How do you remove Pylon or Post Signs that have become abandoned?

[Commercial Realtor AL]

I am not a sign store owner nor do I intend to ever make a sign. I find describing what I need and purchasing them from one of you to be much easier.

I have moved to north Alabama, and I did not see much of this in the metro Atlanta area, but there are a plethora of post signs to commercial properties where the latest tenant was unable to
use the old sign and found another way to advertise their business. Apparently, there is no existing code to remove signs along roadways that become an eyesore over the years - I'm talking
about signs where the owner of the property probably doesn't want to pay for removal, and perhaps the municipality's hands are tied because it is private property.

I imagine people familiar with this forum would know how these types of signs are dealt with in areas that routinely take out abandoned signs - I don't tend to see them as much in larger metropolitan cities as I do smaller cities.

I have attached a couple of local pics, I know one is being used for other types of signage, but I could have posted dozens that fit my description from the area.

Thank you for reading!

 

[Billct2]

Some codes do require signs be maintained. But like abandoned properties enforcement is hard because there usually isnt anything in the code that gives it teeth. But if the code has provisions for fines it is a possibility. The other issue for the property owner, besides the cost, is once the sign is removed you may not be able to get it back if a future tenant wants it.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

You remove them the same way they demolish dilapidated buildings are removed. It all depends on the city you live in.

Metro Atlanta is not Northern Alabama... two different worlds.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Why not call a demo guy? That's what they do

 

[Scotchbrite]

Commercial Realtor AL are you asking how these signs are removed in the practical sense of how it's physically done, or are you asking how to force a removal thru some sort of enforcement action?

If it's the latter, typically sign codes are enforced by complaint, so you need to find out how to lodge a complaint with the city's code enforcement people.

Our local city will allow signs to stay up as long as it has some sort of face panel in it, even if it's just blank white. If the sign was originally installed under a permit, you can change the faces in it. They call those signs "legal nonconforming". However, as soon as the structure is altered, they have to come into compliance.

If you are asking how it's done physically, it depends on the situation. The quick and dirty way would be to torch the pipes off at grade level and weld a cap on them. When we used to remove freestanding signs at car dealerships, they wanted the pole and footing demo'd out at least 6" below grade, cap the pole, and backfill/patch over the area to bring it back up to grade. That was because the car manufacturers actually owned the dealer signs and the dealers paid to lease them from the manufacturer. The manufacturers didn't want the dealer to be able to reuse the sign footing for their own purposes.

The most difficult removal method would be pulling the entire footing out of the ground but then you've gotta back fill that entire hole. Plus hauling off and disposing a chunk of concrete like that can be difficult.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Commercial Realtor AL are you asking how these signs are removed in the practical sense of how it's physically done, or are you asking how to force a removal thru some sort of enforcement action?

If it's the latter, typically sign codes are enforced by complaint, so you need to find out how to lodge a complaint with the city's code enforcement people.

Our local city will allow signs to stay up as long as it has some sort of face panel in it, even if it's just blank white. If the sign was originally installed under a permit, you can change the faces in it. They call those signs "legal nonconforming". However, as soon as the structure is altered, they have to come into compliance.

If you are asking how it's done physically, it depends on the situation. The quick and dirty way would be to torch the pipes off at grade level and weld a cap on them. When we used to remove freestanding signs at car dealerships, they wanted the pole and footing demo'd out at least 6" below grade, cap the pole, and backfill/patch over the area to bring it back up to grade. That was because the car manufacturers actually owned the dealer signs and the dealers paid to lease them from the manufacturer. The manufacturers didn't want the dealer to be able to reuse the sign footing for their own purposes.

The most difficult removal method would be pulling the entire footing out of the ground but then you've gotta back fill that entire hole. Plus hauling off and disposing a chunk of concrete like that can be difficult.

Can you fill the cut off section with dirt and a small cap of concrete or dump a few dry bags of redi-mix in it?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

it's easier to weld a cap on the pipe and be done with it. The pipe might be 15' down and if you're talking about 2'-3' diameter, that's a lot of dirt to bring.

 

[Gino]

So, you want to invest in a whole lot of expensive equipment and do something no one else wants to do..... until you're called to do it ?? Any you probably don't understand permitting and code restrictions, to boot.

Ya better stick with your real estate business.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

you want to invest in a whole lot of expensive equipment and do something no one else wants to do.....

I made that mistake, don't leave out the low margin part of it

 

[visual800]

In in central alabama so I know exactly what your talking about. and sometimes I think about all that steel that could be recycled. It would cost you an a$$load to have these things removed and Im afraid recycling wouldnt cover that cost. It is an eyesore and they are everywhere in our city But as they demo building sometimes they demo sign with them

 

[Bobby H]

Like others have said, the easiest, most cost-effective thing to do is cut the poles off as close to grade as possible and cap them. It's a lot more trouble to remove the entire pylon and concrete foundation in the ground. Such things are rarely ever done.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Question here. Are you asking to help your clients or looking to turn people in because you feel that the neighboring signs are uglying up a property you are trying to sell?

 

[Scotchbrite]

Just to say, when cutting the poles, don't cut them off at/below grade initially, leave a foot or so, enough to carve a cap out of. Once the pole is cut free, cut the cap to shape, leave it on the pipe in the ground, heat the 'hinge' then hammer the pipe wall back over the pipe opening and weld that in place.

Now you're just showing off.

 

[Gino]

Why is it, these kinda threads go nowhere ?? The OP hasn't been back to even check on it, since he wrote it 3 days ago. We waste our time explaining things and they don't even look at their own requests...... good or bad.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

The OP is probably some real estate agent complaining about old signs and found a forum of sign people telling him how to cut them down. We'll read on the news that some idiot was arrested in Huntsville trying to cut a sign down with a havksaw

 

[Commercial Realtor AL]

No, thank you all for your thoughtful and imaginative answers. I have been reading them, and just didn't know how to respond as they tended to roam in different areas.

1) My interest had been, since I did not see any of these signs coming down, the expense of investing in the tools necessary to remove such signs - I just did not know what the preferred methodology for removing such signs would be. Multiple individuals (Texas Signmaker, J Burton, Bobby H) gave me the answer on how to technically remove the sign -
to dig well below the sign, cut at approximately 12" below the surface, and cap the (stub is the term I'll use) remainder in the ground.

2) I have yet to investigate, but there is a chance that whatever code is out there is not being enforced because no one is bytching about it - not that I have ever been an activist in any area, and don't intend to become one. I had thought, since there was so many of them, the expense was enough for someone to specialize in doing nothing but removal of such signs if the city fathers were in the same mood of "beautification" by subtraction. From what I see by the responses, there are plenty of people who know how to do the work and can, the issue is apparently (1) is there a code with teeth in it and (2) who pays for elimination of a sign when the building is not at a state of demolition?

3) I believe that I have received the answer to my unspoken query; is there an opportunity to open a business that would focus on the removal of such signage? The answer is, there is very little profit available (because perhaps there really is no entity that wants to pay for this) and the equipment required is very expensive. So, even though it looks like an opportunity, the hassles of getting new work and the expense of the required equipment outweighs the provided benefit of beautification by elimination.

Thank you all for your answers and your posts. I am sorry for not replying, I'm not used to a board where so many post so quickly, and thank you all once again.

If this post helps clarify any of your comments, feel free to post again, all of your posts have been informative, and I apologize to those who I frustrated by not posting this sooner.

 

[Gino]

Frustrating, you say ?? Hardly. It just seems people are constantly coming on this site made for professionals, then a nobody comes on with no experience, no knowledge or any idea of what they're talking abut and we answer you, even though you aren't a professional, in any sense of the word...... and then ya duck out for days. It makes you look silly. You're still under the illusion of so many business aspects of this folly of yours.

Simple fact is, they are still there, cause nobody wants to pay to remove them. As long as they're not hurting anyone, they're perfectly legal. If it was in an historical District or someplace where codes had restrictions (which you'd hafta research and find out) why take on all the liabilites ?? Eyesore ?? Your misunderstanding of that is the same as your thinking this is frustrating. It's downright pitiful people ask dumb questions...... and dumber yet, we answer them.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Landlords are cheaper than real estate agents. That's why nothing gets fixed, let alone taken down. If you're looking for a business idea, get with the tenant and rent the sign out for advertising. Go sell the space and give the tenant a percentage.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

The most obvious answer to this problem is... If you don't like where you're at... Move to a nicer area. My city doesn't have any pole signs because it's against code.

 

[Boudica]

The most obvious answer to this problem is... If you don't like where you're at... Move to a nicer area. My city doesn't have any pole signs because it's against code.

Hahaha... There's a quote, can't remember who first said it... "Once you have proclaimed something as paradise, you've ruined it". My point... If you have a good community, low population... Don't advertise, or every one will flock there. There by ruining it. We had it great here. Beautiful place to live, and it was cheap to live here. Word got out. It sucks. Our housing market is on the top ten over inflated in the country. Impossible to find affordable housing, or even upgrade as a homeowner.