Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
Where is DrafTech Located?
Our address is 1544 Terrace Way, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. We are located in the Town and Country shopping center, across the street from Pacific Market.
How long has DrafTech been in business?
We have been at this location for about 20 years and we started from the ground up in a garage in 1983!
What are the hours of operation?
Draftech is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed major holidays.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard and Discover. A charge account for Net 30 day terms can be established upon approved credit.
Does DrafTech offer delivery?
Draftech offers free pick-up and delivery to most locations Healdsburg to Petaluma and now Sebastopol too. Rural locations excluded. Call and ask about specific locations. $10.00 minimum order.
What does DrafTech specialize in?
Service is our specialty. While we focus our efforts on printing the finest quality prints possible - our true goal is to make sure that you receive the highest level of service on the planet.
What shipping carriers does DrafTech use?
We can ship your packages or prints U.S. Postal Service, FedEx or General Logistics Systems (GLS). If you need same-day delivery and are out of our service range we can have a courier bring the package to you. Call for a shipping or courier quote.
File Types & Submissions
How can I send files to DrafTech
We can accept Email attachments up to 20mb, we can download from third party services such as WeTransfer, Dropbox, etc. or you can upload to our FTP site. We can also accept CD’s, DVD’s, flash drives, SD cards, or just bring your plans/images in to Draftech and we can copy the files or scan to our system. Most often we receive files through our main email: Draftech@sonic.net.
What kind of files can DrafTech accept for printing?
Primarily we work from PDF files, but we can also work from TIF, JPG, DWF, PLT, Ai, PS, RAW, & PNG file types. We have done work with other files types as well. Please call for more information.
What is the maximum file size that can be transferred through DrafTech's website?
Our website gives access to our FTP site. This site is able to accept ANY size files you may have. Go through the instructions, upload your documents, and call or email us to confirm that we have received your files.
If you choose to email your files to us, keep attached files to 20mb or smaller. Emails with attachments greater than 20mb do not transfer successfully.
How long will DrafTech store my files?
We have no time limit for how long we are willing to save your files. We pride ourselves in being capable of saving files or scans for the duration of your project. We can store documents to our hard drive, FTP site, or Planroom for future use.
Will the documents and files I provide DrafTech for printing be kept secure?
Absolutely. No matter how we receive your documents, your work is handled professionally and will not be released to anyone without your prior permission. Your documents are secure at Draftech.
Copy Service & Paper Options for Printing
What media types are availabe for large format black & white printing?
Standard production media is white 20lb bond available in widths from 11” – 36” and almost unlimited lengths.
We also offer tinted 20lb bond 24” 30” 36” in blue, green, yellow and pink.
Specialty papers available are: 24lb white bond, 32lb white bond, 20lb vellum, 20lb erasable vellum, 4-mil double matte translucent mylar and 4-mil opaque mylar.
What media types are available for large format color printing?
Our standard production media for color printing is 24lb bond. We also offer 36lb and 46lb bond up to 42”. Photographic papers are also available in gloss, satin or matte finishes. A wide range of specialty medias are also available. Some of the options are: 4mil opaque mylar, 4mil clear mylar, 20lb vellum, banner material, banner vinyl, adhesive vinyl, wall sticker vinyl and fine art papers. Width size of media rolls vary from 18” – 54”. Call for more information.
Does DrafTech offer small format copy services?
Our Konica Minolta machines are professional grade printers that can handle large volumes of printing. We have two Konica Minolta Bizhub Pro C658 black and white machines and a Konica Minolta Bizhub Press C1060 color printer. Printing sizes range from 8.5” x 11” up to 13” x 19” on select medias.
We also have a Canon Pixma Pro-100 color printer. This is a machine that creates archival-quality inkjet prints, perfect for printing high-quality pictures. Printing sizes range from 4”x6” to 13”x9”. Paper types include gloss, semi-gloss and color sticker paper.
What small format paper options do you offer?
Our small format department carries a great variety of papers ranging from 20lb bond paper, tinted colored bond, subdued matte papers, sharp glossy papers, sleek text weight papers and thicker cardstock weight papers. Call for more information.
Timing & Order Processing
How will I know when my order is complete?
Upon submittal of your request just let us know what time and day you would like your order finished and if you would like to have the work shipped out, delivered, or held for pick up at our office. If you would like a call or email when your order is complete just ask.
How long will my order take to complete?
We are able to turn around most jobs on the same day! Black and white jobs typically print the fastest. Jobs that are for our color department take more time so we can make sure they get done just the way you want them. Call or email us with an outline of your needs and we can give you a time estimate.
I'm on a deadline. Is it possible to expedite my order?
Yes! We pride ourselves on being able to work with you to get your deadlines completed efficiently and accurately. It is always a good idea to call Draftech to make sure that your rush job will get done when and how you want it done.
Can I change an order that I have placed once it is in production?
If you realize that the order you placed needs to be modified after you have submitted the order, please call us so we can tell you the status of your job. If it hasn’t been started yet, then it will be easy to adjust to the new instructions you have. If the job is in the middle of printing or already completed, we can discuss how to incorporate the changes into the completed work.
Can you modify photos or artwork before printing?
Our color department is experienced and has several tools available to correct or edit artwork. We use Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, and Acrobat for editing images. We are proud of our ability to be flexible, adjust to specific needs, and produce high quality color work for our clients over the years.
Scanning
Is DrafTech Blueprinting able to scan my documents?
We have a variety of ways to scan your documents. The following are the different methods we have for scanning your documents:
Small Format:
Our Konica Minolta small format flatbed scanners can scan up to 600 dpi black and white or color. Scanning project manuals, magazines articles, photos, renderings or other images 11” x 17” or smaller is a breeze for these machines.
Large format:
Our Oce large format black and white bar scanners can scan up to 400 dpi in black and white. This is how black and white plan pages get scanned in. Our quality control measures ensure documents are legible, straight, without unwanted lines or voids.
Our large format color department can scan up to 1200 dpi in color! The files generated can get rather large and the typical scan settings are 300-400dpi. Higher quality scan settings are always available.
We can save files to CD, Flash Drive or Archive on our servers
We can archive your important project documents on our servers for future printing and document management. Or we can save to CD, DVD or flash drive for you.
DrafTech scanned some pages for me. Can you email those scans to someone else on my behalf?
On a daily basis we scan documents and email them per instruction.
Is it expensive to have my old family photos scanned to a file?
We charge $1.50 for each photo scanned. We would love to have you bring your old photos to scan on our high-quality Epson color scanner. From there we can email them to you or supply you with a CD, DVD or flash drive so you can have them digitally forever.
I need some Microfiche scanned. Does DrafTech work with Microfiche?
Yes, we have been working with the city and the county for years scanning microfiche. We charge $12.50 for each microfiche plan image, and we charge $5.00 for each microfiche small format image. Plan pages will be scaled back to the original drawing size. We will then provide you with a file that is true to scale and ready to print or share. .
I have some artwork that I want captured. Can DrafTech help me with this?
We are able to do a high quality artwork photo captures in our professional grade camera department. We welcome artists to bring in their artwork so we can get them sharp looking digital files and print out impressive color reproductions on a variety of different paper options. We try our very best to match the quality, color, and contrast of your artwork.
What file types can you provide from a scanned image?
The most common file types requested are: PDF, TIFF and JPEG. Several other file types are available, just ask.
What is the maximum size you can scan?
Black and white scanners – up to 36” wide.
Color scanners – up to 42” wide and ½” thick.
Banners, Outdoor Signage, Fine Art & Photo Reproduction
Is DrafTech able to print outdoor signs?
Our Roland VersaCamm VS-540i solvent printer can create signs and banners up to 54” wide. Signs can be made on MDO, Plywood, Coroplast (corrugated plastic), vinyl banners with grommets or A-Frame street signs. We have a 5-year guarantee on our outdoor signs.
Can DrafTech create vinyl stickers or decals?
Yes, we can print decals for cars, trucks, store windows, hard hats, tool boxes, equipment, you name it.
Can DrafTech create wall graphics?
We have a special vinyl just for that purpose. Repositionable adhesive-backed vinyl material (similar to a “Fathead”). Send us your high-quality design, image or photo and let us show you what we can do.
Can DrafTech help promote my business?
We can create banner stands, signage, flyers, postcards, brochures and all types of promotional material. Need help with design? Just ask.
What kind of design services do you offer?
We can design simple address signs, to more intricate logo design – and projects in between. Some projects we have done for clients include: Flyers, business cards, presentations, signs, banners, brochures, logos and more. Ask us for a quote on layout and design services today.
Can DrafTech create stickers cut to a custom size in large quantities?
Our software and vinyl trimmer can be programmed to custom-cut the stickers and decals to suit your needs. Just peel & stick.
I am having a garage sale and just need 4-5 signs. Can you do short runs?
Yes, we can do of 1 - 2 signs or large quantities if needed. Coropolast 18x24” yard sign with ground stake is perfect for garage sale or political signs and only cost around $20!
I have some old photos I want enlarged on canvas. Can you do that?
We can scan photos in high-resolution and preserve them digitally. Then we can enlarge the image and print on canvas. We can also wrap them on a frame.
I have hand-painted art and want to sell copies. Can you do fine art reproduction?
Draftech can capture your art and reproduce it on custom size canvas frames. Additionally canvas-wrapped frames can be created from photos and graphics.
Document Management
I am a superintendent for a large construction project; can you help me with document management?
We have years of experience managing digital documents for construction projects. There are a variety of ways for us to help. We can provide database access to your whole tea, post files to our Draftech Planroom, and keep track of ASI’s, addenda or revisions as they are issued. Please call us to discuss in detail.
My plan is outdated. Can you help me manage revisions?
Draftech will keep an ongoing “conformed set” for you. As changes are made to construction documents, we can supersede individual outdated drawings with revised/updated drawings. We can also preserve the initial set for comparison and archive each addendum, ASI, Delta Revision for you.
I am remodeling my home. Can you help me get the construction documents to my contractor and his subcontractors?
Yes we can. We can archive the documents on our database and print the plans as needed. We can also post them for online viewing if needed.
My plan set is too large for email. How can I get the files to you for printing?
We can provide you with FTP access to a space in our digital storage system. Large PDF files can be uploaded to this space. We can also scan plan sets there for you to access.
What is Planroom?
Draftech Planroom is where we can post construction documents for viewing. We can post all construction documents for viewing. We can post all construction-related documents such as: plans, specifications, addenda, geotechnical reports, plan-holders list.
I am often provided incomplete drawing sets or find that there are pages missing from my set. How can you help me with this problem?
We provide index verification and specification table of content verification services at no additional charge. Our staff will compare the index and TOC to the content of the plan and spec packages. We will report any discrepancies found back to you before printing.
Does DrafTech offer bid services for construction projects?
We have a skilled staff that has years of experience handling bid services for construction projects. We will customize our services to suit your needs. Refundable sets, non-refundable sets, document distribution, tracking, addenda distribution, plan-holders list and more. Please call to discuss details.
Mounting, Laminating, Binding & Finishing
I need a large color image mounted on a board for presentation. What are my options?
There are a wide variety of mounting substrates available. Thicknesses available are 3/16” – ¾”. Foam Core, Gator Foam, Coroplast, Presentation board, Ecoplast and Sintra. Black and White available. *Sintra and Coroplast come in a variety of colors.
What finishing options are available?
Edge trim system for 3/16 boards available in black, silver, pewter.
Easel backs, grommets and Velcro
Do you do laminating?
Yes. In many sizes from business card up to 11x17”. And UV laminating up to 52”. Gloss and matte finishes and 3mil and 5mil thicknesses.
Can DrafTech do Binding?
Yes, we provide binding for specification books, presentations or a wide variety of booklets and reports. Binding options include: Comb binding, coil binding, double loop wire, Chicago screw binding, Stapling, ACCO fastening and bull clips. We can also cut recycled paper from plans and bind in note pads.
Drafting Supplies & Papers
What drafting supplies do you sell?
We have a large selection of drafting and art supplies in stock. Some of which includes: Paper, pens, pencils, erasers, templates, mechanical pencils, drafting tools and more. Call to check inventory. If not in stock; we may be able to special order.
Can I place a special order?
Yes, if we don’t carry it in stock we can special order almost anything for you – usually at a lower price than a big-name office supply company.
Do you sell papers?
Yes, we sell all kinds of drafting papers, tracing, title sheets, gridded, quad pads, vellum, cut sheets and rolls. We also stock paper for inkjet and toner plotters – 2” and 3” core. 20lb, 24lb. Various sizes.
Shipping & Delivery
What shipping options do you offer?
We ship via General Logistics Systems (GLS) overnight, USPS and FedEx to get your documents where they need to be. Overnight service is no problem. Call us for a quote on shipping.
What about delivery?
Draftech is proud to offer free local delivery in Santa Rosa, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Cotati, Rohnert Park and Petaluma. We can pick up jobs to be worked on and deliver completed jobs back to you or your clients. ($10 minimum order applies to delivery).
Do you have a courier service for out of area deliveries?
For locations that are a little further away and still have a tight deadline, we offer a convenient local courier service. Call us for a quote.
Computer & Graphic Design Services
What kind of design services do you offer?
We can design simple address signs, to more intricate logo design – and projects in between. Some projects we have done for clients include: Flyers, business cards, presentations, signs, banners, brochures, logos and more. Ask us for a quote on layout and design services today.
Can you do photo correction or color correction?
Yes, we can help with photo or color correction, this can range from basic (red-eye) to more complex alterations to your image. Pricing starts at $15.00 for a minimum of 15 minutes.
What are your fees for graphic design?
The design fees are based on the complexity of the project. Design fees are hourly and range from $50 per hour with $15 minimum, depending on the project. We will provide you with an estimate before starting any project. Estimates are based on the specifications understood at time of estimate. The estimate will be valid for 30 days.
Can I approve a proof before printing?
Of course. We will provide a soft (PDF) proof via email of all projects prior to printing. Some specialty projects may require a print proof. The client is responsible for proofreading all text and images and sign off before printing and the client is solely responsible for errors missed during the proofing process. Any client alterations to be billed additional at the hourly rate as well as changes made after final approval of artwork, prior to printing.
Can I use stock photos or images in my project?
We can purchase stock images at the customer’s request from reputable stock image websites with legal licensing agreements. We cannot print images that have been obtained illegally and without proper licensing (Google Images, etc.). If we purchase the stock image, Draftech will retain the license on behalf of the customer and Draftech only will have the rights to use that image on behalf of that customer. If the customer purchases the image, the customer retains the right to use the image outside of Draftech projects. Stock images cannot be trademarked or copyrighted.
We offer free parking while at our shop without the hassle of downtown traffic and parking!
Digital Printing & Copying
Black and white, color copies, and digital prints. Large and small format. Confidential legal duplication with OCR and Bates Stamping software
Photo & Artist Services
Photo enlargement & reproduction, prints on gloss, satin, matte or canvas. Fine art photography and giclee printing
AEC (Construction Document) Services
Large format digital copies. Document management and archiving, bid sets, construction sets, conformed sets, specification books
Technology & Design Services
Email and fax service, digital plotting service, reduce and enlarge to scale, Computer, graphic design services and photo correction
Signs, Banners & Posters
Vinyl banners for indoor & outdoor use, A-Frame signs, lawn staked signs, MDF outdoor signs, color posters, vinyl decals and stickers
Finishing
Mounting, edge trimming, laminating, binding, stapling, folding, stamping, labeling, custom tabs, presentations, paper pads & more