ADAptations

For the past decade, all new building construction has had to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. Under these standards, buildings must include routes, bathrooms, parking spaces and service areas accessible to persons with hearing, vision and mobility disabilities. Buildings also need signs directing disabled persons to these accessible venues.

What does this mean to the commercial signmaker? It means that each newly constructed office building, hotel, hospital, restaurant, entertainment complex, sports arena and retailer in your town needs more than just a main-identity sign — a commercial signmaker’s traditional bread-and-butter. It also needs a plethora of ADA-compliant signage. Savvy signmakers should thus position themselves to sell complete sign packages to new businesses.

You can do so by selling your clients pre-made signs, available through numerous manufacturers. Or, for a more creative, upscale look, you can provide custom ADA-compliant signs as part of an integrated sign system. Here, we showcase that very type of signage.