How Much for a Sign?

Isn't that the $25,000 question! Literally! The good news is there's a sign to fit almost any budget. The bad news is there is no way to price a sign without first making some tough decisions about it. Luckily, we have experts who can help you navigate this dilemma, but for better or worse most clients do not approach the question by answering the right initial questions.

A good sign design takes a messaging opportunity, which is usually a location where a sign will go, and maximizes an intended result within a given budget. So the right info to start with is where, to do what, and for how much. Customers often miss the opportunity to leverage their sign professional's expertise in materials, design, and methods. Signage is an investment in making you money, but it only works well when the design achieves one or more commercial goals and can be realized within budget.

Why not DIY?

Let's face it: good signs cost good money. A lot of things that go into a sign can be done on a layman level, so why not DIY? There are a few reasons, actually. First, for every thing that can be done at a DIY level there is another that can't. Signs require digital graphics, sure, and often get hung on a wall, panel, or a window and that aspect may be straightforward, but remember that signage starts with a space opportunity, such as a building frontage or vehicle face, and filling that opportunity with something sub-par squanders the opportunity to use that space to make money.

Minimizing size, messaging design, lighting, or detail to allow for DIY is underutilizing what is often a critical and costly space. On the other hand, not minimizing for DIY can introduce structural and electrical concerns, hazards, and liabilities if a professional isn't brought in. It's for this reason most jurisdictions require a licensed professional to pull permits and install signage so as to ensure materials are properly handled and affixed.

What Should I Expect After I Order a Sign?

Image Master prides itself on efficient consultation, graphic design, sign production, and installation, but good signs go through many careful steps and take real time to produce. As soon as you place your order you'll receive communication about the design phase of your project. In fact, you'll start to receive communication around each and every phase of your project! No good project lacks communication and you will find we want you 'in the loop' at all times.

Projects always progress in discrete stages. Designs will be presented, adjusted by us, and signed off by you prior to committing details to local boards; municipalities will need to approve designs before we expend your materials and funding on production so you're not stuck having to re-do manufacturing; installation will be scheduled when we know the pieces needed will be complete and ready for the install date. We don't want you to worry about anything but the weather!

What about the Weather?

Luckily in San Antonio we have a lot of good weather, which is good for outdoor sign production and installation. Bad weather can, and does, interrupt production and installation schedules, and for good reason. Signs employ many coatings and adhesives that simply don't work well outside their intended temperature range. The same can be said of wet conditions in many cases, plus the often added need to install electronics. So if there's inclement weather you'll need to bear with us, know we're not happy about it either, but we're not going to put something together wrong just to get it out the door.

On the other hand, weather is also primarily what degrades outdoor materials. Image Master uses exterior-rated coatings, adhesives, and print formulations but wind, temperature fluctuation, and especially direct south Texas sun take their toll. Some of this degradation can be cost-effectively reduced; we can help figure out the right answer for you right now, and down the road.