26 Issue 255 - October / November 2024 www.signlink.co.uk hen I first ran my electric sign shop and was asked about ADA signage [signage that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act known as the Disability Discrimination Act in the UK] I confidently replied, “Of course, we can handle your wayfinding project!” In my mind, I thought, "How hard could it be?" Then reality hit: sign placement, ADA compliance, tight deadlines—it was a lot to manage. The challenges are real, but they're not impossible to overcome. I used to shy away from projects like medical complexes or mixed-use developments because wayfinding seemed beyond our expertise. But once we took the leap, our skills grew, and so did our business. We found that clients appreciated working with one company for all their signage needs rather than juggling multiple vendors. If we hadn’t taken the time to learn and adapt, we would have missed out on some amazing opportunities. HERE ARE A FEW STEPS THAT CAN HELP YOU APPROACH YOUR NEXT WAYFINDING PROJECT WITH CONFIDENCE: UNDERSTAND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE: Familiarise yourself with local regulations and ADA compliance standards for signage, accessibility, and safety. Ensuring that your designs and installations meet these requirements will help you avoid costly mistakes and delays. For example, Dan Bruk, a member of the Behind the Signs community, shared that his shop struggled with ADA compliance initially. It took a lot of research and some trial and error, but once they mastered the rules, they started enjoying regular repeat business. Here are a few resources to help you get started: MUTOH offers a free course titled "All About Braille" on its platform (Mutoh.thinkific.com). SEGD also provides many useful ADA resources on its website (media.segd. org). LEARN HOW TO READ PLANS: Floor plans will help calculate sign counts for all ADA compliance signs such as doorway signs, room numbers, stairwells, restrooms, egress maps, and required fire code signs. These are the sign types that typically require braille. Building elevation plans will help determine placement and attachment methods for main building signs and address numbers. You will also need elevation plans for permitting. Site plans are your guide for deciding where to put signs that direct customers or tenants to the right places on the property. These signs are usually found in parking garages or parking lots for traffic control as well as main entrance signs such as pylon or monument signs. BUILD WHOLESALER RELATIONSHIPS: There are many qualified ADA sign manufacturers, so take your time to find the right one. Dan Bruk experienced challenges with this when starting out in ADA signage. Choosing the wrong wholesaler can cost Do wayfinding projects feel overly complicated? You’re not alone—many sign shop owners can relate. Joe Arenella, founder of SignTracker, offers his insights into managing these complex projects Joe Arenella founded two sign shops before launching SignTracker, a software program that helps sign shop owners track their jobs, quote more consistently, and provide their team a birds-eye view into what’s going on in the shop. Joe is also the host of the Behind the Signs Facebook group and YouTube video podcast. www.sign-tracker.com INDUSTRY TIPS / JOE ARENELLA, SIGNTRACKER Advice for Getting Started with Wayfinding Signage
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjM0NDIxOA==