Can you handle totem and pylon signs for a business in Brighton?

Yes. Smart Signs covers Brighton and the rest of East Sussex as part of a UK-wide service. You send photos and rough sizes, we arrange a survey if the job needs one, then you receive a proof to scale and a fixed written price. Nothing is made or fitted until you have approved both.

Will you need to dig up the car park?

A section of surfacing is broken out where the foundation goes, usually a little larger than the sign base. Once the totem is installed, the surface is reinstated to match as closely as practical. We plan the dig around traffic so the site can stay open where possible.

Why does a totem need structural calculations?

A totem acts like a sail. Wind pressure on its face creates a large overturning force at the base, so the frame, base plate, bolts and foundation must be designed for the site's wind exposure. The calculations set the foundation size and give you a design record.

Can I get a fixed price for totem and pylon signs in Brighton before committing?

Yes. We start from the guide range, £1,950 to £9,800 per totem excluding VAT, then measure up or look at your photos and artwork. That gives a fixed written price reflecting the real size, materials, access and any design or consent work. You only commit once you accept that price and approve the proof.

Can you work to an opening date in Brighton?

Tell us the date when you enquire and we will say plainly whether it looks realistic. Timescales typically depend on how soon the proof is approved, how long production takes and whether consent is needed, which can take several weeks on its own. We plan around your date where we can, but we do not promise one we cannot control.

What drawings does the council need for a totem?

Councils usually ask for a location plan, a site plan showing the sign's position, and scaled elevations with dimensions, materials, colours and height above ground. For a lit totem, the illumination method and brightness are usually requested too. We can prepare these drawings and photos for you.

Totem and pylon signs in Brighton

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.

Where totem and pylon signs can pay off in Brighton

Retail units sharing a Brighton car park can use one multi-tenant pylon instead of a cluster of boards competing for attention.
If your Brighton site entrance is close to a busy junction, keeping the totem outside the visibility splay matters as much as its looks.
Evening guests arriving at Brighton hotels, restaurants and leisure venues find the entrance more easily when the totem is lit.

What totem and pylon signs cost in Brighton

Guide prices for totem and pylon signs run from £1,950 to £9,800 per totem, excluding VAT. The table below breaks that down; your actual price is fixed in writing once we have surveyed the site or checked the artwork.

Totem & pylon signs in Brighton: guide prices, supplied and fitted
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.

Options for your Brighton project

Non-lit totem, 1.5–2 m

A compact entrance or forecourt sign in powder-coated aluminium.

Monolith

A solid, block-like form with built-up letters for prestige entrances.

Illuminated totem

Internally lit panels or routed and push-through letters with LED modules.

Totem and pylon signs in Brighton: 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.

Covering Brighton and East Sussex

Our service reaches Brighton and all of East Sussex. The first step depends on the job: a site visit for signs that need measuring, fixing or wiring, or a photo-based quote for graphics and lettering where pictures and sizes tell us enough. The Brighton postcode districts we quote for include BN1, BN2 and BN3.

Close to Brighton

Free quotes for totem and pylon signs start with your pictures. Measure roughly, take a few shots from the street or around the vehicle, and send them to us. We prepare a proof for you to approve before anything is produced.

More signs in Brighton

All sign types in Brighton · Totem and pylon signs across East Sussex

Consent	Usually needs express consent, especially when lit; decisions usually take up to 8 weeks
Typical lead time	typically 4–8 weeks after proof approval, plus any consent period
Materials	Aluminium or steel frame, folded powder-coated aluminium cladding, applied or routed graphics