Lightbox signs in Purley

Photos are the most useful start: the whole frontage, window or vehicle, plus a close-up of the area involved. Add rough measurements, your logo or artwork if you have it, and the address. From that we can say whether a survey visit is needed and send a written quote, followed by a proof for you to approve.

Often the existing supply, switch and timer can be reused, provided an electrician checks them first. New LED drivers usually replace the old control gear inside the box. If the circuit is old or untested, the electrician will advise before connecting to BS 7671.

A lightbox suits a logo, colours or extra information on one lit panel at lower cost. Individually lit letters give a cleaner, brand-led look with the fascia showing between them. Your street, budget and any conservation-area rules usually decide it.

In an older box it's usually failing fluorescent tubes, starters or ballasts, and replacing them one at a time rarely lasts. Patchy light can also mean water has got in. Converting the box to LED fixes the cause, if the frame is sound.

It typically takes a few weeks from first enquiry, with much of that time falling after you approve the proof, while the work is made and scheduled. Graphics and vehicle jobs are typically shorter than fabricated or illuminated signs. If advertisement consent is needed, the council's decision comes first and adds to the overall timescale.

Guide pricing runs from £1,250 to £4,800 per lightbox, plus VAT. The main things that move it are dimensions, the material and finish, illumination where relevant, how high the work is and whether a scaffold or platform is needed. Your written quote, issued after a survey or a check of your artwork, replaces the guide figure.