Sign-Guy's Blog

Interesting. SignTech has the accounts here for socal and not how much up north they go but they have been subbing out all the locals here to do the installs

:This is very common in this industry. The local guys do the surveys, all the prep work and watch others benifit from it. The solution for you, and others is to follow up sign permits. Who is the licensed installer signing the permits. Who is the licensed installer that is installing or taking responsibility for the installations. Go after them and ask why they are letting other companies use his license. Make some phone calls to the local buildings dept and tell them there is no permits or unlicensed sign installers working. Call everyone and anyone who will listen. Here in NYC there are lots of outer towners who come in and try to put up signs, some succeed, others get stopped. The ones who get stopped, are fined and pay heavy prices.

Its up to all of us to protect our business, and our profession

I find it interesting that you would say the locals are doing the surveys when I have copyrighted photos and drawings that were used illegally to pull permits on that project in Oregon. Friend of mine has the copies used in California. And yes the doodie has already hit the fan and is becoming very stinky for those concerned.

Your not alone, whats most surprising is the once great Contracting Boards which protected the licensed Legal Sign Shops are not out there sweeping the streets like they use to.

See so many illegal, un-licensed companies working off ladders, no truck markings, many code violations and un-ppricing the market because the legal shops pay and play by the rules.

Only a mater of time till some one gets hurt, a building burns down or sign falls from the sky... unfortunately it takes pain for action to occur. In the mean time Im sure State budgets have been cut.

I believe in keeping it local. There are plenty of qualified proven Sign companies that will get the job done without flying in from anther state.

But...I bet you guys would be more than willing to go to Maine, NY, Tx or whatever for a job your boss sent you on to get your per diem and extra wage. I bet you wouldn't give a rats ass about the work you were taking from those LOCALS. Let's be fair and look at both sides of the coin.

I pulled a permit for this company years ago to install a high-rise pole sign for an oil company. When I went to the site to check if they were ready for installation the sign was already installed. I talked with the manager on site and he said they flew in from New Jersey installed the sign and left. Meanwhile I still had the permit at the office and paid for by me, never heard from them again.