In announcing your presence to the world, a church sign definitely does a good job. It acts as a communication mediator between you and your congregation, probable even attracting new visitors to your church.
Just like any business, churches also have a currency – the soul of the lost. It is indeed safe to say that a sign is as important for a church as it is to a business.
According to the Small Business Association, church signs lead to a growth of 15-45%.
This means more souls reached, more money obtained to expand your outreach even more! With a church sign, your church can shine like a lighthouse that your community deserves. Hence, consider these benefits when designing a budget for the church sign.
So how much does a church sign cost?
The cost of a church sign varies significantly depending on the type of sign needed. Certain features built into different types will impact the price of a sign.
Types of Church Signs:
- Standard lighted or lightbox church sign: ideal for restricted budgets and those who want to get the message across in a flash. Price range: $2,000-$10,000
- Church marquee sign: a standard image will sit alongside the changeable letters area. Can be customized and very affordable. Price range: $5,000-$10,000
- Church monument sign: freestanding sign supported by a solid brick base. Price range: $10,000-$20,000
- Custom church sign: decorative caps, custom cabinets and beautiful pole skirting – makes a statement in your community. Price range: $15,000-$40,000
- LED Church sign: highly flexible and customizable electronic sign which is very much attention grabbing. Price range: $10,000-$150,000
Factors to be considered
Custom Versus Stock Signs
Custom church signs are usually more costly than stock signs. This is because stock signs are pre-printed with designs that have already been created. No smoking, reserved parking and fire safety signs are some such examples of stock signs that you may want in your church. But if you are placing a church sign just outside your church, this will have to be a custom sign with your church name and logo so that passersby are aware about your ministry.
Design Complexity
For custom church signs, the design complexity will play a major role in the final cost of your church sign. More colors and details to be integrated will lead to higher costs.
Materials
Church signs in a simple vinyl banner may not cost much even with a complex design. But durable long lasting materials used in sign manufacturing will cost more. For example, steel costs more than aluminum and plastic. If you want an element of elegance with a monument style design and custom frames surrounding the sign, cost will be more than the standard options.
Technology
A changeable letter church sign involves manually changing the message whereas an electronic LED sign simply requires programming different messages. Although the latter costs more, you are saving time for quicker content refreshment with just a click of a button. Furthermore, LED signs provide more features such as integrating videos, displaying multiple messages at different time slots, live streaming from social media pages and so on.
Operational Costs
Whatever the type of church sign you choose, consider how your church’s electrical bills are going to be affected by providing power supply – particularly when looking at lightbox and LED signs as an option.
You also have to employ someone to responsibly change letters and think of fun messages to put on a changeable letter church sign. This cost can be saved if time-saving features of an LED church sign are made use of.
Other miscellaneous costs
When deciding which sign manufacturer will produce your church sign, consider the costs of installation. Alongside that comes the discussion of warranties. It is better to have the manufacturer cover defects and installation mistakes in order to avoid unplanned operational and replacement costs.
For a church sign investment, it is best to find a company that specializes in church signs. They will be able to correctly provide solutions to all your church sign needs – from materials to technology to sizes and other factors that will play a role in the price of your investment.
