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 Glasgow and Dunbartonshire?
- If your Glasgow site entrance is close to a busy junction, keeping the totem outside the visibility splay matters as much as its looks.
- When a business park near Glasgow hides its units behind landscaping, an entrance totem tells visitors which turning to take.
- For a Glasgow dealership or garage set back from a main road, a pylon readable on approach gives drivers time to slow and turn.
Guide prices in Glasgow and Dunbartonshire
Below is the guide pricing we use for totem and pylon signs: from £1,950 up to £9,800 per totem, before VAT. These are not fixed quotes. A written price follows once measurements are taken and your artwork has been checked.
| 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 |
Height and face area drive the structure, foundation and wind-loading design, so they move the price most. Lighting, tenant panels, built-up letters, surfacing to break out and reinstate, ground conditions and consent drawings follow. Every figure is confirmed after a site survey and services check.
Totem and pylon signs in Glasgow and Dunbartonshire: 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.
Multi-tenant totem
A header panel plus slide-in tenant inserts changed as units are let.
Directional totem
Smaller site signs pointing visitors to receptions, bays and buildings.
Towns in Glasgow and Dunbartonshire
The towns below are all part of our coverage of Glasgow and Dunbartonshire. Each link opens the totem and pylon signs page for that town, with guide prices, consent notes and how to get a quote.
- Totem and pylon signs in Glasgow
- Totem and pylon signs in Bearsden
- Totem and pylon signs in Clydebank
- Totem and pylon signs in Vale of Leven
- Totem and pylon signs in Bishopbriggs
- Totem and pylon signs in Dumbarton
- Totem and pylon signs in Kirkintilloch
- Totem and pylon signs in Milngavie
- Totem and pylon signs in Bonhill
Anywhere in Glasgow and Dunbartonshire, the first step is the same: send photos and rough sizes for a free quote on totem and pylon signs. You approve a proof to scale before anything is made.

