Guide · 5 min read
How to measure your fascia for a new sign
Measure the full width and height of the fascia at several points, its depth or projection, the height of the bottom edge above the pavement, and note what it is made of and anything in the way. Add straight-on photos, and we can give you a guide price before a survey.
Why measure your fascia before getting a quote?
Rough measurements and good photos let us give you a realistic guide price and suggest sign types that suit the frontage before anyone visits. The final dimensions are always checked on survey before anything is made, so your figures don't need to be perfect, just honest.
Never climb above a safe height to measure. Use a tape and a helper from the ground, a laser measure, or a short stepladder used safely on level ground. If the fascia is high or over a busy pavement, send what you can safely measure and we'll do the rest on survey.
What tools do you need?
You need very little to take useful measurements:
- A 5 m or 8 m tape measure, or a laser distance measure.
- A helper to hold the other end.
- A phone camera.
- A notepad or a photo of the frontage to write figures on.
How do you measure the width and height?
Measure the width of the fascia from one end to the other at the top, the middle and the bottom. Old fascias are often out of square, and the smallest figure matters. Note where the fascia meets neighbouring shops, pilasters or corbels, the decorative brackets at each end.
Measure the height at the left, centre and right. If there is a cornice or moulding above, measure the flat area where a sign could actually sit, as well as the overall board, and note any change in level across the frontage.
How do you measure depth and projection?
Depth matters for tray signs, lightboxes and built-up letters. Measure how far the fascia face sits forward of the shopfront glazing and of the wall above. If there is a blind box, the housing for a roller shutter or awning, measure how far it projects and where it sits.
If you want a projecting sign as well, measure the clear wall space beside the fascia and the height from the pavement to where the bracket could go, and note any windows, drainpipes or lights nearby.
What is the fascia made of, and what is in the way?
Tell us what the fascia surface is, because it decides the fixing method. Common surfaces are painted timber, an old aluminium or plastic panel, render, brick, stone or cladding. Press gently on timber: soft or flaking areas suggest rot that needs dealing with first.
Then list anything that could get in the way:
- Shutter boxes, awning housings, alarm boxes and CCTV cameras.
- Existing lights, cables, junction boxes and old sign brackets.
- Drainpipes, gutters and overflow pipes.
- Neighbouring signs, satellite dishes and first-floor window sills.
Why does the height above the ground matter?
Measure from the pavement to the bottom edge of the fascia, and estimate the height to the top edge. This tells us what access equipment the fit will need: a scaffold tower, a scaffold or a mobile elevating work platform under the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
It also matters for consent. In England, a non-illuminated sign usually has deemed consent only if the top is no higher than the bottom of any first-floor window, so measure to the first-floor sill too. Note whether the pavement is narrow, sloping or a bus stop, because a council licence may be needed to put access equipment there.
What photos should you take?
Take one photo straight-on from across the road, with the whole frontage in shot, standing square to it rather than at an angle. Then take one from each side along the pavement, a close-up of the fascia surface and each end, and a wider view of the street to show neighbouring buildings.
If you can, include something of known size, such as the door, in the straight-on photo. That lets us scale the photo and place your design on it accurately for the proof.
What should you send us?
Send the measurements, photos, the address, the wording and any logo you have, and whether you want the sign lit. With that we can suggest the sign types that suit, give guide prices and check whether the property is in a conservation area or listed.
We then survey and measure properly, and send a scaled design proof with a fixed written price. Nothing is made until you approve it.
Want a second opinion on your sign?
Send a photo and a rough size. We’ll tell you what would work, what it’s likely to cost and whether consent is needed.