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Tray signs · Edinburgh and the Lothians

Tray signs in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Businesses in Edinburgh and the Lothians can order tray signs from Smart Signs as part of our UK-wide service. You send photos and sizes or we arrange a survey; we draw a proof to scale and agree a written price; then the work is booked in. Nothing is made before you approve it, and the process does not change anywhere in Scotland.

From £1,250 per sign + VAT · UK guide price
Charcoal tray sign with raised white letters 'MERIDIAN DENTAL' over a modern unit entrance.

Tray signs are fascia signs folded from aluminium sheet so the face turns back at the edges into returns, typically 50–75 mm deep, then powder coated and hung on concealed fixings.

Why choose tray signs in Edinburgh and the Lothians?

  • If your Edinburgh premises might open into the evening one day, a light-ready tray avoids paying for a second sign later.
  • Businesses moving into a refurbished Edinburgh building can use a wrap-around tray to hide an uneven old fascia without stripping it out.
  • A modern Edinburgh retail park unit with grey cladding suits a powder-coated tray matched to the window frames' RAL colour.

Guide prices in Edinburgh and the Lothians

We publish guide prices so you can plan before you get in touch. For tray signs the range is £1,250–£3,450 per sign, not including VAT, and the final price is confirmed after we survey the site or check the artwork.

Tray signs in Edinburgh and the Lothians: guide prices, supplied and fitted
ItemGuide, ex VATInc. VAT (20%)
Tray sign up to 3 m, vinyl lettering£1,250 – £2,100£1,500 – £2,520
Tray sign 3–5 m, raised acrylic lettering£1,850 – £3,450£2,220 – £4,140
Push-through or routed letters (non-lit)£350 – £950£420 – £1,140

Length matters most, because longer trays need joints, more coating and more fixing rail. Then come the lettering method, letter count, special or metallic powder coats, access height and removal of the old sign. Every figure is confirmed after survey and an artwork check.

Do you need permission for a sign in Edinburgh and the Lothians?

Different rules apply in Scotland. The 1984 Scotland Regulations decide whether a non-illuminated sign needs advertisement consent, and while some shop and office signs can go up without applying, the details are not the same as in England. Historic buildings deserve care: listed building consent is usually needed for signs on listed buildings under the 1997 Scotland Act, and carrying out works without it can be a criminal offence. We confirm what applies before you commit to tray signs, then prepare drawings and photographs for an eDevelopment.scot application, or submit it on your behalf.

Options worth considering

Tray with raised acrylic letters

Solid acrylic letters fixed proud of the face for depth and shadow.

Light-ready tray

Deep enough for LED modules, with cable entry agreed, fitted unlit for now.

Tray with built-up letters

Fabricated metal letters on the tray face for a layered look.

Towns in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Pick your town below to see the page for tray signs there. The list shows the main towns in Edinburgh and the Lothians; smaller places around them are covered too.

Get a free price for tray signs in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Use the quote form, phone or WhatsApp, include a few pictures and measurements, and we will send a written quote followed by a design for your approval.

Other signs in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Tray signs in Edinburgh and the Lothians: questions

What is the typical timescale for tray signs from enquiry to fitting?

A quote typically follows once we have your photos or have surveyed the site, and making and fitting is typically booked a few weeks after you approve the proof. Where advertisement consent applies, that decision has to come through before anything goes up, which can add several weeks. We give you an expected timescale with your quote for Edinburgh.

How deep is a tray sign?

Returns are usually 50–75 mm, enough to hide a fixing rail and give a visible edge. Deeper trays are possible where you want room for LED modules later or need to cover an uneven fascia, and we set the depth at survey based on what is behind.

What colour should the tray be?

Pick a colour that contrasts strongly with your lettering and suits the frontage. Charcoal, anthracite and black with white or metallic letters read clearly on most buildings, while light trays with dark letters suit darker brick. Matching the RAL colour of your window frames gives a coordinated look.

Do you work across Edinburgh and the Lothians or only in Edinburgh?

Across all of Edinburgh and the Lothians, and the rest of the UK too. Edinburgh is simply one of the places we list, and enquiries from anywhere nearby follow exactly the same steps: photos or a survey, a scaled proof, a written price, then making and fitting once you sign off the design.

Do tray signs suit office buildings and business parks?

Yes. Trays suit entrances, canopies and plain cladding as well as shop fascias, and can be fixed to brick, render or cladding rails. For cladding we confirm the fixing method with the building owner first, since drilling some panel systems can affect how they perform.

Will the location in Edinburgh affect the cost of tray signs?

Location is one factor among several, alongside size, material, access equipment and design time. Our guide range is £1,250–£3,450 per sign + VAT; any travel, parking or access costs for your site in Edinburgh are included in the written quote we confirm after a survey or artwork check, so you can see them before you commit.

Free quote · scale proof · fixed price

Ready to be seen?

Send a photo of your frontage or vehicle and a rough size. We’ll come back with ideas, a guide price and the next step.

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