What to Look for When Buying a Sign for Your Community

These days, there are more Florida sign companies than ever for local communities to choose from. However, not all can offer the same quality and variety of signs, or at the same price. Here's what to look for to identify the sign maker that's right for you:

1.  Sign making specialty – There are lots of businesses out there that say they can make signs, but that doesn't mean they have the experience or equipment to make them right. When you need signs for a community or any purpose, talk to an actual sign company. They will have a better understanding of what you need, have more options for you, and are likely to turn out a better looking product. They will also have the experience to advise you on how to make your sign the best it can possibly be, warning you if something in your design will not be visible or easy to read.

2.  Durable, quality materials – Signs face many sources of wear and tear. Most signs will be outside and exposed to the elements including rain, sunlight, wind, and temperature extremes. Indoor signs may be bumped into or may need to be handled and moved by staff. But no matter where your sign is, you'll want it to last a long time and look just as sharp years from now as it does today. Your sign company should be able to present you with a wide range of high-quality material options, from banners to wooden signs to steel and much more.

3.  Customization – If all you wanted to do was print your logo onto a plain prefabricated sign, you wouldn't need to see a specialist. These days, more communities want custom shapes and designs for their signs or are interested in three dimensional signs or lettering. Your sign company should be able to have custom signs created in almost any form you can imagine.

4.  Computer Assisted Design – Good sign companies use CAD programs to ensure total accuracy and reduce costs, and can show you a three dimensional mockup of your sign before it is created.

5.  Installation available – Some signs just need to be bolted in place; others are much more complex than that. Your sign maker should be able to offer full, on-site installation if you need it.

6.  Bulk/package rates – Do you need signs for multiple locations? Or one big sign and several smaller ones? Ask for a bulk rate or a package discount when buying multiple signs.

What kind of sign does your community need? Contact us at Forsite to find out more about what we can offer you!

Everything Street Signs

There's a lot more to street signs than we realize.  We pass them every day from the time we are little kids till the end of our lives.  Many of us take their existence for granted and we most likely understand what most of them mean by the time we are driving or within a few years.  There was a point in time though when traffic signs weren't very common or even nonexistent.  This led to a lot of accidents and avoidable deaths.  Even with traffic signs today though, people still miss them and have accidents; so is there a way to make our signs pop out more to drivers?

Before cars came along, there were traffic signs here and there, mostly for cyclists and horse drawn carriages, but there was no uniformity to them.  After cars began to grow more common across the U.S. from 1900-1920, drivers clubs began making signs and maintaining them to help make roads safer for themselves and other driver enthusiasts.  This worked in the beginning, but as cars continued to grow in popularity a need to matching uniform signs became necessary.  Thus in 1922 representatives from Minnesota, Indiana and Wisconsin came together to decide upon unique shapes which equated to specific messages.   

Rectangle – Speed Limit or Mileage Signs

Round – Railroad Crossing

Square – Caution or Attention

Diamond – Curve Ahead

Octagon – Stop Sign

The logic behind this was to help drivers in the dark know the meaning of a sign when approaching it without being able to read it.  These signs all had black text on a white background.  These signs would be presented and adopted as the earliest national standardization in 1935.  This meant Orlando decorative street signs and other non-conforming signs needed to be updated.  In 1948 after some years of confusion, the government made some changes to help with standardization.  Interesting fact, stop signs only became red with white lettering after the invention of fade resistant materials in 1954.  Other changes eventually led to the signs we have now for warning people about danger by having the background yellow with black text.  Speed limit signs still resemble their original progenitors.

One issue that has always existed with traffic signs and continues to plague our roads today; are drivers not noticing them.  A recent study done by scientists sat a group of participants in front of two different sets of signs.  Each set had four signs with the same meanings, but the second set had signs with more dynamic images.  The participants said the more dynamic signs were more eye-catching and increased their awareness of their surroundings.  While this was one test and this was the first time seeing these signs, previous research shows more dynamic signs are more likely to catch and hold a driver's attention.

Exploring the World of Mailboxes

Mailboxes have had an interesting history.  It wasn't until the early 20^th century that mailboxes even existed in the United States.  Before that point mail carriers waited at your door until you answered it or came back the next day.  Then the post office realized time and money could be saved by mandating people have mail boxes or mail slots.  What they forgot to do was mandate what the mailbox could be, so of course you had people making mailboxes out of kinds of materials and quite a few shapes.  Eventually the Post Office announced standards for mailboxes that had to be followed in order to make life for mail carriers easier. 

                                                                                                 

The quality and how well a mailbox lasts have changed quite a bit over time.  As technology improved for metals and paints that were more weather resistant they have been eventually implemented into mailboxes.  One of the biggest breakthroughs was the development of plastic mailboxes, but there is a downside with them.  They are more easily broken by people whether it's intentional or unintentional and plastic doesn't always handle the cold and heat as well. 

Many residential mailboxes in Tampa are made out of aluminum today.  Aluminum has proven to be light and durable especially with the powder finishes used on mailboxes.  Because of the toxic chemicals in a lot of paints and the issue of them running powder finishes are preferable.  Their application method is environmentally friendly and the powder doesn't chip or flake off from the weather like paint does.  It also provides mailboxes with a large assortment of finishes ranging from satin, high-gloss, matte and a number of colors.  This has reduced the maintenance required for mailboxes and improved their durability.

There are also a number of other mailbox designs today which use other materials.  These different designs involve building the post out of stone or brick, both of which are very durable and long lasting.  The biggest thing people focus on when selecting their mailbox and its post today is whether it fits with their house and overall landscape theme.  The one downside of having your mailbox built out of brick or stone is the cost.  A lot of people have been more creative as well and made their mailbox post into a light post as well.  This lets you accomplish two things at once with one post and a light on your mailbox can be a good way to deter people from tampering with it at night.

Homeownership and the Dreaded Upkeep!

Lots of people say they are excited to become homeowners and many dream about the day when they will own a big house.  For those of you who already own a house though you are intimately familiar with the reality of homeownership.  We all would love to believe that owning a home is nothing but fun and sunshine, however it's not.  The required yearly upkeep associated with owning a house is quite a time consuming and can at times be expensive.  Furthermore, the bigger the house the more there is to manage.  Let's delve into some of the regular upkeep that homeowners experience and effective solutions for them.

The appearance of your house and your property is important.  You don't want your property to look rundown because it can damage both your property value and those surrounding yours.  It also reflects poorly upon you and it raises the question of why purchase a house if you're just going to let it degrade.  One place where you'll always see homes being well taken care of and properly managed is by communities with homeowner associations.  They generally charge a regular fee to pay for the upkeep of all the homes in the community on a yearly basis to ensure outside appearances don't become an issue.

If you're on your own though, here are some of the most common things that need attention paid to.  The first thing people often encounter when approaching your house is your mailbox.  Your mailbox is usually pounded by the elements, exposed to accidents and can be targeted by vandalism.  Hiring a skilled and expert mailbox repair service is the easiest and best way to restore this blemish on your property and protect your mail at the same time.

Besides your mailbox one of the common issues that people forget about is their gutters.  This is a particularly big problem for those whose houses' are surrounded by trees because the leaves, seeds and twigs often fall into the gutters and can clog them up.  Having a roofing/gutter company scheduled to come clean your gutters on a yearly basis is ideal.  The last thing you need is small trees growing out of your gutters.

Another major way to improve the look of your property on the front is by installing tasteful and effective lighting.  Many homeowners leave the front of their property looking dark and rather creepy at night.  Believe it or not, potential buyers are strongly recommended to look at a house both during the day and at night in order to have a good feeling for it.  Having attractive lamp posts is also vastly superior in appearance to the typical flood lights that people install in the ground and have shining on trees or the house.   Remember when it comes to upkeep it's easier to take care of each task as it happens instead of waiting for it to pile up and appear overwhelming to begin.  Procrastination is the enemy.

Incorporating Your Mailbox

Welcome to March, the time to be preparing for April because the warm weather will have definitely arrived by then and it will be Lawn & Garden month.  While people are always focusing on their flowers and flower beds there is a part of many people's landscapes that unfortunately goes overlooked or which people get stumped by.  This common item which exists on many people's properties is the good old mailbox.  Many people sadly don't do anything with their mailbox and let it stick out like a sore thumb which takes away from the rest of their landscaping efforts.  The reality is there are numerous ways to make your mailbox far more attractive than it is and make it work with the rest of your property so that it isn't an eye-sore.

If you have your mailbox on a post then there are several ways to make it more attractive.  First one you can do is turn the surrounding area into a flower bed.  Then plant a flower in front of it which when fully grown will be almost up to the bottom of the container.  On the back plant an attractive climber which can cover the post from the rear.  Now instead of having an unattractive mailbox sitting alone it is surrounded with flowers and looks far better.  You can also install a decorative mailbox that goes with the flowers or your overall landscaping theme. 

In addition to planting flowers around your mailbox you can try painting it different colors.  The best way to do this is find flowers with colors that will complement your mailbox's colors.  These flowers don't even need to cover the post, the aim with this approach is to create a color design that is appealing to the eye and not make the mailbox feel alone and out of place.  If you're looking for an older more rustic style you can search for a wooden mailbox.  A wooden mailbox can be allowed to age and then have vines growing up its post which will give the feeling of being slowly reclaimed by nature.  Just make sure you're mail stays protected.

Another way to incorporate your mailbox is by moving away from the traditional post.  Plenty of people have found success by having the pillars at the end of their driveway which match the house's architecture work as locations for their mailboxes.  They can be embedded in the pillars or hang off the front of it.   This removes the need of the mailbox being its own entity and it blends right in with your existing landscape.  There are many more variations for implementing your mailbox into your landscape, so share pictures with us of what you've done!

Cluster Mailboxes – More than Meets the Eye

History

When Benjamin Franklin founded the first post office there was no such thing as a mailbox.  Before the 19^th century and really the 20^th century, mail carriers delivered mail directly to the recipient.  So if they were delivering a letter to a person's house they would knock on the front door and wait until someone answered to hand the letters.  A study was done and it showed that the average mail carrier lost around 90 minutes a day because of this.  Therefore in 1923 the Post Office Department mandated that all households must have a letter slot or mailbox to receive mail.  While this worked there was no regulation on mailbox shapes.  As America suburbanized more curbside mailboxes popped up.

Dawn of the Cluster Box

Then in 1967 the Post Office Department introduced the first cluster boxes.  The cluster boxes were built to service entire neighborhoods and buildings.  It was determined that the cluster box would not only save time, but also money.  The mail carrier would no longer need to stop each time to drop off one person's mail.  Since then the cluster box unit has seen multiple evolutions and has become the curbside locking mailbox that you commonly see.  As improvements happen every so often new specifications for their production occur.  The newest specifications released in 2005 required manufacturers to have a license in order to make them.

Advantages of Cluster Mailboxes

·   Multiple mailboxes at one location means mail carriers don't need to make as many stops, this saves them time and money because of reduced fuel costs.

·   Because the Post Office saves on delivery costs they don't need to increase prices for sending mail and other items which is good for the consumer.

·  The cluster box is considered safer than regular mailboxes and more durable.

·   A cluster mailbox can also have an outgoing slot.  This allows residents to drop off mail at the same time as they pick up their mail.

·  Cluster mailboxes help protect mail carriers from dog bites.  There really is an issue of people's dogs attacking the mail carrier when they try to deliver the mail.

·  For property developers cluster mailboxes provide savings over individual mailboxes for each resident or tenant.

·  A single combined mailbox can make a neighborhood more attractive because you will no longer have multiple unattractive mailboxes lingering around the area.

·  Cluster mailboxes do a better job of protecting the mail from the elements than regular mailboxes do.

People and Property managers looking to purchase USPS approved cluster mailboxes have a number of options for size, colors and configurations.  The mailboxes can even be utilized for commercial mailboxes.  So if you think a cluster mailbox will provide you with the benefits you're looking for don't hesitate to search for USPS approved manufacturers and dealers.

Refurbishing Your Community

It’s a new year, and while the ground may still be frozen, now is a good time to start figuring out what you need to do when it has thawed.  For those who are a part of a Home Owners Association, there is most likely lots of planning and work coming up for the new year.  As the winter weather melts away to spring there will be maintenance and upkeep work all over the community.   Roads and driveways will need to have those pot holes filled, and any other damage from the cold elements will need attention. 

In addition to repairs and cleaning properties up for spring, now may be a good time to replace elements of the community that have grown old and seen better days.  One object which can often be overlooked, but is important, is mailboxes.  They bear the brunt of the weather year round and eventually time takes its toll on them.   Ordering new mailboxes may seem boring, or unimaginative, but there is actually a surprising amount of variety out there.  These days you can choose the style of each part of the mail box and the material it is made from; for example you can have a cast aluminum mailbox post, with an Atlantic mailbox that has a copper finish. 

Another thing that needs to be given more attention by a lot of home owner communities is the gutters and shingles of the houses.  The freezing and melting process, especially if there has been a lot of snow, often causes damage.  Broken gutters can cause water to pool in unwanted locations which leads to water damage.  Shingles that have broken down can also lead to moisture accumulating in the roof or lead to leaks.  Letting any of these issues fester will only lead to exponential repair costs down the road. 

Lastly, check your buildings’ foundations.  Especially if the properties are older or if water has a penchant for pooling next to any building.  If people have basements, but rarely use them, then it is easy for water leaking in and pooling to go unnoticed.  This can lead to all sorts of problems if not fixed expediently.  It can cause more damage to the foundation, it can create a breeding ground for unwanted pests and if the basement is used for storage it can cause water damage to residents’ belongings.