Most sign headaches don’t come from bad signs. They come from questions nobody asked early enough. Who’s filing the permit? Is the old sign coming down? Does the price include the electrician?
The fix is simple: ask the right question at the right moment. Below are the questions to ask a sign company, sorted by where you are in the project. Think of it as a custom sign checklist you can actually use. Print it, bring it to your next sign meeting, and check things off as you go. We work with businesses across New Jersey and in New York City too.
In this guide
Stage 1: Before You Ask for a Quote
These questions shape what you’re actually buying.
What should this sign do?
Get people to pull into the lot? Help visitors find suite 210? Tell walkers you’re open late? A sign for drivers needs bigger letters and fewer words than one people read from the sidewalk. Here’s how viewing distance changes a sign’s design.
Where will people first see it?
Stand where your customers stand. Take photos from the road, the parking lot and across the street, not just of the wall. Trees, parked trucks and neighboring signs can block more than you’d think.
What does your landlord allow?
Check your lease and any sign criteria for the building. Many spell out letter height, colors, lighting and how signs mount. If you’re in a plaza, read our guide to shopping center sign requirements.
Is your artwork ready?
Vector files like AI, EPS, SVG or PDF, plus your brand colors and fonts, make everything faster. If you know your brand’s Pantone numbers, include them. You can look them up with the Pantone Color Finder. Our artwork guidelines list what works best. No files yet? A sign designer can rebuild your logo for production. For the full list of what to send, see what to prepare before requesting a sign quote.
Stage 2: Before You Approve the Drawing
What exactly am I approving?
Look for overall size, letter height, depth, materials, colors, lighting and how it mounts. “Channel letters” on its own isn’t a spec. A scaled drawing on a photo of your building is. For lit faces, ask which translucent vinyl is used, such as ORACAL 8500 or 3M Scotchcal 3630, since that decides how your colors look when the lights come on. If you’re weighing face and return options, this guide to storefront sign materials is a helpful primer.
How will it look from the street, and at night?
Ask for a view from where customers approach. For lit signs, ask how it will look after dark. Even, steady light reads better than raw brightness, and the Sign Research Foundation’s work on illuminated sign conspicuity backs that up. Our post on illuminated vs non illuminated signs helps you decide if lighting is worth it.
What happens if the wall is not what we expected?
Hidden steel, old wiring or damage behind an old sign can change the plan. Ask who decides on a change in the field, how you’ll hear about cost and timing, and when the crew stops to check with you.
Stage 3: Before Production Starts
Which permits are included, and who files them?
Get a straight answer on zoning and construction permits, plus fees, revisions and inspections. In New Jersey, your landlord’s approval doesn’t replace the town’s. Production should usually wait until approvals come through. Our guide explains whether business signs need a permit in New Jersey, and here’s how we handle sign permits for customers.
Who handles the power?
Someone has to bring a circuit to the sign location, and a licensed electrical contractor makes the final connection on lit signs. New Jersey’s electrical board explains when an electrical contractor license is required. Find out which parts the sign company covers and which fall to your electrician or landlord.
What does the full schedule look like?
Break it into survey, drawings, approvals, production, install and inspection. Ask which dates depend on you or on the town. Tight opening date? Plan a temporary vinyl banner so you’re not invisible on day one. Here’s a realistic look at how long a custom sign project takes.
Stage 3: Before Production Starts
Is the old sign coming down?
Removal, disposal, capping old wiring, patching holes and painting are easy to forget. Ask exactly what’s included, or see how sign removal usually works.
What does the crew need from you?
Access, room for a lift, parking, work hours, and anything your landlord or neighbors need a heads up about.
Has the insurance certificate been sent?
Your landlord may want to be named on it. Sort it out the week before, not the morning the crew shows up.
Stage 3: Before Production Starts
What does the warranty cover?
Materials, workmanship, LEDs and power supplies, labor and lift time. Ask who does service calls and how fast. Our guide to sign warranties and maintenance plans covers what’s normal. Ordering vehicle graphics at the same time? It’s worth knowing how long commercial vehicle wraps last too.
What records do I get?
Final drawings, colors, permit records, warranty papers and photos. They make future repairs and changes much easier.
How will future changes work?
New hours, a new tenant name, a rebrand? Signs built with replaceable faces or panels cost less to update later. Here’s how rebranding without replacing every sign works.
Put a Name Next to Every Job
The easiest way to avoid surprise change orders is to write down who owns each task. Use this as a quick worksheet with your sign company.
Common Questions Before Ordering a Custom Sign
What should I ask a sign company before hiring them?
Start with who builds the sign, who files permits, who connects the power and what the warranty covers. Then use the stage by stage list above as the project moves along. Our guide on how to choose a sign company in New Jersey goes deeper.
Should I approve a design before permits?
You will approve the drawing that goes into the permit application. Hold off on production until approvals come through, so a change does not mean a rebuild.
Who pays for sign permits?
It depends on the contract. Many sign companies file the permits and pass the town’s fees through. Make sure your quote says which.
How do I avoid change orders on a sign project?
Get a site survey before the final price, and put a name next to every task: permits, power, removal, patching and inspection.
Bring Your Questions to Us
Still wondering what to ask a sign maker? Bring your own list. Gogi Signs designs, builds, permits and installs custom business signs from our Linden, NJ shop. Request a free quote or book a site survey, and we’ll answer every question before anything gets built.
