How Much Does a Sign Cost?
After over 20 years in the business, one thing is certain. This is the most commonly asked question we receive in the shop. And the absolute clearest answer we can give is, “It depends!”
Of course, this is one of the most logical questions a customer can ask when beginning the process of creating a sign for their business. Budgeting is key in running a business well. The difficulty in answering this question comes not from a lack in compassion, but instead it comes from the nearly infinite possibilities that go into sign design.
Calling to find out the price of a specific type or size of sign is somewhat like simply asking someone to go buy you a box of cereal of a specific size at the grocery store. The person will respond with countless questions: What kind? Flavor? Do you like a specific type of grain? What is your price range? Do you want the kind in a bag, or in a box? And the questions go on and on.
Without the specifics of exactly what you’re looking for, it’s difficult to determine how much it will cost. The actual materials used to build the sign represent a small percentage of the total cost of the sign. The majority of the cost goes into the labor of transforming these materials into an attention-grabbing, attractive sign for your business.
These efforts include the initial design work, printing, cutting, gluing, heating glass to the degree that it can bend and filling it with gas that lights up (custom neon signs), etc. The amount of individual attention that goes into crafting each sign is kind of amazing.
Also, it is a common misconception that the size of the sign directly relates to its cost. Many people are surprised to learn that smaller signs are often more expensive than large-scale signs. This is because people tend to see small signs when they are very close to them, and every tiny detail can be examined… So every tiny detail must be perfect. This perfection takes detailed and focused attention, which takes more time than larger signs where a centimeter carries less weight.
You probably won’t be surprised to hear that we drive around Ventura looking at signs, and see many that we dream of re-fashioning, if we could only get the chance. Signs are often peoples’ first impression of your business, and making them appealing and memorable can go a long way towards bringing people in and making sure they come back.
We want to create the best sign we possibly can for you, at the budget you can afford. So know that when we ask what your budget is, it’s because we want to know what we can do. We want to drive by your business and love our work. Think of us as part of your team. We will find the best sign design for you, given what you have available to spend now.
So before we talk about how much it will cost, tell us what your dream sign is. Every color you’d love to use, the dimensions of it, lighting ideas—everything. It may be that exactly what you wanted is a $5,000 sign, or it could be $500. Regardless of the actual price, you’d be surprised at how much closer your budget can come to what you really wanted when you start out with the dream.
When thinking about a budget, plan to spend what you can on durable materials that will make a long-lasting sign. Stretch your budget out over ten or so years and divide it into months (because that’s how long your sign will last). Can you afford to pay $50 a month over the next seven years to drastically increase attention to your business?
Come in and have a chat with us about the sign you really want. We will definitely get as close to it as we possibly can, within a budget that works for you.
