Who is responsible for pulling a sign permit

[heyskull]

I will fit signs anywhere!!!
I know it sounds iresponsible but you cannot blame the monkey for the organ grinders ignorrance.
You have to have planning permission for everything here. Sadly it make take months to confirm permission by the local councils!!!
I live near the lake district in the UK and believe me if it isn't made of wood or stone (lakeland slate) you haven't got permission.

SC

 

[Scott_AN]

We do it for the customer, we charge permits at cost and an hourly rate for staff time to obtain. Its getting to the point here that engineered drawings are required to submit for the permit. Customer dont have a clue what were doing. Sometimes we do

 

[heyskull]

I don't agree.
The customer has no idea how much time is spent just with the planning department unless they do it themselves!
The last job I sorted planning out with (over 8 years ago) the council added an extra 14 hours on the job and the customer couldn't understand why it was taking so long (2 months) to get permission.

Don't do it Won't do it!!!

SC

 

[John L]

This is a region specific question obviously. You need to check at your local permit office.

In the US, there are areas that do not have ordinances or require any permits/licenses for certain work and there are areas that wont issue permits to anyone that isnt a licensed contractor, sometimes specialty contractor... not the tenant, not even the property owner. This is usually because, in certain jurisdictions, contractors must post bond and/or proof of insurance for their license. If the permit issued and the sign, structure, or whatever results in damage, injury, death, etc. there is accountability in place.

I am not a fan of either extreme. I definitely dont want my kids going to school, walking under an un-inspected, 300# sign held up with drywall screws fed by un-grounded romex... I also don't think that a $25,000 bond and $200,000 public liability policy should always be required. A reasonable balance would be better for all... but then there would be no room for politics.

 

[G-Artist]

Guess what, John L....

Schools in many areas of the country are technically their own political subdivision. For instance, in Florida, the school system is county-wide and school board members are elected like county commissioners, state house and state senate members, etc.

What does that mean? They are exempt from building codes and county/state inspection being a government entity unto themselves.

In my county the architect in charge is responsible for all new or remodel construction. BAD!!! However, the local fire departments (bless them) refuse to recognize that authority and do police placement of fire mains and fire suppression equipment.

So, that sign may not be to any code, whatsoever.

The low bidder built the school. The low bidder supplied the school busses. Are your children really all that safe?

Food for thought.

 

[CentralSigns]

Who gets the fine. The customer of course. They should pull permits. Only other thing to consider is electrical work, electrician pulls permit.

 

[gnubler]

Bumping this old thread because all the info is still relevant. I no longer pull sign permits, it became too time consuming and problematic.
Working with a customer in a multi-tenant building who wants an exterior wall sign. The building has a Master Sign Program. I've kicked the permit from the customer to the property manager (aka landlord), who kicked it to the actual property owner to fill out and sign. It's been kicked back to me now with questions about what to enter on the permit app regarding specs of existing signage. There's two wall signs currently up high on the building and a forthcoming electric canopy sign, none of which I'm involved with, so I don't have an answer on that. Should I just guess on the existing signage to move things along? Total existing signage is far below what the MSP allows.

Best way to handle this? It's been bouncing around for 3 months now.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

Offer it as a service. Charge accordingly. Not just the cost of the permit and filing fee, but for your time prepping, printing however many copies are required, mailing (emailing, whatever), making changes (if needed), the time/cost of getting stamped engineered drawings where required, and probably some other stuff I'm forgetting.
If the customer doesn't want the hassle, they'll pay you. If they're cheap, they'll tell you they'll do it themselves, which saves you the trouble. But, if they go the cheap route, make damned sure they show you the permit (not just an application) and you check it that it's actually for what you're providing before installing anything. If they can't provide it, DON'T DO THE INSTALL, because you'll get blamed. If they're doing the install, well- like Mosh said- make it and let it go out the door.

 

[gnubler]

I'm not doing permits anymore, it became too problematic. Most people have been fine handling it themselves, but this one is complicated and keeps coming back to me.

 

[Gino]

When you're a one-person shop, it becomes too cumbersome to do it all. Tell them you'll supply all the elevation spec photos they need, but you won't physically obtain the permits.

 

[gnubler]

When you're a one-person shop, it becomes too cumbersome to do it all. Tell them you'll supply all the elevation spec photos they need, but you won't physically obtain the permits.

That's exactly how I'm handling them now, but I don't want to be a d!ck when they come to me with questions. One municipality near me wants an inventory of all existing signage on the permit app. In a multi story building with signage up high it's not an easy task. I told the customer to just fill in the allowable sq footage of signage size as listed on the MSP.

Permits are hellish.

 

[Aaron Hunter]

Bumping this old thread because all the info is still relevant. I no longer pull sign permits, it became too time consuming and problematic.
Working with a customer in a multi-tenant building who wants an exterior wall sign. The building has a Master Sign Program. I've kicked the permit from the customer to the property manager (aka landlord), who kicked it to the actual property owner to fill out and sign. It's been kicked back to me now with questions about what to enter on the permit app regarding specs of existing signage. There's two wall signs currently up high on the building and a forthcoming electric canopy sign, none of which I'm involved with, so I don't have an answer on that. Should I just guess on the existing signage to move things along? Total existing signage is far below what the MSP allows.

Best way to handle this? It's been bouncing around for 3 months now.

Does your area offer permit status reports?

 

[gnubler]

No. Small town, and once it goes into the local government vortex there's no telling what's going to happen. Multiple phone calls result in multiple conflicting answers from those "in charge".
I just stopped doing permits and my life has improved significantly.