30 Lewis Street, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM
The Great American Sign Company crest The Great American Sign Company Request a Quote
908-630-9120 Request a Quote

Design, permits, fabrication, installation.

No stage is subcontracted. The same workshop draws it, gets it approved, carves it and hangs it — then looks after it afterwards.

  1. Step one

    Design

    We start with your building, your brand and the sightlines drivers actually have. You get drawings to react to before anything is cut.

  2. Step two

    Permits

    Most New Jersey townships regulate size, height, lighting and setback. We prepare and submit the drawings your zoning board needs.

  3. Step three

    Payment

    A deposit books your slot in the shop schedule. The balance is due on completion, before installation.

  4. Step four

    Fabrication

    Carving, sculpting, priming, painting and gilding. Two weeks is typical; hand-carved and sculpted work runs four to six.

  5. Step five

    Delivery

    Signs are crated and shipped, or delivered directly by us across northern and central New Jersey.

  6. Step six

    Installation

    We set posts, mount panels and hang brackets, then maintain and refinish the sign for as long as you own it.

Timelines

How long it actually takes

Two weeks is typical for most carved and dimensional work once the design is approved and the deposit is in. Hand-carved and sculpted pieces — anything with a figure, a crest or heavy relief — run four to six weeks.

Township permit review sits outside our control and is the most common cause of delay. Some municipalities turn a sign application around in a fortnight; others meet monthly. Start early and it rarely becomes a problem.

  • Carved and dimensional work — around 2 weeks in the shop
  • Hand-carved and sculpted work — 4 to 6 weeks
  • Gold leaf adds time; it cannot be rushed
  • Township permit review — varies by municipality
  • Installation is normally scheduled within a week of completion
A carved crest on the bench beside the hand chisels used to cut it

Questions

Before you commission a sign

Two weeks is typical for most carved and dimensional work once the design is approved. Hand-carved and sculpted pieces, and anything with gold leaf, run four to six weeks. Permit review by your township is separate and can add several weeks, so it is worth starting early.

Yes. Most New Jersey municipalities regulate sign size, height, setback and illumination, and many require scaled drawings for zoning approval. We prepare the drawings and submit the application as part of the project.

HDU is high-density urethane — a closed-cell board that carves like clay and holds crisp detail. Unlike timber it will not rot, warp, split or absorb water, so it is the better choice for most exterior signs. We still carve solid cedar, cherry and mahogany when a client specifically wants real wood.

Genuine 23K leaf is almost pure gold, so it does not oxidise or tarnish. Properly laid and sized on a well-prepared surface, exterior gilding regularly lasts decades. Imitation leaf and gold paint will dull within a few years, which is why we use the real thing.

We install. We set posts, pour footings where required, mount panels and hang brackets. We also come back to maintain and refinish signs we have made, for as long as you own them.

The shop is in Basking Ridge, Somerset County, and we install throughout northern and central New Jersey. We have shipped crated signs well beyond the state for clients who arrange their own installation.

Yes. We regularly match an established mark, a specific paint colour or an existing sign on another building so a campus or a chain stays consistent.

It depends on size, material, how much carving or sculpting is involved, and whether it is gilded. Rather than publish a misleading number, we quote each project from the drawings. Call 908-630-9120 and we can usually give a realistic range on the phone.

Start your project

Ready to be noticed?

Tell us about the building, the brand and the budget. We will come back with drawings, a realistic timeline and a firm price.

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