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Professional Sign Designer Seeking New Clients / Remote Work

Hal D

New Member
Are you looking to hire another full-time in-house sign designer? Is your existing in-house design team overwhelmed and unable to keep pace with your current design needs? Could you use an extra part-time sign designer to help expedite and manage the workload in your art/design department?

One last question: Have you considered outsourcing your design needs to a third party sign designer to better help facilitate your workflow? If so, I am available to talk and to discuss how we might partner as a solution to your current design needs.

I have over thirty years of experience designing and pre-engineering signs of all types and genres including but not limited to electric-lighted signs, architectural signs, exterior and interior wayfinding signage and environmental graphics, interior/exterior faux neon (LED) lighting, architectural building elements and more.

Are you looking for a sign designer that “gets it” and fully understands the process from needs-based design and pre-engineering, materials specs, fabrication and production protocols to installation methods and procedures? Let’s not forget about the legal and permitting aspects, i.e., property zoning, local sign ordinances, building codes, electric code compliance and U.L. requirements as additional criteria to consider in our sign design objectives.

I approach every design project from a manufacturing and installation standpoint while considering the different and unique variables the project requires. Precision and detail being paramount to each project, it will be incumbent upon you, as my client, to provide me with precise project details, objectives and instructions as I am only as good as the information you’ll provide me with.

Using your company’s drawing titlebox, my drawings can include: *Conceptual renderings, logo development and brandbooks. *true scale color renderings for presentation including elevations and cross sections. *Detailed specifications including all dimensions, materials and color specs. Fabrication/shop drawings and installation instructions details. Includes footers and steel specs for freestanding signs. *Site plans including property borders, setbacks, zoning, sign ordinance and building code compliance. *Digital production-ready files for your CNC router, waterjet, plasma cutter, vinyl plotters or digital printer.

Depending upon the size and scope of the project (and current workload), my typical turn-around time is 24 to 48 hours. I can deliver your drawings and production files via email or via a mutually shared drive. I bill in 30-minute increments and I invoice once each week accompanied with a detailed project timesheet. I’m responsible for my own income taxes and insurance so one less thing for you to be concerned with.

For a sample packet of my design work, a brochure and fees, please contact me at insightdesignservicesllc@gmail.com or via text or phone at 561.490.2576.
 

kcollinsdesign

Old member
The success of this venture will depend heavily on local zoning officials and inspectors demanding stamped drawings. When I first got into this business, nobody asked for them. The industry relied on institutional knowledge and good old boy inspectors. That is changing rapidly as the old guard is leaving the building and the new standard is being informed by limiting liability.

The big sign forwarding companies and fabricators have engineers on board. They are typically designing for chains, and they can amortize the cost through multiple applications with repetitious design elements. One-offs are costly, so much so that it is hard to find local companies willing to tackle this work (especially with the collapse of the good old boy network).

Construction companies bid on jobs designed by architects and engineers. With plans in front of them, it is possible to bid on projects. With no plan, it is a crap shot unless you invest heavily in up-front design costs (with no guarantee of getting the job).

The future is professional sign design will be the norm. Some larger installation companies will have in-house designers, but the industry will probably separate into design firms and installation/service companies, much like the construction industry.

Note: Most people when they hear design think of graphic design. That ship has already sailed (other than minimum wage workers sitting behind a computer and a handful of national firms with outstanding reputations).
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 user

Hal D

New Member
Good and valid points, Kcollins.

Here along the Gulf Coast of northwest Florida, the stamped engineer's drawing craze with local Zoning and Building Inspections departments really accelerated back in the late 1990s and early 2000s after we had multiple hurricanes during that time. In particularly devastating to the area was Hurricane Ivan in 2004, which came ashore in the Pensacola area as a strong Cat-3 storm. This was a direct hit to the area, the storm had sustained winds of 120 MPH and caused $billions in property and infrastructure damage. Ivan also destroyed thousands of older -dilapidated signs along with a lot of newer signs that were under-engineered and not built to withstand that type of severe wind speeds.

Long story-short, after the devastation of Hurricane Ivan, the State of Florida revised the Florida Building Code (FBC) to reflect more stringent engineering standards and wind load criteria for both freestanding signs and building-attached signs. The individual County's Building Departments were forced to acquiesce, follow suit and adopt the new engineering requirements into their sign ordinances.

You are correct in saying that the larger-national sign manufacturing and installation companies with multiple chain accounts can afford to employ an in-house professional engineer while the average local mom & pop sign shop is hit the hardest by having to fork over $hundreds of dollars (if not $thousands) for stamped engineer's drawings before they can even apply for the permit(s). That said, I had a clause in my proposal and contracts that clearly stated that "permits, procurement, engineering and inspections fees are not included in the sales price and will be added to the final invoice."

One last thought: "Most people when they hear design think of graphics design (or graphics designer)" This is also true. I'm notorious for letting my potential clients know that there is a vast gap and difference between a "graphics artist" and a seasoned professional sign designer - not even close. A true professional sign designer stays in his or her lane, dedicates themselves to remaining true to their skillset, discipline and expertise and doesn't waste time with trivial endeavors like T-shirt design, trinket graphics, yard signs, etc. True professional sign designers worth their weight want and need a challenge and they seek projects that they can sink their teeth into and leave their own thumbprint on. No offense intended but graphics designers are a dime a dozen. On the other hand, true, experienced professional sign designers are a finite source and in demand.
 

bob

It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Two guys talking to each other in AI. Great...
And, at the same time, demonstrating their paucity of knowledge dealing with laying out and executing signs. Clue: signs are not 'designed', rather they are exercises in typography. Anyone styling themselves a 'sign designer' is suspect as being just a wee bit phony.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 user

Hal D

New Member
And, at the same time, demonstrating their paucity of knowledge dealing with laying out and executing signs. Clue: signs are not 'designed', rather they are exercises in typography. Anyone styling themselves a 'sign designer' is suspect as being just a wee bit phony.
Arrogance and smugness is an ugly thing to have to carry around but it looks like you don't have a problem with it. Quite frankly, I won't waste any more of my time in letting someone like you try to drag me into a useless peeing contest.

Please have a good day. :rolleyes:
 

Johnny Best

Active Member
The movie Space Odyssey had a HAL 9000 computer taking over the space ship.
The movie might be before a lot of you were born, (1968) but when I saw the post with the name Hal D, well, he’ s baaack.
 

Hal D

New Member
The movie Space Odyssey had a HAL 9000 computer taking over the space ship.
The movie might be before a lot of you were born, (1968) but when I saw the post with the name Hal D, well, he’ s baaack.
Yep. That's me! LOL! I think I was around seven or eight years old when that movie came out. It was way over my head at the time. Still is. What is this "computer" you speak of? I still hand draw my sign sketches on restaurant napkins with French fry grease for effects...
 
  • Hilarious!
Reactions: 1 user

houstonsign

New Member
You offer over thirty years of advanced sign design and pre-engineering expertise, and you're open to partnering with companies needing full-time, part-time, or outsourced design support. Your services cover everything from conceptual renderings to fabrication drawings, permitting compliance and production-ready files, making you a strong solution for overwhelmed sign shops.
 

Johnny Best

Active Member
You offer over thirty years of advanced sign design and pre-engineering expertise, and you're open to partnering with companies needing full-time, part-time, or outsourced design support. Your services cover everything from conceptual renderings to fabrication drawings, permitting compliance and production-ready files, making you a strong solution for overwhelmed sign shops.
this must be his mother.
 
  • Hilarious!
  • Agree
Reactions: 2 users

White Haus

Not a Newbie
You offer over thirty years of advanced sign design and pre-engineering expertise, and you're open to partnering with companies needing full-time, part-time, or outsourced design support. Your services cover everything from conceptual renderings to fabrication drawings, permitting compliance and production-ready files, making you a strong solution for overwhelmed sign shops.
Sorry, what was the question?
 
  • Hilarious!
Reactions: 1 user
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