retail storefront signage question (insurance, retail business, license, reserve)

[mbuszu]

Hi everyone, question for you. I'm going to be opening up a retail storefront shortly and just received my first quote (~$7,000.00) for a new light-up sign with 24 inch letters - basic white plastic coverings and included in the quote was its mounting on the storefront. To be honest I'm a bit sticker shocked at the price for what I would consider a plain vanilla sign with light up letters.

I'm awaiting quotes from other area sign stores but wanted to poll my favorite forum to see if there are others here with experience purchasing or making signs. I just want to do a reality check. For a small retail business I am trying to ensure I don't overspend on any of the start-up costs as I don't have unlimited cash reserves.

[Rcm58]

I already had a large sign on a metal post when I purchased the store I have now so all I had to do was have the 2 sides changed out. The plastics with 2 color lettering and our logo approx size 5' wide by 7' tall plus a new transformer, a floodlight and an aluminum sign with the same lettering they mounted on the roof for me that is 36 inches high by 10 ft long only came to around $1600 three years ago

[golfgal]

That sounds about ballpark for a lit sign. They are expensive--make sure you have insurance for them on your business policy too. We just put new lettering on an already existing sign, the plastic insert stuff-cleaned off the old sign and put our sign on, $975.

[Sage of Sagle]

Yup. It's not cheap. Maybe not $7K, but it really depends on what the market will bear in your area. I was lucky to be in an area that had a couple too many sign shops when I was doing ours several years ago, but it's a big expense.

[poconoproud]

We had the same problem with the expense. We are a new business, bootstrapping it to the max. We opted to instead illuminate our sign with spotlights, and will upgrade in the future.

[litlux]

Some communities require changes in signage to be approved and licensed. Before spending big bucks, check it out. Oh, and I always got several designs and quotes before committing.

[vter]

Ditto what litlux said...check with your local zoning department. There may be sign code laws regarding size, lighting, color etc.

[poconoproud]

There absolutely are zoning regulations in every municipality. Ours allows it, but it is very expensive. That is why we went with an un-lit sign instead, illuminated with spotlights.

[Padgett2]

There's usually more to it than just the sign. There's the wiring and attachment to the building. That can be a good bit if the wiring is not already in place. It can also be tricky to hang it if the building doesn't have the needed supporting structure in the right spot.