Sign services
Professional Sign Services in Chicago
A sign hung before its permit is issued can be cited, and one fixed to the wrong wall has to come down again. SignFreaks surveys the site first, then files the permit and installs, repairs, or removes the sign.
- Site survey before the quote
- Every cost on its own line
- One company for the sign’s whole life
- Licensed Chicago contractor
- Own shop, own crew, own lift
- Design, permit, build, install
- 25+ years of team experience
Our services
The six sign services we handle in Chicago
Each of our professional sign services has its own page with the options, the materials, and the approval path.
Sign Installation
Our own crew and lift mount the sign, connect the power, and pass inspection.
Sign Permits
Drawings prepared, the application filed, and each review comment answered.
Banner Installation
Banners tensioned for the wind and fixed with the right hardware, up to 55 feet.
Banner Removal
Campaign banners taken down with their hardware, and the wall left clean.
Sign Removal
Signs come down at lease end or rebrand, and the wall is made good afterward.
Sign Repair
Dark signs, flickering faces, and storm damage, diagnosed before quoted.
How to choose
Pick the right service for your situation
A rough guide to where a project starts, based on the situation you are in.
| Start with | What happens first | |
|---|---|---|
| The sign is dark, flickering, or leaking | Sign repair | A diagnosis comes first, so the quote covers the real fault. |
| A new sign is built and nothing is hung | Sign permits and sign installation | A survey checks the wall and the power, then the permit is filed. |
| The lease is ending | Sign removal | The sign comes down and the wall is made good to what the lease asks. |
| A campaign or event banner is going up | Banner installation | The hardware is chosen for the surface, the wind, and the height. |
| The campaign is over and the banners remain | Banner removal | Banners and fixings come off, and the wall or pole is left clean. |
| The name on the sign is changing | Sign repair and sign permits | A new face may fit the old cabinet, but changed copy can need a permit. |
Swipe to see the full table.
Context
Where a sign project goes wrong
Most delays in commercial sign services start before the sign is built or after it goes up, so these four get checked first.
- $200feeCity zoning review for an on-premise sign
- 100sq ftSign size that needs a City Council order
- 24ftGround sign height that needs stamped drawings
- Permits
A permit comes before the sign
A sign hung before its permit can be cited.
Rejected drawings mean a redesign and a refiling.
- The wall
Walls hide their surprises
Brick behind a facade may not be structural.
Old buildings often hide wiring and framing.
- Handoffs
Three vendors, three delays
A sign can arrive without its mounting points.
A failed inspection then has no single owner.
- The lease
Landlords set the limits
Leases can fix a sign’s size, place, and light.
Many also require the wall restored at the end.
Before you hire
Four questions to ask any sign company
The sign industry’s own buying guidance says to ask about licensing, insurance, and who does the installation.
The lowest bid on commercial sign services often leaves out local knowledge, and the saving disappears after one rejected permit. A company that hands the install to a subcontractor also hands over the schedule, so a missed date has no single owner.
We answer each question below and put every cost on its own line in the quote, with city fees shown apart, so two quotes can be compared line by line before you commit. A quote that lists the survey, the permit work, and the installation separately is easier to check than one lump sum.
Are you licensed?
SignFreaks is a licensed Chicago sign contractor, and the license covers the whole job.
Are you insured?
The crew works under business and liability insurance, and we share the certificate.
Who installs it?
Our own crew and our own lift, so no subcontractor turns up on installation day.
Who files permits?
We prepare the drawings, file the application, and answer every review comment on it.
Related
What these sign services go with
A new sign rarely stands alone, so these pages cover what usually goes up, around, or beside it.
Custom Signs
Ten kinds of business signs, each with its own page for materials, lighting, and permits.
Learn moreEnclosures & Vestibules
Winter cover that keeps wind out of doorways and patios, built and permitted together.
Learn morePrinted Signs
Vinyl, mesh, and retractable banners, with window wraps and wall wraps for storefronts.
Learn moreIndustry Experience
Nine industries, such as hospitals and restaurants, each with its own rules and approvals.
Learn more
How it works
One company for the whole life of the sign
SignFreaks runs the same six steps on every project, so you know what happens next and who is doing it.
Survey
We measure the wall, check the power, and note the access before any price is written.
Quote
You get a written quote with every cost on its own line and the city fees shown apart.
Permit
We prepare the drawings, file the application, and answer review comments until approval.
Build
The sign is built in our own shop, with color matched to your Pantone swatch and proofed.
Install
Our crew and our lift mount the sign, connect the power, and meet the final inspection.
Support
When it goes dark or the lease ends, the same company comes back to fix or remove it.
Proof
Google reviews for our Chicago office
Excerpts from our Chicago office’s Google reviews, quoted as the customers wrote them.
- Banner
“Trina and Mansur went above and beyond to assist me with my banner. I can’t say enough about them.”
LynnGoogle review - Vinyl install
“They were incredibly communicative throughout the entire process, and the final piece turned out fantastic[.]”
Helping HandGoogle review - Storefront package with permits
“They took care of all the permits and the process was seamless. … I highly recommend SignFreaks!”
Nelli ZakharenkovaGoogle review
Get a real quote for professional sign services
Send a photo of the wall or the sign and your deadline. We tell you what the city allows and what we would do, before you spend anything.
Coverage
Where we provide sign services in Chicago and beyond
SignFreaks provides professional sign services as a sign company in Chicago with three by-appointment offices, serving the city and the suburbs around it. Every village writes its own sign code, so we check yours before we design.
Questions
Questions about sign services
Call (872) 250-4743, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Questions we get asked
What sign services does SignFreaks offer in Chicago?
SignFreaks offers professional sign services in Chicago that cover sign permits, sign installation, sign repair, sign removal, banner installation, and banner removal. Design and fabrication sit with the same company, so a project can start with a new sign and carry on into its repair or removal later.
Who offers sign design, permitting, and installation from one company in Chicago?
SignFreaks offers commercial sign services from one company, covering design, permitting, and installation, with our own shop, our own crew, and our own lift. One team surveys the site, files the sign permits, builds the sign, and handles the sign installation, so a failed inspection has one owner instead of three vendors pointing at each other.
How do I find a sign company that can handle design and permitting quickly?
A sign company that handles design and permitting quickly is one that reads the code before it draws, because a rejected application costs more time than a careful first one. We check the city or village code at the survey, prepare the drawings for your custom signs, and file the sign permits. We do not promise a window, because the time depends on the sign, the application, and the review comments.
Can a sign company check my sign against local building codes?
A sign company can check your sign against local building codes before anything is built, and we do it at the survey. Chicago and each suburb write their own rules for size, height, and lighting, so the same sign can pass in one village and fail in the next. The areas served pages list the towns we work in.
How do I compare sign installation services?
Compare sign installation services by asking who does the installation, if the company is licensed and insured, if a survey comes before the quote, and if the quote lists every cost. A company that subcontracts the crew or skips the survey can look cheaper until the wall turns out different from the drawing. Our sign installation uses our own crew and lift.
How much do professional sign services cost in Chicago?
Professional sign services in Chicago cost what the sign’s size, lighting, mounting, access, and permit work add up to, so the price comes from a written quote after the survey. The city adds its own fees: a $200 zoning review fee for an on-premise sign and a building review fee that starts at $50 for a sign under 50 sq ft. Those fees sit on their own line next to the sign permits work, and sign repair and sign removal are quoted the same way.
Do I need a permit for a business sign in Chicago?
A business sign in Chicago needs a permit for most permanent exterior work, and a sign installed before its permit is issued can be cited. A sign over the sidewalk or street also needs a Public Way Use permit, while official signs and temporary window signs can be exempt. We check which applies at the survey and prepare the sign permits application.
Where can I find sign services near me in Chicago and the suburbs?
We provide professional sign services near you across the City of Chicago and more than 150 suburbs, from three by-appointment offices in Chicago, Oak Brook, and Burr Ridge. Every village has its own sign code, so the areas served pages are the quickest way to find your town. Printed banners and wraps can ship further, while installation, repair, and removal stay local.
What happens when my sign breaks down or my lease ends?
When a sign breaks down or a lease ends, the next step stays with the same company. We diagnose a dark or damaged sign before quoting the sign repair, and at the end of a lease we take the sign down and make the wall good under sign removal. Banners follow the same path through banner removal.