Signs of the Times - May 2017 - 44
Investigate the installation wall and what is behind it, see the attic if necessary and also examine the electrical connections. (You'll want an electrician to make the final connections.) ABOUT INSTALLERS Robert "Boo" Olson owns Boo Doo Signs and Installation (Princeton, MN), has been hanging signs for at least 25 years and has vast high-rise experience for major corporations as well as that of hanging channel letter sets for small signshops. I asked his advice for signshops that subcontract the installation of channel letters and he had several specific suggestions, the first emphatic and quick: The signshop should talk to the installer when they're considering the bid, not when a box of signs is in their driveway. A professional installer will offer survey advice and discuss possible problems. They'll also talk to you about your charges for installation materials - wires, switches, grommets, pass-throughs and more. Olson says to not estimate the job until you have definite agreements - and a price - from your installer. If possible, have the installer survey the site because they may see things you don't. Other install aspects include the removal and disposal of old signs; wall repair, patching or reinforcement; and surface mount or raceway preference. Olson adds that your letter fabricator should offer advice regarding install or maintenance access problems. He also said to carefully 44 SIGNS OF THE TIMES MAY 2017 check the installer's references and to have specific agreements on the work arrangement with the installer and any subcontractors they may bring onto the site. They should agree not to solicit future sign or installation work from your customer, for example. He also noted that pole sign installations may require unique mounts, and wall installations may require one-off supports or lengthy passthrough bolts. Another hazard is if the sign doesn't fit when the installers attempt to install it at the buyer's site, an error that could occur because of pre-design survey errors - and is the seller's fault, because they provided the survey-based contract. This predicament is avoided by in-depth site surveys accomplished by professional sign installers. The surveyor should also investigate the existing wiring system and breaker boxes and provide a status report of those aspects of the installation. And, they would also note any problems or hazards possible at the install site - overhead, high-voltage wires, for example, or on-street parking on a boulevard that may require non-traffic installation times. ABOUT SHIPPING Another important element in subcontracting electric signs is that finished signs are transported by truck via a private carrier and are therefore regarded by insurance companies as cargo with often complex coverage, so you want a clear agreement on both insurance and charges with the