Custom Signs &
Building Signs
in Colorado Springs
APG designs, permits, produces, and installs commercial signs across Colorado Springs and El Paso County, including channel letters, storefront and building signs, dimensional lettering, lobby signs, ADA signs, and wayfinding signs. We handle the project from the first site visit through installation and the final walkthrough.
The signs Colorado Springs
buildings actually need
The right sign for your building depends on the building, not on what you liked somewhere else. Most of the work we do sits on commercial buildings along Academy, Garden of the Gods, Powers and Nevada: retail storefronts, medical and dental offices, churches, contractors and light industrial. The same question comes up every time: what will people actually be able to read from the road?
Exterior and outdoor signs that read from the road
Outdoor signs take the worst of the weather here, which is why exterior signs get specified differently in Colorado than they do in most of the country. Your building sign is the one piece of advertising that works every hour of every day. We size storefront signs to what drivers can actually read at the speed they pass: approach angle, setback, and how much of the facade your landlord allows. Then we build them to last outdoors.
Common builds include dimensional letters mounted to a raceway or directly to the wall, aluminum panel signs, wall lettering, and building mounted logo shapes. Need something on the glass while a permanent sign clears review? See window graphics and wall vinyl.
Channel letter signs, lit the way you want
Channel letters are individually fabricated three-dimensional letters, usually aluminum with acrylic faces, lit from inside by LED. Illuminated signs, LED signs and lit letters all describe the same thing on most storefronts. They are the standard for retail and restaurant storefronts in Colorado Springs because they read cleanly day and night. We build front-lit letters with acrylic faces and trim cap, reverse-lit halo letters that glow against the wall, and combination lit sets when the logo needs both.
All illuminated signs use LED modules and remote power supplies, a lower draw than the neon and fluorescent they replaced, and serviceable without pulling the whole set down. Front-lit against halo-lit, raceway against direct mount, and the current permit position are covered in full on our channel letter signs page.
Lobby signs, interior signs, ADA and wayfinding
Interior signs cover everything past the front door: the lobby logo behind the reception desk, suite identification, and the code-required signage that comes with a commercial space. The sign behind the reception desk is the first thing a client photographs. We build dimensional lobby logos in brushed aluminum, acrylic and painted PVC, plus office and suite identification, directories and directional signage.
ADA signage is code-required interior signage with raised tactile characters, Grade 2 Braille, minimum contrast ratios and a specified mounting height. It is not optional, and it is easy to get wrong. Ours meets all four, so they meet code the first time. Mounting heights, Braille spacing and the rest of the interior package are on our ADA and interior signs page.
Replacement faces for existing monument signs
APG can produce replacement faces for existing monument signs when the existing structure is suitable. We do not construct monument or pylon structures. If a tenant panel needs to change or a face has been damaged, send a photo of the sign and its dimensions and our team will review the options with you.
Service for signs APG produced
APG provides repair and maintenance services for signs we originally produced. If an APG sign is damaged, has an electrical issue, or needs an approved face replacement, send us a photo and the project information so our team can review it.
What happens after you call us.
Site survey and estimate
We measure the facade, check power, photograph sight lines from the road, and send you an estimate.
Design proof
Once the estimate is approved and the deposit is received, our team begins design and proofing, with the sign rendered on a photo of your own building before anything is cut.
Permits
We prepare the City of Colorado Springs or El Paso County application and the landlord submission when required.
Production
Made to your brand colors, matched to the same files that drive your print and vehicle work.
Installation
We handle the installation, including equipment coordination when needed, through the final walkthrough.
Commercial sign types
and what each one solves
These sign types cover almost everything that goes on a commercial building here. The right one depends on how far the sign sits from the road, whether it needs to read after dark, and what the landlord allows.
| Sign type | Best when | Lit? | Typical lead time | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel letters | Retail or restaurant storefront close to the road | Front-lit, halo-lit or both | 4-8 weeks | $8,000-$15,000 |
| Dimensional letters | Professional office or medical building | Rarely | 3-5 weeks | $2,500-$10,000 |
| Wall signs & building lettering | Large facade or a secondary elevation | Optional | 2-4 weeks | $2,500-$10,000 |
| Lobby & interior signs | Reception wall, first impression indoors | Rarely | 2-4 weeks | Varies by size |
| ADA & wayfinding signs | Any commercial interior, required by code | No | 1-3 weeks | Per sign |
| Window graphics | Fast, low cost, changes seasonally | No | 1-2 weeks | Varies by size |
Wall signs and building lettering cover a large facade for less than a fabricated letter set, and they are usually the right answer for a secondary elevation, a warehouse frontage, or any wall a driver reads from close range.
These ranges and lead times are typical and are not project specific estimates. Permit review is usually the longest part of any illuminated project.
Which type of sign does your building need?
Most people come to us knowing they need a sign, not knowing which kind. The answer usually falls out of three things.
- How far back your building sits from the road. A retail storefront twenty feet off the sidewalk is usually channel letters. A building set back behind a parking lot needs larger building letters sized for the viewing distance.
- Whether the landlord limits you. Most multi-tenant properties have sign criteria that set the size, style and mounting. If a landlord requires a sign type we do not offer, we review the requirements and discuss the options with you.
- Whether you need to be visible after dark. If your customers arrive in the evening, illumination is not a preference.
Describe the site and we will tell you which of those you are. If a smaller sign does the job, we will say so.
What Colorado Springs sign rules actually say
Two things surprise most business owners here.
Some sign projects require engineered drawings based on the sign type, size, mounting method, and site conditions. We confirm the applicable requirements as part of the project review.
Window signs do not need a permit, but they are capped at 25 percent of the window, first-floor glass only. If you need signage up quickly while a permanent sign goes through review, that is usually the answer.
Wall sign area is calculated against the length of the wall the sign sits on and the use of the property. There is no cap on how many wall signs you can have, only on total square footage per elevation.
The City of Colorado Springs replaced its sign code in February 2026 with Sign Ordinance No. 26-01. Current thresholds are published in the municipal sign code, and we confirm against the current code on every project.
Sign installation in Colorado Springs
APG primarily installs signage produced as part of our own projects. Because the installation falls under our permit, we generally do not install signs produced by unknown or unverified manufacturers.
Exceptions may be considered for established national brands when complete shop drawings and specifications are provided. Each project is reviewed before we accept the installation.
Franchise rollouts and national account work
National brands ship rollout signage to their local franchisees, and somebody has to install it to spec without a rep on site. For established national brands, we review the shop drawings and specifications and, when the project qualifies, install to the brand standard.
We handle the fleet side too, so a franchisee opening in Colorado Springs is not coordinating a sign installer and a vehicle wrap company separately. Send the shop drawings and we will review the install and work to your brand standards and guidelines.
Sign repair and maintenance in Colorado Springs
Signs fail here for predictable reasons. A hail season takes out a face, a power supply dies in a January cold snap, or a tenant changes and the panel has to change with it. Repair usually costs a fraction of starting over.
APG provides repair and maintenance services for signs we originally produced. If an APG sign is damaged, has an electrical issue, or needs an approved face replacement, send us a photo and the project information so our team can review it.
Our vehicle wrap team prints and installs full wraps, commercial fleet graphics and vehicle lettering from the same brand files, so the truck in the parking lot matches the sign above the door. See commercial vehicle wraps and fleet graphics.
Custom signs in Colorado Springs: common questions
How much does a commercial sign cost in Colorado Springs?
Most illuminated commercial signs in Colorado Springs range from $8,000 to $15,000. Most non illuminated commercial signs range from $2,500 to $10,000. Final pricing depends on size, materials, illumination, mounting conditions, engineering, permitting, access, and installation requirements.
Do I need a sign permit in Colorado Springs?
Nearly every permanent exterior sign needs one, and most multi-tenant properties also require landlord approval against a sign criteria. Permit requirements and fees vary by jurisdiction, sign type and property. We handle the application and the landlord submission, and your estimate spells out exactly what is included.
How long does a sign take?
Vinyl and non-illuminated signs are often a week or two. Illuminated signs generally run four to eight weeks, and permit review is usually the longest part of that.
Do you install signs you did not make?
Generally, no. APG primarily installs signage produced through our own projects because the installation falls under our permit and creates liability for our company. We may make exceptions for established national brands when the signage comes from a vetted manufacturer with complete shop drawings and specifications. Each request is reviewed before we accept the installation.
Aluminum, acrylic, polycarbonate, PVC, HDU (high-density urethane, the carvable board used for most sandblasted and dimensional signs), brushed and painted metal, dimensional foam, and vinyl on almost any substrate. Acrylic signs, aluminum signs and dimensional 3D signs all get specified differently here because of the UV load. The same brand files also drive our commercial printing. The material decision is usually about how far the sign sits from the road, how much sun it takes, and whether it needs to be lit.
We install commercial signs throughout Colorado Springs and El Paso County, including Monument, Falcon, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Security-Widefield and Woodland Park.
Get a free quote on
your Colorado Springs sign.
Send a photo of the building and the approximate size you have in mind. We will come back with a permit read and a real estimate. Once the estimate is approved and the deposit is received, our team will begin the design and proofing process.
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Mon-Fri 8:30-5:00 · By appointment only