A totem sign is a free-standing sign on its own foundation, typically 1.5–4 m tall, used at site entrances and car parks to show a business name, tenants or directions where a wall sign won't be seen.
Why choose totem and pylon signs in County Down?
- Landlords letting units in Bangor can keep totems current with spare blank inserts, so a new tenant's panel slots straight in.
- Evening guests arriving at Bangor hotels, restaurants and leisure venues find the entrance more easily when the totem is lit.
- For a Bangor dealership or garage set back from a main road, a pylon readable on approach gives drivers time to slow and turn.
Guide prices in County Down
The table shows guide prices for totem and pylon signs, starting from £1,950 and reaching about £9,800 per totem. All figures exclude VAT. Your own price is confirmed after we have seen the site or the artwork, so treat these as a starting point.
| Item | Guide, ex VAT | Inc. VAT (20%) |
|---|---|---|
| Totem 1.5–2 m, non-lit | £1,950 – £3,950 | £2,340 – £4,740 |
| Totem 2.5–4 m, non-lit | £3,950 – £7,500 | £4,740 – £9,000 |
| Illuminated totem (lit panels or letters) | £4,950 – £9,800 | £5,940 – £11,760 |
Guide prices, supplied and installed with foundations and excluding VAT, are £1,950 to £3,950 for a non-lit totem 1.5–2 m tall and £3,950 to £7,500 for a non-lit totem 2.5–4 m tall. An illuminated totem with lit panels or letters is guided at £4,950 to £9,800.
Totem and pylon signs in County Down: permission and rules
A free-standing totem usually needs express advertisement consent from the council's planning department, especially if it is illuminated, tall or close to a road. In England, decisions usually take up to 8 weeks and consent is normally granted for 5 years. Illuminated totems cannot rely on deemed consent in conservation areas, National Parks, National Landscapes, the Broads or areas of special control. Councils also look at highway safety, so a site plan showing sightlines helps. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own advertisement regulations and application routes. We can prepare the drawings, site plan and photos for an application, or submit it for you.
Options worth considering
Non-lit pylon, 2.5–4 m
A taller structure readable from a road, on a larger foundation.
Monolith
A solid, block-like form with built-up letters for prestige entrances.
Non-lit totem, 1.5–2 m
A compact entrance or forecourt sign in powder-coated aluminium.
Towns in County Down
Below: towns across County Down where Smart Signs handles totem and pylon signs. The service, the process and the guide prices are the same in each, and places missing from the list are covered as well.
- Totem and pylon signs in Bangor, County Down
- Totem and pylon signs in Castlereagh
- Totem and pylon signs in Newtownards
- Totem and pylon signs in Newry
- Totem and pylon signs in Banbridge
- Totem and pylon signs in Dundonald
- Totem and pylon signs in Holywood
- Totem and pylon signs in Downpatrick
- Totem and pylon signs in Comber
Photos of the building, window or vehicle, plus approximate sizes, are enough for us to quote totem and pylon signs anywhere in County Down. There is no charge for the quote and no commitment until you approve the proof.

