Channel letters from a competent fabricator run $0.90–$1.05 per centimeter of letter height. So a 60cm storefront letter should land between $54 and $63 before LEDs, mounting, and freight.
Here's the problem: most quotes aren't built so you can compare them. One vendor hides freight in the unit price. Another leaves out the power supply. A third buries "installation by others" in a footnote. You're not comparing the same sign, and you won't know it until the change orders start.
Look, I've been on a factory floor since 2010, and I've watched sign shops pay $800 for a front-lit letter from a domestic fabricator. Same 304 stainless. Same Samsung LEDs. We ship that letter for $120. No typo. Reading the breakdown matters more than reading the total.
Here's the thing nobody mentions: a line item called "signage" tells you exactly nothing. You need to see material grade, thickness, finish, LED module model, power supply brand, crating method, and freight term. If those aren't on paper, you're funding someone's boat.
Here's what nobody tells you: a sign quote is a set of assumptions, not a list of parts. Sheet metal gauge, LED module brand, acrylic face thickness, silicone sealant type, crating, and freight terms all change the price by 30–50% without changing the visual much.
Most buyers don't read that far.
A quote that just says "acrylic" without thickness or brand is a trap. Our standard face is 5mm UV-resistant acrylic from Mitsubishi or Degussa, 90–92% light transmittance. Cheap domestic acrylic yellows in 1–2 years. The good stuff lasts 5–8. That's a $200 difference on a storefront, not a rounding error.
Same goes for stainless. 304 stainless is 18% chromium and 8% nickel. 201 stainless is cheaper but it'll pit in a few years outdoors. If the quote doesn't say which, assume it's 201.
LED color temperature is another field that gets ignored. 3000–3500K is warm and works for hospitality. 4000–5000K is neutral for corporate and retail. 6000–6500K is cool and belongs on a highway. If the quote doesn't ask where the sign is going, they don't care if it looks right.
Look, any real quote has at least six line items: design/engineering, materials, fabrication, LED modules, power supplies, and freight/crating. Installation and permits may be separate, but they need to be named.
If it's one number and the word "sign" next to it, you're buying a mystery.
A proper LED line will specify SMD 2835 at 100–150 lm/W or SMD 5050 for RGB. Cheap modules last 12–18 months. Bluesky and Rishang modules run 5+ years. That's the difference between a warranty call and a repeat customer.
Power supplies are the silent killer. Our warranty is 2 years on LEDs, 1 year on the power supply. If a quote says "10-year warranty on the entire sign," they're either lying or they've already baked the replacements into your price. Ask which one.
Export packaging matters more than you think. Foam, carton, and a plywood crate are our standard for a reason. LCL sea freight gets handled 6–8 times between our dock and yours. Every touch is a chance for damage.
A double-sided lightbox quote should itemize the face, frame, and LED modules separately. If it doesn't, walk. We build them from 40cm to 120cm, and the breakdown is what tells you if you're paying $75 or $300 for the same thing.
I've seen this go wrong: a hotel in Ft. Lauderdale ordered 304 stainless letters. Three years later, pitting. The fab used 201 stainless because the quote just said "stainless steel." If you're within five miles of salt water, pay the 20–30% premium for 316 marine grade.
That's why I tell buyers to read the material line like a lawyer. 304/316 stainless steel letters should say the grade, thickness (1.2–1.5mm is standard), and finish—brushed #4, mirror #8, PVD, or powder coat.
Aluminum is one-third the weight of steel and naturally rust-proof. But a 0.040-inch panel won't survive a 120cm sign. You want 0.063 inch for bigger faces. If the quote lists 1.0mm aluminum for a large sign, ask why they're building with soda can metal.
The face material matters more than the paint color. If you're buying back-lit halo letters, the LED modules should be named. SMD 2835 at 100–150 lumens per watt is standard. "High quality LED" without a brand means cheap modules that'll dim in 18 months and fail right after the one-year power supply warranty.
Quickest way to spot bad LED modules yourself: look at the solder joints. Dull gray means lead-free solder is missing or the process was too cold—won't last 18 months. Shiny silver joints mean proper reflow. Not a guarantee, but it's a litmus test.
Ugly truth: most quotes don't include permits, surveys, or structural engineering. They'll write "by others" next to the line and move on. Then you get a call from the landlord saying you need a stamped drawing and a UL 48 listing before the sign goes on the wall.
A UL 48 certification costs $4,000–$15,000 and takes 4–9 months with quarterly audits. ETL is an alternative that's 10–30% cheaper. Don't accept "UL compliant" as a line—ask for the file number.
NEC Article 600 covers electric signs in the U.S. If your installer doesn't know that number, find another installer.
IP ratings are another trap. IP65 means dust-tight and water jets from any direction. That doesn't mean your sign survives a Florida hurricane. If you're on a beach, ask for IP66 and 316 stainless, or plan on replacing letters in 3 years.
Interior ADA signs carry their own rules: 48–60" mounting height, non-glare, Grade 2 Braille. That's not a design suggestion; it's a legal requirement. If the quote doesn't mention ADA when it applies, the vendor hasn't done this before.
Installation line items should include lift rental, concrete work if it's freestanding, and wiring from the panel to the sign. If the quote says "power by others," you need to budget an electrician separately. I've seen a $250 sign turn into a $1,800 install because nobody pulled the circuit.
Look, if a quote uses the word "allowance" more than once, you're about to get change-ordered to death. Allowances are just the vendor's way of saying "I don't know yet, but you'll pay later."
CE marking costs 20,000–50,000 RMB. Most factories will say they have it. Ask to see the certificate with today's date. Watch them sweat. That's one of the oldest lies in the import world.
"Installation by others" is fine if you're a contractor with your own crew. But if you're a store owner, someone has to drill into brick, run conduit, and seal penetrations. That labor isn't free. Get a line item or get a local installer's quote before you sign.
Rookie mistake: buying on unit price per square foot. Sign pricing doesn't scale linearly. A double-sided side lightbox by diameter runs $75 at 40cm, $90 at 50cm, $105 at 60cm, then jumps to $180 at 70cm. That jump is real—it's a bigger structural frame. If a quote smooths it out, ask why.
Here's what nobody tells you: the only way to compare three sign quotes is to build a spreadsheet with five columns—material spec, LED brand/module, face thickness, fabrication method, and freight terms. Everything else is sales noise.
If those columns don't match, the price comparison is garbage.
For stainless baked-paint letters, the range is $0.90–$1.05 per centimeter of letter height. If Vendor A is at $0.90 and Vendor B at $1.05, you need to know if B is using 316, thicker steel, or a better power supply. Sometimes the high bid is the honest one.
Ask for production lead time in writing. Sample lead time runs roughly five days, production around fifteen days, but it depends on quantity and complexity. If a vendor promises a 120cm set of stainless letters in 5 days, they're cutting corners somewhere.
Freight is never a flat number. The price depends on destination and volume. If someone gives you a freight quote without asking where you are and how much you're shipping, they're guessing. And guesses in freight always cost you money on the back end.
Ugly truth: a cheap sign isn't cheap if you're replacing LEDs in 18 months. Cheap LED modules last 12–18 months. Our Bluesky and Rishang modules run 5+ years real lifespan. The cost difference is a few dollars per letter. The replacement cost is a bucket truck and a lost tenant.
Factory-direct changes the math. I've watched sign shops pay $800 for a front-lit letter from a domestic fabricator. Same 304 stainless. Same Samsung LEDs. We ship that letter for $120. That's not a loss leader; that's skipping three middlemen.
We don't have a 50-piece minimum. MOQ is one piece. That means you can prototype with us before committing a 200-store rollout, and you don't need to buy a container to find out if we're real.
Total cost of ownership means looking at L70 ratings. Our LEDs carry L70 ≥50,000 hours—after 50,000 hours of burn, they still put out 70% of original brightness. Cheap modules don't hit that, and they usually die before the lease renewal. That's a fact I've seen in the field, not a spec sheet fantasy.
What if a quote doesn't list LED brand? Then you're about to buy modules that last 12–18 months. Ask for the brand, or budget for replacing the sign before the lease is up.
Is "UL compliant" enough? No. Anyone can write that. Ask for the UL file number and check it on UL's database. If they stall, walk.
Why is shipping so expensive? Because your crate gets handled 6–8 times between our dock and yours. You're paying for plywood, foam, and someone not throwing your sign into a container. Don't cheap out on the crate.
Can I get one letter or do I need 50? Our MOQ is one piece. Yes, really. You can order one front-lit channel letter if that's all you need, though shipping one letter costs more per unit than shipping twenty.
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