Two quotes for the same sign, with a price gap that looks obvious. The cheaper one gets approved. A year later the sign is crooked, a letter fell off or the anchors rusted, and it has to come down.
That is when the cost that was in neither quote shows up.
What it costs to put a sign up
A storefront sign at any real height does not go up on a ladder. It takes a boom lift or a crane, an insured crew, a coned off area and often after hours work so nobody else gets in the way.
All of that gets paid every time someone goes up. Install it right once, and you pay for it once.
Why signs come back down
It is rarely the sign itself. It is what holds it: anchors that were not meant for that wall, hardware that does not survive the weather, or a frame nobody sized for the wind.
None of that shows in the delivery photo. It shows a year later, when the sign starts to move.
The question worth asking
Before comparing prices, ask who answers if something shifts. If the installation has no written warranty, the second trip up is on you.
That is why we quote the sign installed and working, with the site measurement visit included and a one year written warranty on installed work. If something fails because of fabrication or installation, we fix it at no cost.
What the quote should spell out
A quote you can actually compare says what the installation includes: what equipment goes up, how many people, which anchors and for what kind of wall. If it only says "sign installed", you may be comparing two very different jobs.
On a lit sign, also ask who gets the electrical connection ready. It is the detail most often left hanging until installation day.
Do you install in San Diego?
Yes. We install in Tijuana, Rosarito, Tecate and Ensenada, and on the US side in San Diego, Chula Vista and Otay Mesa.
Can you reinstall a sign another shop made?
Yes. We inspect it on site and tell you honestly whether to reinstall it or rebuild the part that is failing.
Do you work after hours?
Yes, when operations require it. We set the schedule with you before the date.