Using Google for site survey

[Jean Shimp]

We often get calls for quotes for outdoor signs for new tenants and they don't know what size sign they want or are allowed to have. We are trying to avoid making a trip to the site just to measure for a job that we don't yet have a definite order for. I'm looking for a program that can estimate the size of areas by using Google maps or something similar. Would appreciate ant suggestions. Thank you.

 

[Martin Denton]

We use it and just work on the basis of an average door width as these are generally a standard size for getting size from and just scale up for that. That is close enough for quoting purposes and if you get the job you can go do a proper survey

 

[Bradley Signs]

I have used Google Maps a couple times. In both cases, they were block buildings, so, knowing the size of the blocks, 8" x 16", I counted and it worked out great!
Martins idea is great too. I'll use that next time.
I'll take a snap of the wall, over lay a cut out of a door in the building, and I would think, the amount of doors at say 36" x 84" wide, would give me a helluva good reference.

 

[Pauly]

Wouldn't it be say if you had a generic common size to go off? Here, if you want a sign, it's generally 1220 x 2440mm sheet. and we give a price on that. If they want a banner. we give them a maximum height we do, then tell them how much it'll cost for a rough size.

 

[Martin Denton]

There's no such thing as a Generic size in the UK as most building are quite old and they weren't made that way, for that matter you don't often find a building that's straight, unless you go onto one of the modern retail parks lol

 

[Gino]

Whether the building is old or uneven, the basic sizes of signs will remain the same. In over 46 years of doing this stuff, it gets to be kinda commonplace to just tell them a sign this size... of this sort will run approximately this much and if there are any deviations, it could go up or down, accordingly.

I've found asking the people to simply take a picture of their building or vehicle from 2 or 3 angles works good enough to give estimates. Then, include in your price the cost of going and getting physical measurements yourself, so you don't do anything wrong.

 

[Martin Denton]

Well I hear what you are saying and we obviously buy to standard panel sizes, work out our costs on a square metre size and we charge for the waste, however having been in the UK sign industry for 16 years I can state that very rarely have I made a sign to the size of a panel. The only time that tends to happen is when it is a panel and post sign or a hoarding sign...