How to Set up Large Sign Orders! 

A Guide to make our large jobs more seamless:

What kind of sign options are there??    2

What Does our Customer Need to Know:    5

What do we do if a customer wants to continue??    6

Do better with a list? No problem! See below to help your discussion with your customer!    7

Supplier Chart:    9

Miss Utility:    11

Design:    13

Large Sign Information: 

What kind of sign options are there?? 

Channel Lettering:

• Channel lettering is light up 3D Lettering that we install on a raceway on the building, these help businesses grow and have a label to their storefront 

Monument Signs: 

• Monument signs are signs that are more decorative and freestanding signs that are large, and placed directly on the ground. These are good for business fronts or subdivisions. 

Interior Signs:

• Interior signs are anything from HDU signs to acrylic signs. Typically to decorate. These have different mounting systems like stud mounted or with surface mounts that hide behind the sign. 

Acrylic Sign Retrofit:

• These frames are usually already there. We do not typically install these as they are light up signs and we don’t deal too much with electrical. But our main thing is the sign itself which is a 3/16 of an inch acrylic with translucent vinyl overlay so the lights behind it pop. 

Decorative Post and Signs: 

• This is similar to a monument sign but is more freestanding with posts and an acrylic or ACM sign inside. 

Hanging Outdoor Signs:

• These can be decorative brackets with an ACM, Sintra PVC, or acrylic sign, typically holes placed will have grommets for extra protection and chains for hanging. 

Interpretive Signs:

• These are usually map signs, or historic signs with wording or a directory, some options have a retainer that you slide acrylic or ACM into and others are printed on top of the panel.

What Does our Customer Need to Know:

Permitting - takes 3 to 4 weeks, we will set up a to scale proof for the customer before submitting to the county. Permitting must be completed first before production if we produce a sign before permitting is approved there could be a chance of the permit changing size, location etc.  

Production - after permitting is approved production can begin which can take 3 to 4 more weeks. 

Miss Utility - If sign has posts then miss utility would need to be called to ensure our installers do not hit a power line, this should be done before permitting 

Half Down - Customers must pay a half down before the job starts!!

Is There A Power Source?? - Always ask the customer if there is a power source!!! We don’t do electrical so if they don't have one they need an electrician to move the power. And for channel lettering.. Is there an existing raceway? Raceways hold up the channel lettering and they are typically the color of the building they are attached to to match better and not stick out. 

What do we do if a customer wants to continue??

• After getting all information, we set up a site survey visit for measurements of the building/ location. 

• After site survey completion we can request a quote from one of our suppliers

• When setting up the quote do a 1.75 mark up and take into account shipping, usually jonathan can assist in this but around $400 more would be best to add to the total cost

• After Quote approval from the customer, we would need to process the order and request a half down for the job.

• Once half down is obtained we begin design: design will consist of a to scale proof on the sign on the building, this is for the customer to see how big the sign will be and also for permitting to see as well. This part is important for it to be as accurate as possible. Have Jonathan check over your proof before sending it to the customer. 

• After proof approval from the customer this proof (in an AI or EPS file) can go to Jonathan for permitting 

• While permitting is in process please request a landlord sign off on the install as well as a signed install waiver that we can keep on hand 

• Once permitting is approved we can send the design to the supplier and order the sign! They typically ask for a half down before beginning then we can get money from megan to submit  

• Let customer know when the sign will be shipping to us (usually supplier lets us know, stay on top of them because they get slow)

• After the sign makes it in house, have Jonathan or installers look at the sign to ensure nothing is missing, then schedule an install with Jonathan depending on what he thinks is best for timing.  

• Make sure scheduling is good with customer and move forward with install and obtain rest of money

• That’s it!! ?

Do better with a list? No problem! See below to help your discussion with your customer!

Checklist for First Customer Call:

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  Obtain Customers (name, number, email, sign address, and sign type they would like) 

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  Let customers know the lead times! (permitting 3-4 weeks, production 3-4 weeks, miss utility is 3-5 business days, site survey is dependant on installers openings)

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  Make the customer aware that a site survey visit is $250 dollars and after quote approval on the signage we will request a half down 

• 

  If customer is okay with all info above, ask the customer if they have specific dates and times that work best for them to meet our installer 

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  After gathering all of this information, let them know that you will request an install meet and you will get back to them through email on the site survey date

Checklist after first call:

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  Obtain survey date from installers that aligns with customer openings

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  Confirm date with customer

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  Once installers give you your install information including sizes, sign type, etc. 

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  Check is Miss Utility needs to be called (if so make sure it was marked by installers and call) pg. 10-11

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  Wait for approval and request quote from supplier in the meantime pg. 8-9

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  Once quote is approved with Jonathan, (this includes marking up price, getting install price, and making sure shipping is added in the price) send to customer 

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  When customer approves request a half down, landlord waiver, and sign install waiver to begin (DO NOT START DESIGN WITHOUT IT) pg. 11

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  After half down is paid begin design pg 12 

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  Once to Scale design is completed, have Jonathan approve it before sending to customer 

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  Send design to customer and receive approval 

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  When approved design can be sent to Jonathan to submit for permitting 

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  Follow-up with Jonathan on permitting periodically and keep customer in the loop

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  Once permitting is approved we can send our design file to our supplier to move into production

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  Production will give you an estimated time frame of completion and ship date (send that to customer) 

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  Follow-up with production periodically and keep customer in the loop again

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  After order enters the shop have an installer open the signs to make sure all is correct

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  Once approved by install set up an install date that works with your install and the customer 

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  Once install date is approved wait for installation

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  After sign is installed send customer invoice and rest of payment 

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  Your sign job is completed!! 

                            Supplier Chart:

Miss Utility:

We use miss utility to call for marking posts in the ground, this goes for any job but they are able to mark out the different connections that are in the ground so our installers do not hit them when digging. 

No marking = No work done 

Their number is 811: 

The main information you should gather before giving them a call is pictures of the marked area for you to use as a reference, the county the sign is in, the street address and cross street.

Here is an example of a picture of a marked area: 

In the image above, you can see I circled the flags in blue so they are more visible. From the customer we obtained an address nearby (the house in the photo) and a quick google search gave us the county and the cross streets needed for this job. They will ask if you are using a boring machine or hand digging and if we are using explosives. We say yes to boring machines and no to explosives. 

Miss utility likes specific directions with no flowery language. Very straightforward. When Miss utility asks, “where on the property is the sign going to be installed” we would reply with, “The sign is at the end of the cul de sac placed in between a small road and footpath. The sign is about 3 to 4 feet away from the cul de sac. It is marked with 3 white flags and we need a 3’ radius around the flags.” 

Miss utility will make note of your instructions and get everything submitted and provide you a ticket number 

Miss Utility Checklist (MAKE SURE FLAGS ARE PLACED ALREADY):

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  Street address 

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  Cross Street 

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  County

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  Pictures for reference

Landlord Waiver/ Install Waiver: 

The landlord waiver is what the customer has to obtain from their landlord to approve producing/ installing signage on the property. This is just a letter of approval. 

We have a sign install waiver on file that we send to customers to sign so that we are not liable. 

Obtain these while obtaining your half down so everything can move forward efficiently. 

Design:

How do we set up a design meant for permitting? How do we articulate what we need? 

Our designs require a To Scale drawing. This kind of drawing is one that shows the customer and county the size of the sign compared to the location it is sitting in. 

What do you need before starting a design? 

• Measurements of the area the sign will go 

• Measurements of the sign 

• Straight on images of the location that are high resolution

How do we start off our design? 

Customers typically need a logo to begin these designs. Customers will explain to you the kind of design they want, for instance on a sign cabinet they may want their logo with a nice border around it.

Example 1: 

First, set up the beginning design for the customer to view, an example we can use start to finish is 2&17. They wanted a large sign cabinet which we obtained measurements for and showed proofs to them. 

This was our final approval above which shows a border around the design as well as a second green border to show the cabinet. 

Next we got measurements of the building and found where we would place the sign for 

design. 

This was the final approved drawing and we added measurement lines to show the sign all together including the measurement of the large window and the brick space between the window and the roof. 

After the approval we submit the pdf or ai file to Jonathan for permitting and send the sized original proof of just the sign to our supplier for production after the permitting is complete. 

Example 2: 

This example is for a raceway and channel lettering. Channel lettering always needs a raceway for it to be installed as all lighting elements and mounting pieces are within this. So it must be shown in design.

This was our first design which was approved for the channel lettering. It shows just the lettering for the customer to approve the font, style, etc. 

Next we set up a scale for her to see, as you see behind the lettering there is the raceway that holds it together. After this was approved it was sent to permitting! 

Example 3: 

This would be a sign with posts in it. We first set up our design with the posts. 

After this we set up a scale with the surrounding area, we got measurements of the ground between the road and the mulch area. And we changed the posts for the customer. Once approved the same steps are used to send to permitting with Jonathan.