Resources / Field guides & tools
Field guides, specs, and the tools we run on.
The signage knowledge a procurement lead actually needs: how permits really time out, when to spec which film, what makes ADA signage pass inspection — plus the checklists we use in the field. Written from the install side, not the brochure side.
[ 07.01 ]Guides
Written from the install side.
- For the TradeSubcontracting sign installation: a shop's guide to out-of-market installs.For sign shops, fabricators, and print producers: how to vet an out-of-market installer, the protections to get in writing, and what a closeout hands back.7 min read
- Buyer GuidesEnterprise program, franchise network, or independent operator: who should run your rollout."National sign company" covers at least four business models. The model decides who you talk to and what happens when a site goes sideways.7 min read
- MaintenanceLED retrofits for sign cabinets: when they pay off.Most aging fluorescent cabinets need new light, not a new sign. What an LED retrofit involves, and when it beats a reface or full replacement.6 min read
- Sign TypesMonument or pylon: choosing the freestanding sign.Monument and pylon signs solve different problems, and the local sign code usually gets a vote. Here's how the two differ and what decides between them.6 min read
- Cost & BudgetingWhat channel letters cost: the five things that set the number.Two channel letter sets that look identical from the sidewalk can be quoted a multiple apart. Here are the five drivers that actually set the price.7 min read
- Buyer GuidesHow a multi-site signage rollout runs, week by week.A multi-site signage rollout looks like chaos from the outside and runs like a sequence inside. Here's the week-by-week shape, from brief to closeout.7 min read
- Buyer GuidesRFP questions for a sign vendor (and the answers to listen for).Building an RFP for a national signage program? These are the questions that separate vendors, written out with the answer a real operator should give.8 min read
- Buyer GuidesHow to choose a national signage partner.The wrong national signage partner doesn't fail loudly. It fails as drift across markets and surprises after signoff. Here's how to spot it early.7 min read
- Permits & ComplianceSign permit cost and timeline: fees, engineering, and when to expedite.A sign permit's fee is rarely the expensive part. The timeline is. Here's what drives permit cost, why engineering is separate, and when expediting pays back.7 min read
- Cost & BudgetingWhat a national signage rollout costs: the drivers behind the number.There's no honest flat price for a national signage rollout, but the number isn't random. Here are the line items that move it, so you can read a quote.8 min read
- ADA & WayfindingADA sign mounting heights and specs, explained.ADA signage fails inspection on small details: mounting height, latch-side placement, tactile characters. Here are the rules that matter most on an install.6 min read
- MaterialsCast vs. calendered vinyl: which film for which job.The cast-versus-calendered choice decides whether a graphic lasts years or lifts in a season. Here is when to spec each, and the mistake that goes both ways.5 min read
- Permits & ComplianceHow long do sign permits take? A realistic timeline.Sign permits are the most common reason a rollout slips. Here is what drives the timeline, why two cities can be weeks apart, and how to plan around it.6 min read
[ 07.02 ]Newsletter
The dispatch from the install side.
A few times a quarter: how permitting actually moves in tough markets, rollout playbooks, and what we're learning in the field. Written for the people who run multi-location programs.
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[ 07.03 ]Tools
Checklists you can take to your next survey.
Download
Site survey checklist
Every measurement, photo angle, and code consideration that keeps a crew from having to re-mobilize — the one our crews actually run.
Open the checklist[07.99]Start your quote
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