Licensed Chicago sign contractor
Chicago Sign Company That Designs, Permits, Builds & Installs
Give SignFreaks the address and the date. One team draws it, files the City permit, builds it in our own shop, and installs it, with one person to call the whole way.
Trusted by Chicago brands
What we build
Signs, canopies, and enclosures for almost every storefront
SignFreaks designs, permits, builds, and installs every sign below with its own team.
Channel Letters
Lit letters that read from across the street, built in our shop.
Lightbox Signs
Even-glow cabinet signs with faces you can replace.
Blade Signs
Projecting signs aimed at people already on your block.
Monument Signs
Ground-level identity for a site set back from the road.
More Custom Signs
Sign boards, acrylic, CNC router, and pylon signs.
Awnings & Canopies
Shade, shelter, and a branded face over the door.
Enclosures & Vestibules
Wind protection for doorways and year-round patios.
Printed Signs
Banners and wraps for windows, walls, and campaigns.
Why projects slip
Most sign problems are handoff problems
Late permits, surprise costs, and a contractor who stops returning calls sink most sign projects. SignFreaks is set up to prevent all three, and our company overview shows how.
What usually goes wrong
- The last company went quiet after taking the deposit, and nobody answers the phone.
- Nobody knows what the City or the village will approve until the permit comes back.
- The landlord has sign criteria that nobody read until the drawing was already done.
- The opening date is already on the invitations, and the permit has not even started.
How SignFreaks handles it
- One contact. A named person, a written quote with line items, and a schedule you can hold us to.
- Code first. We design to the sign code on day one and file the permit ourselves, revisions included.
- Landlord approval. We work from your landlord’s sign criteria and submit for approval before we fabricate.
- Backward planning. We plan from your date and start the permit first, because it is the least predictable step.
How it works
How a sign project runs in five steps
The permit is the step nobody controls, which is exactly why we start it early.
Site survey
We measure the wall, check the electrical, photograph the elevation, and read the landlord criteria.
Design and mockup
You see the sign on a photo of your own building, at real size, before anything is cut.
Permit
We prepare drawings, file with the City or your village, and handle the review comments.
Fabrication
Aluminum cut and welded, faces routed, and LEDs laid out for even brightness in our own shop.
Installation
Licensed crew, a lift where the height needs one, electrical tied in, and the final inspection scheduled.
Recent work
Real installations, photographed on site
Every photo here is our own work, taken on site after the install, across different industries.
Channel letters for Joe & The Juice in Chicago 
Entrance canopy at Educare in Chicago 
Custom enclosure at a Chicago business 
Lightbox sign for Avondale Bowl in Chicago 
Sign board for Truefitt & Hill in Chicago 
Commercial awning at an alderman’s office
Printed in house
Banners and wraps printed in our own shop
We check the site rules, print each banner or wrap to fit, and hang it with our own crew.
Banners
Vinyl, mesh, step and repeat, and retractable
A banner cut for the wrong wall, or hung on the wrong hardware, gets reprinted and rehung. We size each one to its viewing distance, then finish it with the hems, grommets, or pole pockets the site calls for.
- Custom vinyl banners in 13 oz and 18 oz
- Mesh banners that let wind pass through on fences and scaffolding
- Retractable banners that roll up for lobbies and trade shows
- Step and repeat banners for press walls and photo spots
Wraps
Window and wall wraps
A bare window or office wall is advertising space going unused. We print the film or vinyl in our own shop and apply it ourselves, so one team answers for the artwork and the finish.
- Window wraps that carry the logo, the hours, and promotions
- Wall wraps on drywall, brick, concrete, or wood
- Graphics sized for offices, corridors, and storefronts
- Applied by our own crew with the right adhesive and tools
In their words
Google reviews from all three offices
Quoted as the customers wrote them, from our Chicago, Oak Brook, and Burr Ridge offices.
- Channel lettering
“Excellent company to work with. My new channel lettering looks great. Best price, very fast response time and exceptional work.”
Josh SklarGoogle review, Chicago office - Vestibule for a high-rise tenant
“Sign Freaks was onsite the very next day, submitted a competitive quote in record time, and we presented it to the owner.”
Kayla MckinneyGoogle review, Oak Brook office - Lit channel letters
“Super quick, professional and reasonably priced experience! Individually lit channel lettering on a nice all black backdrop. They nailed it!”
Michael KlunkGoogle review, Burr Ridge office - Fast-turnaround custom sign
“They have produced three signs for me, and each time has been a very smooth process. … They built the sign to perfection in THREE WEEKS!”
Jon ShoemakerGoogle review, Chicago office - Window vinyl
“SignFreaks did a great job installing a window vinyl sign in our office. High quality, quick response, reasonable price.”
Laura KofoidGoogle review, Oak Brook office - Custom logo sign
“The project manager, Jasper, was very responsive, collaborative, and patient as we worked through several revisions.”
KatGoogle review, Burr Ridge office
Get a real number, not a range
Send SignFreaks the size, the address, and the date you need it lit. You get a written price and an honest permit window.
Where we work
A Chicago sign company serving the City and 150+ suburbs
Our sales offices in Chicago, Oak Brook, and Burr Ridge are all by appointment. Every village writes its own sign code, so we check yours before we design. Browse the full areas served list or check your town below.
Questions
Questions about hiring a sign company
Call (872) 250-4743, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Questions we get asked
What does a commercial sign company in Chicago do?
A commercial sign company in Chicago designs, permits, builds, and installs signs for businesses. SignFreaks does all four with its own people and also handles sign services, including repair and removal, so one phone number covers the whole project.
How much does a commercial sign cost in Chicago?
A commercial sign costs what its size, lighting, materials, engineering, permit fees, and install access add up to, so a lit channel letter set and a printed panel sit in very different tiers. Browse the custom sign types, then send the details and you get a written quote with line items.
Do I need a licensed sign contractor in Chicago?
Yes. Chicago publishes a list of licensed sign contractors, and the permit application has to come from one. We are a licensed Chicago sign contractor and file your sign permit for you, revisions included.
Do commercial signs need a permit in Chicago?
Almost always. Most permanent exterior signs need a sign permit from the City of Chicago, and a sign that hangs over the sidewalk also needs public way use approval. A few small signs are exempt, and we confirm which category yours falls into before we quote.
Can one company design, permit, build, and install a sign?
Yes. SignFreaks designs, permits, builds, and installs in house, so no one can point at the previous stage when something goes wrong. Our company overview explains how the handoffs work.
Is there a sign installation company near me?
Yes. We serve the City and more than 150 areas across Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, and Will counties, with offices in Chicago, Oak Brook, and Burr Ridge. Each town has its own page on the areas served hub, and sign installation is handled by our own crew.
What is the best sign for a Chicago storefront?
For most shops and restaurants, the best storefront sign is lit channel letters on the fascia plus a blade sign for sidewalk traffic. If a landlord limits you to a tenant panel, a lightbox sign is usually the answer.
How do I repair or remove an old business sign?
You call the company that installs signs, because repair and removal take the same crew and the same equipment. Sign repair starts with an on-site diagnosis, and sign removal includes patching the wall once the sign is down.
What affects how long a sign project takes?
The sign type, the permit review, and the building decide how long a sign project takes. Design and mockup come first, then the permit, which is the step nobody controls, then fabrication and install. We give you a window after the site survey, not a guess.