LFP - Large-Format-Printing

Creative Ideas for “Under Construction” Signage – FASTSIGNS

Wednesday 31. July 2013 - Whether you're building a new structure from the ground up, or renovating an existing commercial space, giving the general public a heads up about your project is essential. What might immediately come to mind are those hard to miss, red and black "Danger" signs, or something in Pantone 123 yellow, with hard hats and an equilateral triangle.

While there’s something to be said for cautioning people that work is progressing and they should expect traffic, noise, and dust, under construction signage is a unique opportunity to reinforce your brand, get people talking about your project and generate excitement and interest in what you’re building.
Read on and discover a new spin on the “excuse our mess while we’re under construction” signage, while still getting across important safety messages and helping people navigate your construction site with ease.
Cover the Basics
Those red and black “Danger” signs do serve a purpose, as safety laws require that builders warn people near constructions sites about any hazardous activity that’s taking place. This can be anything from mandatory hard-hat areas, to warnings about falling objects or construction traffic, and load capacity for elevated surfaces. OSHA estimates 6.5 million people working in 252,000 construction sites across the country on any given day. That means a heightened need for accident prevention signs in and around your site.
A few more fundamentals: be sure to include your contact information and project details for people to learn more. Also, think about where someone will first see your signs, and make sure the type is large enough to read from that distance. Wayfinding signage for navigating detours is particularly important, especially if normal points of entry are blocked off, or to clearly point the way to a sales or construction office.
Make Them Beautiful
With the basics out of the way, you can focus on eye-catching signage that brings your new building to life, even when it’s in the earliest phases of construction. The first order of business is a logo. A unique logo design is one of the best ways you can start building brand identity. Designs range from type only, or type and a graphic that explains what you do, to more abstract graphics. The logo should be easy to reproduce and scale up or down. A sturdy serif or sans serif will improve readability at any size.
Two-dimensional or three-dimensional architectural or construction renderings provide the imagery and context for what the project will look like when completed. Using these elements on signs is a great way to generate interest in the finished product. Along those lines, many companies today are taking advantage of cost-effective digital displays to give virtual tours, guiding people step-by-step through the final design and various points of interest.
Make Them Fun and Memorable
Get your team around the conference table and brainstorm some creative, out-of-the-box ways to showcase your project. Road construction crews in Japan used animal-shaped barricades to get attention and make people aware of impending roadwork. It worked. Here’s one idea for a condo or housing development: a “picture yourself here” panel with a life-size image of your project and the call to take a self-photo and post it to your social network with the caption, “my fancy new digs”. Prospects get to brag about their next home and buzz builds around your project. Another idea is to add a window to the construction site framed by a television screen and announce, “live broadcast in progress”.
Beyond the basic, employ a few of these creative signage strategies and watch awareness build for your project, long before the move-in date.