What is the difference between built-up and flat-cut letters?

Built-up letters are hollow, fabricated with separate faces and returns, so they can be 50–100 mm deep or more. Flat-cut letters are cut from one solid sheet, usually 5–10 mm thick. Built-up letters have more presence and share their construction with illuminated letters; flat-cut letters cost less.

Is Edinburgh inside your coverage area for built-up 3D letters?

It is. We work throughout the UK rather than in a single region, so Edinburgh and every part of Edinburgh and the Lothians are included. Where a survey is needed we arrange a visit; for graphics jobs we can often quote from photos and measurements. Either way, you get a proof and a written price first.

What is the typical timescale for built-up 3D letters from enquiry to fitting?

A quote typically follows once we have your photos or have surveyed the site, and making and fitting is typically booked a few weeks after you approve the proof. Where advertisement consent applies, that decision has to come through before anything goes up, which can add several weeks. We give you an expected timescale with your quote for Edinburgh.

How do I keep metal letters clean?

Wash them a few times a year with warm water and a mild detergent, then rinse and dry, wiping brushed stainless along the grain. Avoid abrasive pads and bleach-based cleaners, which scratch or mark finishes. Mirror stainless and brass show marks fastest, so they suit positions out of reach.

Why use a paper template for fixing?

The template is a full-size layout of every letter with its fixing holes marked. Taped to the wall, it shows the exact position and spacing before anyone drills, lets you see the scale on the real building, and makes sure each stud lines up with its hole.

What makes built-up 3D letters more or less expensive?

Size and quantity come first, then the material or film, any lighting, the height of the work and the equipment needed to reach it, and the state of the surface or old sign being replaced. Against that, the guide for a job in Edinburgh is £55–£165 per letter + VAT, confirmed after a survey or artwork check.

Built-up 3D letters in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Built-up letters are three-dimensional letters fabricated, usually from metal sheet, with a face and returns joined into a hollow letter typically 50–100 mm deep, then fixed to a wall or sign on locators.

Why choose built-up 3D letters in Edinburgh and the Lothians?

Refurbishing a frontage in Edinburgh? Plan letter positions with the architect's drawings so fresh render isn't drilled twice.
Showrooms and dealerships around Edinburgh can use large painted aluminium letters in brand colours on high walls seen from a passing road.
Business park tenants in Edinburgh who mount letters on a shared entrance canopy should check the landlord's signage rules first.

Guide prices in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Budgeting for built-up 3D letters? The guide below runs from £55 to £165 per letter. VAT is extra. Size, materials and access decide where your job lands, and we confirm it in writing after surveying or checking the artwork.

Built-up 3D letters in Edinburgh and the Lothians: guide prices, supplied and fitted
Item	Guide, ex VAT	Inc. VAT (20%)
Fabricated letter, 300 mm tall	£55 – £165	£66 – £198
Typical business name (10–14 letters)	£850 – £2,600	£1,020 – £3,120
Logo or symbol, made to the same depth	£150 – £650	£180 – £780

Non-illuminated letters around 300 mm tall are guided at £55 to £165 per letter, supplied and fitted, excluding VAT. A typical business name of 10–14 letters is guided at £850 to £2,600, and a logo or symbol made to the same depth adds a guide £150 to £650.

Do you need permission for a sign in Edinburgh and the Lothians?

In Scotland, signs are controlled by the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (Scotland) Regulations 1984, as amended. Some signs on business premises are allowed without an application, but the details differ from England's, so we check with the council rather than assume. Where express consent is needed, the application goes to the council, usually through eDevelopment.scot. Listed buildings need extra care: listed building consent is usually required under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997. We look at your premises before you commit and can prepare the drawings and photos, or submit the application for you.

Options worth considering

Contrast returns

Faces in one finish and sides in another, such as brushed with black.

Brass or copper finish

Warm metallic faces, lacquered or left to patina.

316 stainless

Higher-grade stainless for coastal sites where salt air attacks lesser grades.

Towns in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Your town not here? We still cover it. These are the main towns in Edinburgh and the Lothians with their own page for built-up 3D letters, each one setting out the same survey, proof and fitting steps.

A free, written quote for built-up 3D letters is one message away. Send the details from anywhere in Edinburgh and the Lothians and we will reply with a price, then a proof you approve before work begins.