals Your Rate May Be Low

High enquiry volume, long lead times, clients booking before asking price — these suggest demand exceeds your current pricing.

🚗 Delivery & Hire Rates

Delivery Mileage

Calculate as round-trip miles × your chosen mileage rate (e.g., 45p/mile). This covers fuel, wear & tear, and travel time.

Hire Fee Percentages

Equipment	Hire %	What It Covers
Easel	20%	Wear & tear, maintenance, cleaning, storage, transport, replacement
Balloon Hoop	30%
Gold Stand	30%
Shimmer Wall	30%

📝 Rounding Guidance

Material Unit Costs

Round up small unit costs to cover waste and consumables. For example, if a balloon costs 14p, entering 20p helps cover extras like ribbon, clips, and popped balloons.

Final Quoted Price

Consider rounding the final price to a clean number. A price of £47.50 might become £48 or £50 for simplicity.

Checklist: Easy-to-Forget Costs

Spare/burst balloons, tape, 260s, command hooks, clips, weights, travel time, de-rig and cleaning time.

Disclaimer: This tool calculates prices from the values you enter. It is not financial advice and does not guarantee profit. Always verify calculations suit your specific business circumstances.