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Signage Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does a sign cost? A: How much do groceries cost? There are so many distinct variables when it comes to pricing a sign that there is no single answer to this question. We have made signs that range in price from $20 to $30,000+. The best way to figure out what your sign is going to cost is to request a custom quotation from us!
Q: Do you charge for design? A: Yes. Some design time is allocated for every sign project and worked into the cost of the sign. For any highly specialized, custom, work, we will provide you with a separate design quotation.
Q: How long does it take to make a sign? A: Anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 weeks or more, depending on the complexity of the sign.
Q: What type of signs do you construct? A: Anything from temporary use signs such as ‘for sale’ or ‘coming soon’ signs, to more expensive permanent signage, such as wayfinding, building identification, storefront and much more. We also make banners and do vehicle graphics. Please visit out gallery page to see a selection of the wide range of options available.
Q: What materials do you use? A: Anything from inexpensive plastics to solid metals, woods and other media. Check out our materials guide for further information!
Q: What type of sign is best for my business? A: One that best reflects the nature of your business and is likely to draw the right customer who will make a purchase. For example, you cannot put up an inexpensive sign at a high-class jewelry business, or the public will assume the quality of the product in the display cases is along the lines of the thing they first saw that represented your business… which is your sign. On the other hand, an inexpensive sign is perfect for a ‘dollar store’, as people who go there look for bargains and the cheap type of sign represents that type of environment.
Q: Do I need a permit? A: Sometimes. If it is an illuminated exterior sign, you almost always need a sign permit and an electrical permit. Most other exterior signage also requires permits, but you would have to check with your municipality, city or county on the regulations. Every area varies substantially from the next. Interior signs, even when hung inside a window seldom require permits, but there are exceptions.
Q: How long will my sign last? A: How long will my car last? Again, this is a question of quality. Obviously a Lada will not outlast a Rolls-Royce. This is why there are temporary use signs and permanent signs. Since there are so many materials to select from, and the environmental effects on these signs vary substantially from the rainforest to the desert, we can recommend the solution for you – that must work within your budget as well.
Q: Can I install my sign myself? A: Again, depends on the sign. You can hang up a banner yourself, or put your ‘for sale’ sign in your lawn yourself. If you’re mechanically inclined you can even follow a template for installing metal letters onto brick. However, we do offer installation on our signage in the local area. Otherwise, we can supply templates and instructions for the do-it-yourselfers.
Q: Do you guarantee your signs? A: We will guarantee our workmanship and materials on obvious flaws. We work hard to find the best materials and finishes, and we have no control on what happens to these products when they leave our shop – how and where they are installed, so in most cases we do not guarantee more than 30 days on signs we do not install ourselves.
Q: What colors are available? A: All standard colors are available in either a painted or vinyl finish. We can match most pantone colours if there is a certain color that must be matched, but that would be an additional cost.
Q: What fonts are available? A: There are literally thousands in our computer system and many more that you may be able to find off the internet or from the veritable plethora of design software programs on the market today. We can use virtually any font, but if we do not have it, it is important to send the artwork as curves so we can then use it.
Q: What file formats do you accept? A: We are a PC based organization and therefore PC files work best, although Mac files can be emailed with no problems. We need ‘vector’ files (ie. .EPS, .AI, .CDR, .CDL, .DXF), which have lines as opposed to ‘bitmap’ files (ie. .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, . which are composed of millions of dots. We can convert from bitmap to vector, but the cost increases significantly due to the amount of time required.
Tel: 604-468-2053 Toll Free: 800-226-3688 Fax: 604-468-2061 Address: 2403 Canoe Avenue, Coquitlam B.C., Canada V3K 6A9 Hours of Operation: Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm |
