Install day goes well when everything before it is confirmed. Use this as a working checklist with your install partner before the crew arrives onsite.
Site access
- Confirm the access window with the property: who unlocks, when, who escorts.
- Identify after-hours or weekend requirements before quoting, not the day before.
- Get tenant or building coordinator contact info in writing.
- Confirm parking and material staging area.
Mounting surfaces
- Verify wall composition for every interior mount point: drywall, masonry, glass, metal. Each requires different anchors.
- For exterior fascia or storefront mounts, confirm substrate (EIFS, stucco, brick, ACM panel). Photograph the mount area at the proposed location.
- Flag any irregular surface (curved fascia, textured panels) — these need a method-of-attachment review.
Electrical (when applicable)
- Confirm power feed location and capacity for any illuminated sign before scheduling.
- Identify who is responsible for the electrical connection at the building side — your install partner, the property electrician, or a third-party EC.
- Get inspection requirements in writing if the jurisdiction needs one.
Access equipment
- For any sign that requires elevated access, decide upfront whether the install partner is renting the lift or whether building/site equipment is available.
- Confirm ceiling height and floor load for interior scissor lifts.
- Confirm street, sidewalk, or parking-lot permits for exterior boom trucks where required.
Documentation
- Approved drawings or production proofs are with the install partner at least 48 hours before install.
- Asset list with quantities and locations is reconciled against the shop ticket.
- Care-and-warranty handover sheet drafted in advance, not improvised at closeout.
Handover
- Confirm who signs off the install on the customer side.
- Schedule the photo handover package — before, during, and after — to land same day.
This is not exhaustive but it covers ninety percent of what causes install-day surprises. The remaining ten percent is what your install partner is paid to anticipate.