Kornerstone Signs Company

Finance
	Is signage expensive?
	How much will my sign cost?
	When do I have to pay for my sign?
Planning
	Do I need a sign for my business?
	I’m opening my business and I need signage. Isn’t it a hassle going to the Village and getting permits?
Products
	Do I need a lighted sign?
	Are sandblasted signs really made out of wood?

	Is signage expensive?
	Signage is the least expensive, yet most effective, form of advertising for independent and national retail businesses. You pay for the sign once and it works for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for years. Use of other media requires paying month after month and you never have the benefit of ownership. You also have no assurance that you're reaching potential customers. From a business owner's perspective, a sign should not be viewed as an expense, but as a capital investment. When you factor in your return on investment, signs are not expensive. An effective sign will most likely pay for itself many times over. The price for signage will vary greatly depending upon the size, design, style, manufacturer, and mounting type.
TOP
	How much will my sign cost?
	This question is more complicated than you may think. Many factors determine the final cost of the sign. How long should the sign to last? Is it being installed inside or outside? If outside, at ground level or 30' up on a wall? If printed, will the sign be exposed to direct sunlight? How complex will the layout be? Will there be special effects (reflective, prismatic, gold leaf, borders, drop shadows, etc.)? Will we install your signage, or will you do it yourself? Are you submitting a sign permit or are we? After we have the answer to these and a few more questions, we can give you a realistic, competetive price quote for your signage. Please remember that in most cases, signs are custome made. They are not commodities. Give us your realistic expectations and we will give you a realistic quotation.
TOP
	When do I have to pay for my sign?
	During a first meeting, we get an understanding of your needs, budget constraints and your timing. In most cases we can give you an "estimated cost" of the proposed sign. This meeting and the quote is all at "no charge". If preliminary artwork is requested, a fee for design time will be charged. If you choose to proceed with the sign construction, that amount is credited against your total amount. If you choose not to have us continue, the work we have done to date, belongs to you. All artwork (sketches and/or files) will be available for you to pick-up or have shipped at your expense. In either event, upon approving a quotation, we require a deposit of 50% to begin work. Upon completion the balance of the bill is due. We do not extend terms, and don't send statements. Several well-kown leasing companies are beginning to arrange financing for large exterior illuminated signs. It is probably worth a phone call if other start-up costs have you pretty tapped out.
TOP
	Do I need a sign for my business?
	There are many reasons, the most primary of these being: Signs are the most effective, yet least expensive, form of advertising for the small business. A sign is your introduction and handshake with those passing by, identifying your business to existing and potential customers. Signs are always "on the job" for you, advertising 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. People often judge a business by how it looks on the sign. Many merchants increase their business measurably just by adding a good sign. Conversely, many have gone out of business because they simply were not identified well, so not enough potential customers knew of their existence. As one sign industry professional put it, "A business without a sign is a sign of no business." We live in a mobile society. According to the United States Census Bureau, 18% of households relocate each year. As your customers move, you need to replace them by attracting new customers
TOP
	I’m opening my business and I need signage. Isn’t it a hassle going to the Village and getting permits?
	For a business person just starting up, what do you need the added headache for? It's bad enough you have to get a phone line, internet hook-up, a credit card machine... and the list goes on. Our friendly staff knows the people at the Village offices, we know what questions to ask, we know what is required from each Village, and we follow their rules. This way, your installation goes without a hitch. There's nothing worse than opening your new business without a way to let people know your new buesiness is OPEN!
TOP
	Do I need a lighted sign?
	Yes, we no longer live in a 9-to-5 society, and people will drive past your business location 24 hours a day. With a lighted sign, you have an opportunity to communicate with your existing and potential customer, even when your business is closed. Large corporations create "top of the mind awareness" when they constantly and consistently present their name, corporate logos, and products until their name becomes a household word and their corporate logos or graphics become synonymous with the corporation's name. With a lighted sign on display 24 hours a day, the small business owner has the opportunity to create a "top of mind awareness" in their local community. (See the related question about 'branding' a location.)
TOP
	Are sandblasted signs really made out of wood?
	Some are and some aren’t. Back in the day, and still today, redwood is the most often used material. It lasts a long time, and has a nice well-defined grain. In the last several years however, cedar is starting to become the wood of choice. The change is more due to supply than to performance of the material. The new kid on the block, though, is High Density Urethane, simply called HDU. HDU makes a great substrate to work with. It can be cut, carved, routed, primed, painted, glued, screwed, and yes, tattooed. It doesn’t rot, and it isn’t susceptible to animal wear. But the biggest advantage over natural wood is how it weathers. Real wood expands and contracts, and different planks of wood will dry out differently. This sometimes creates gaps and un-even seams. This is never the case with HDU. Although it costs a little more than real wood, it’s advantages largely outweigh the extra cost.
TOP