Job Signs

valerko

How many of you use them , sign with your company on it ,that gets posted on or in front of the job you're doing?
Well I do.Started a job this week in Rye ,NY (westchester county,rich people )
Finally go around posting my sign today,about 20 min.later I get a call from building dep. I have to take it down it's against town regulation.I told the lady that the real estate sign has been there for 2 months,how come that's OK?
Well, real estate signs are allowed
DAAA

Was thinking getting a door hangers and distribute them in this area,I'll probably get rested for that

DavidC

Curious if your sign was on posts in the ground or a temporary sign.

In my area I would need a permit to erect a sign but the temp. job signs are allowed while working. Only problem I've ever had was when we moved into our current house I leaned a sign against the front porch. The wife reported a visit from the town councilman who said we were in a residential zone and couldn't operate a business there. All was well when they found we were moving in. I still think it was just nosey neighborness.

On our current job our sign has generated 3 leads so far. 1 price shopper, 1 hack hirer and 1 serious contender.

Good Luck
Dave

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www.CookContractingLLC.com

genecarp

no i dont like them, never used them

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Any Season

You must get more than enough business from word of mouth then, because signs are an effective part of any marketing strategy. They compliment your mail, internet presence, door hangers, word of mouth, etc. and vice versa. I used to use the crappy currogated plastic signs with metal wire stands but I think those are very crappy looking. 3 years ago I switched to nice white real estate type hanging signs and the response has been very very good, and people don't mind having them in their yard. Also, even if you are a one man band, you should have a really nice sign that you bring around with you and leave out while you are working at a house.

Regarding the original issue, I'm not sure about NY but I know states like CT are very strict about their ordinances. Even up here in NH we have some really nice areas and neighborhoods that have covenants against signs in the yard and whatnot.

Carport King

According to our laws we need a sign on our sites with our name and our license number in 4" letters or we can be fined.

We battle assn all the time but we win everytime. We have so many people working without permits and a licence here this is there answer to it.

We believe it is good business also.

d-rez

Tell them it is not an advertisement sign but a directional sign for delivery trucks.

RPortinga

I was talking with a guy once that if he has jobs scheduled over the winter months, before the ground freezes he'll ask the homeowner if he can put a sign up... then of course even if he's done in December, the sign is "stuck" there till Feb or March until the ground thaws.

And he said he'll also often "forget" to pick up signs after a project and will a) wait till the homeowner calls to have it removed, or b) drive by once in awhile to see if they've taken it down on their own, then stop and pick it up.

He claims about half his leads come from his signs.

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Rob Portinga - Bauer Bros. Construction, Inc.
Design/Build - General Contractor - Construction Management

silvertree

Signs are good for advertising your business and a legal requirement in Minnesota. You must post a sign, homeowners must comply.

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

thehazier

Ummmm...are you sure you have your facts straight silvertree? You say its mandatory? I'm leaning towards no...heavily.

BuenaHomes

I use sign all the time, and never had any problems, neither the city or county, in fact since I'm already know the inspectors in my territory, they never give me complaints, but I do not think signs had never gave me any solid leads, in fact somethimes its a burden to install them and remove them, other ocassions it had been a incovenience for the landscaping guys to mow the lawn, and they make me take it down to cut down (grass, grain, etc.) with a scythe or a machine.

Make it a great day

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Ventura, California, BUILDER

wpc07834

You should have a job sign similar to a political sign. I know that alot of sold jobs come from these. It is a mistake not putting one up. Advertising to the neioghbors that you just did a job is a gret idea only if you want to try and get more work in the area, or just another way to get your name out there.

silvertree

Signs with license numbers are a Minnesota requirement. But you sound pretty sure of yourself, I should have called you before I bought those signs. Would you tell the Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota that he is wrong. I could save some money not buying signs.

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

Vinny

Yea, in Connecticut we have a real issue on the sign use too.

One way to handle it is to lable anything and everything you have on the job in as big of letters as possible.

We also have lettered baracades, personalized caution tape, and caution sins with our name and phone number on them.

Then just over do it with all that stuff. Nothing they can do about it.

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Roccies Asphalt Paving
The Right Way Driveway Company
If you say you cant, your a loser. If you say you wont, your a quiter. Which one do you want to be?

valerko

Viny I love your idea

I was also gonna get magnetic sign I can put on side or back of my van,since it's my "mobile toolbox" and stays on the job 90% of the time.

thehazier

Silvertree, if you meant that yard signs are a legal requirement in the city ordinance where you primarily work, that might be possible though I have went to numerous city sites and only found there is no legal verbage as to yard signs being a "must".

There is however verbage as to needing permits to post signs in some of the localities. In Minnesota you DO have to post your license number on anything your name is attached to such as cards, ads, flyers, brochures, SIGNS and the like. There is no law though that says you legally HAVE to have a sign posted if you are working on a house, and that the homeowner HAS to comply.

No offense meant, or sarcassm used here Silvertree...but if you find that piece of legislation as proof, please let me know asap because some homeowners, and the majority of contractors up here need to become aware of such a law.

CatAlii

We have a problem with signs in most of our neighborhoods too. Most do not allow yard signs. Many do not allow you to drop off flyers or doorhangers at the door - you must have a solicitation permit which requires a background check and fingerprinting and a separate fee on top of a business license, same as if you were going to knock on their door. There is one city in particular that doesn't allow solicitation at all. You cannot hang a doorhanger or put a flyer on their doorstep period.

I like idea of saying it is a directional sign for delivery trucks. That's pretty ingenious - don't know if it would fly but it would be worth a shot.

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Cathy

Michalak Construction / MCC on Facebook / MCC on Twitter / MCC on Google+

silvertree

Heres what I know, I am in a roundtable group, all NARI members all Minnesota contractors. A couple of years ago I mention that an inspector told me I had to have a yard sign, he said it was mandatory and said it helps them find the job site. I mention this at roundtable and a couple of guys say its mandatory and the inspectors correct. I mention non compliant homeowners and am told they have to comply until the job is signed off. I have a roundtable meeting on Thursday, one of the guys is into this and I will ask him about it being mandatory. I am wrong about things often enough, I felt I was right about this. If I'm not I'll post what I find out. It may be mandatory in the Twin Cities and no where else.
I'll get back on this subject.

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

thehazier

Thanks silvertree. I appreciate anything that I can learn here, especially things that are the law.

silvertree

According to a few guys I talked to job signs are not mandatory, although my building inspector told me they were. I will agree with the guys I talked to and you are correct the hazier. I am wrong.

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Vote for Pedro
Kitchen, bath, St Paul remodeling
Minneapolis Remodel Blog
203K Loan Consultant Minnesota

plazaman

i started putting them on my customers lawn. no complaints yet knock on wood.

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Westchester Remodeling Contractor
Hartsdale Remodeling Contractor
Ardsley Remodeling Contractor