Frequently Asked Questions

This is the one we get asked most. The honest answer is that every job is different — van size, how much of it is being covered, design complexity, and the materials used all affect the final figure. There's no meaningful "average" price that would apply to your specific van and requirements.

What we can tell you is that we price competitively, we're transparent about costs upfront, and there are no hidden extras on our quotes. We'll always explain what you're getting and why.

The best thing to do is contact us with your van make, model, and what you're looking to achieve — a full wrap, partial livery, or simple sign writing. We'll come back to you with a clear, itemised quote, usually within a few hours. Get a free quote here.

Shop front signs are entirely bespoke — size, material, illumination, and installation access all affect the cost significantly, which makes any generic figure fairly meaningless for your specific premises.

What we always do is a free site survey before quoting. That way we can measure accurately, assess access requirements, and give you a proper price rather than a guess. The survey takes 20-30 minutes and there's no obligation.

We'll always be upfront about what's driving the cost and where savings can be made without compromising on quality or longevity. Request a free survey and quote.

Chapter 8 pricing depends on the vehicle type and size, how much of the vehicle needs marking, the class of reflective material specified in your contract, and whether additional text (such as Highway Maintenance lettering) is required.

The best approach is to contact us with your vehicle details and what your contract or client specifies — we'll quote you clearly and competitively. We offer fleet rates for multiple vehicles and can attend your premises to carry out installations with minimal downtime. More about our Chapter 8 service.

Basic commercial sign writing — your business name, logo, phone number, and website applied in cut vinyl to your van — is one of the most cost-effective ways to get your vehicle branded professionally. It's particularly popular with sole traders and tradespeople who want a clean, professional look without committing to a full wrap.

Done properly with quality vinyl it looks sharp, lasts well, and can be updated relatively easily if contact details change. Pricing depends on how much information you need, whether a logo is involved, and how many panels are being done.

Send us a photo of your van and tell us what you'd like on it — we'll come back with a clear price quickly. Call or WhatsApp for a fast quote.

All prices quoted are exclusive of VAT unless specifically stated otherwise. VAT at the standard rate of 20% is applicable to all commercial sign writing, vehicle graphics, and exterior/interior signage services. We always make this clear on any written quote so there are no surprises when the invoice arrives.

If you are VAT-registered, you will of course be able to reclaim this. If you are not VAT-registered, just factor the 20% addition into your budget when comparing quotes.

Yes. Once the design is finalised for the first vehicle, subsequent vehicles of the same model are quicker and cheaper to produce — there's no repeat design time and the installation process is streamlined. We typically offer a per-vehicle reduction for fleet orders of three vehicles or more, with the saving increasing for larger fleets.

For fleet programmes we can also attend your premises or depot to carry out the installations, saving you the time and logistics of getting multiple vehicles to us. Contact us to discuss your fleet requirements.

A professionally installed vehicle wrap using premium cast vinyl typically lasts five to seven years under normal UK road conditions. The UK climate is actually well-suited to vehicle wraps — our moderate temperatures don't bake or freeze vinyl the way more extreme climates do.

The factors that most affect lifespan are: the quality of the vinyl used, the quality of the installation, how regularly the vehicle is washed, and how much direct sunlight it's exposed to. A garaged vehicle will always outlast one parked outdoors full-time. Horizontal surfaces — the bonnet and roof — tend to show wear before vertical side panels because of UV exposure and standing water.

We only use premium cast vinyl. Read our full guide on vehicle wrap lifespan.

No — when applied and removed correctly, a vehicle wrap protects the original paintwork rather than damaging it. The vinyl acts as a barrier against stone chips, UV fading, and minor abrasions. The adhesive on quality cast vinyl is engineered to release cleanly from sound paintwork when removed within its intended lifespan.

Damage can occur in a few specific situations: if very cheap vinyl with poor adhesive is used; if the wrap is left on significantly beyond its useful life and the adhesive bonds too firmly; or if the paintwork underneath was already failing (peeling lacquer, filler showing through, rust). We assess the paintwork condition before any wrap installation and flag any issues upfront.

For leased vehicles, wrapping is generally well-accepted by lease companies — the wrap actually helps return the vehicle in better condition than unwrapped equivalents.

Sign writing (or vehicle livery) typically refers to applying cut vinyl lettering, logos, and graphics to selected areas of the vehicle — most commonly the doors, sides, and rear. The vehicle's original colour shows through between the graphics. This is the most cost-effective approach and is what most tradespeople use.

A full wrap covers the entire painted surface of the vehicle with printed vinyl, completely changing its appearance. This gives maximum visual impact and can include complex photographic or illustrated designs across all panels. It's more expensive and takes longer to apply, but the branding effect is significantly stronger.

A partial wrap sits in between — covering, for example, the lower half of the vehicle or the side panels — giving more impact than basic sign writing at a lower cost than a full wrap. Many businesses start with sign writing and upgrade to a partial or full wrap as the business grows.

In most cases yes, but you should check the terms of your lease agreement first. Most commercial vehicle lease agreements permit the application of vinyl graphics and wraps, provided they are professionally installed and removed cleanly at the end of the lease term. This is one of the reasons quality vinyl matters — cheap materials that leave adhesive residue or damage lacquer on removal can result in charges from the leasing company.

We can provide confirmation of the materials used if your lease company requires it. We also offer a removal service at the end of a lease term if needed.

For a commercial vehicle wrap that covers the original colour but is temporary and removable, you do not generally need to notify the DVLA. A wrap is not considered a permanent change to the vehicle's colour in the same way a respray is.

However, if you are doing a full colour-change wrap on a personal vehicle and there is any question about insurance, it is worth informing your insurer. Most insurers treat a vinyl wrap as a temporary modification, but it's always better to check than to find out there's an issue after a claim. For most commercial vehicles with company branding wraps, this is not a concern.

Most standard, non-illuminated fascia signs have what's called deemed consent under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 — meaning no formal planning application is needed, provided the sign meets certain criteria around size, placement, and safety.

You will likely need to apply for advertisement consent if: you are in a conservation area; the sign is illuminated with flashing or moving lights; the top edge of the sign is above 4.6 metres from ground level; or the building is listed. Conservation areas in London and the South East are common — Bexleyheath, parts of Dartford, Lewisham, and many inner London boroughs all have designated areas with stricter signage rules.

We always check this as part of our pre-installation process and will advise you if consent is needed before any work begins. Read our full guide on shop sign regulations.

A properly specified exterior sign using quality materials should last a minimum of five years, and often considerably longer. Aluminium composite panels (Dibond) with UV-stable printed vinyls typically perform well for eight to ten years in UK conditions. Cheaper materials — foamex board, standard paper-based print, budget vinyl — deteriorate much faster outdoors and generally aren't suitable for permanent exterior use.

The print process matters too. We use UV-curable, UV-stable inks that resist fading, which is particularly important for south-facing signs that get significant direct sun exposure. Signs are also finished with a protective overlaminate to extend lifespan.

Yes — removal of existing signage is part of most installations we carry out. We remove the old sign cleanly, make good any fixings or holes where needed, and install the new one in its place. If the existing framework or sign box is in good condition it can sometimes be reused, which keeps costs down.

If you have an existing illuminated sign box that you want to re-face rather than replace entirely, we can often do this at a lower cost than a full replacement — just let us know what's there when you contact us for a quote.

We offer a complete supply and install service — this is the default for all our exterior signage work. We survey the site, produce the sign, and handle the full installation including any access requirements. You don't need to find a separate fitter.

In some cases — for example, if a client has their own maintenance team and just needs the sign panels produced — we can supply-only. Just let us know what you need when you get in touch.

If your vehicle stops on a public highway for work purposes — road maintenance, utilities work, tyre fitting, traffic management, drainage, telecoms, or any other roadside trade — then Chapter 8 reflective markings are strongly recommended and often required as a condition of contract with local authorities and major contractors.

Chapter 8 refers to Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual issued by the Department for Transport. While not legislation in the traditional sense, compliance is effectively mandatory in most commercial highway work contexts — non-compliant vehicles are turned away from site and your public liability insurance may be affected in the event of an incident.

Read our full guide on Chapter 8 requirements. | Chapter 8 service page.

Both Class 2 and Class 3 are retro-reflective materials that meet the minimum requirements for Chapter 8 markings, but Class 3 offers significantly greater reflectivity — particularly at night and in poor visibility conditions.

Class 2 meets the minimum standard set out in the Traffic Signs Manual. Class 3 is the higher-specification material increasingly specified by Highways England, major utilities companies, and larger contractors. If you're working under a contract that specifies Class 3, we'll ensure that's what we use. For general highway work where no specific class is mandated, Class 2 meets the requirement, though we often recommend Class 3 for the additional safety margin it provides.

Chapter 8 markings should be inspected regularly — we'd suggest at least annually — and replaced whenever they show signs of significant deterioration: peeling, fading, cracking, or reduced reflectivity. Markings that look physically intact but no longer reflect properly at night are effectively non-compliant.

Properly applied Class 3 material on a well-prepared surface typically lasts five to seven years in normal conditions. Heavy-use vehicles operating in challenging environments may see shorter lifespans. We offer a refurbishment service where old markings are removed and replaced cleanly without disturbing any underlying livery where possible.

A full van wrap typically takes one to two days including surface preparation, application, and cure time. Simple sign writing or a partial livery can often be completed in half a day to a full day depending on complexity.

The preparation stage is important and shouldn't be skimped on — the vehicle surface needs to be thoroughly decontaminated before any vinyl is applied. Any shortcuts here show up in the finished result and affect longevity. We always allow adequate time for this regardless of how straightforward the job looks.

For fleet programmes involving multiple vehicles, we'll agree a schedule upfront that minimises total operational downtime.

For most exterior signage, the typical timeline from approved quote to completed installation is two to three weeks. This includes design or artwork preparation, your approval of the proof, production, and scheduling of installation.

If you need something urgently — a new shop opening, a rebranding deadline — we can often turn jobs around faster. Rush jobs are subject to availability and may carry a premium, but we always do our best to accommodate genuine time pressure. Just be upfront about your deadline when you contact us.

Yes. If you already have a logo or brand guidelines, we work from those. If you need help creating artwork — or simply laying out your information on a vehicle or sign in a way that looks professional — we can help with that too.

Design time is quoted separately where significant work is required. For straightforward sign writing and basic vehicle livery, the layout work is often included. Either way, we always produce a proof for your approval before anything goes to production, and nothing is printed until you're happy with it.

If you need more extensive brand identity work — a full logo redesign, brand guidelines — we can discuss that too or point you toward the right people.

We're based in Erith, DA8 — in the London Borough of Bexley — which puts us right at the junction of London, Kent, and Essex. We regularly work across all London boroughs and the surrounding areas including Dartford, Gravesham, Medway, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lewisham, Woolwich, Barking, Havering, and Thurrock.

For larger commercial projects — fleet programmes, major exterior signage installations — we travel further. If you're not sure whether we cover your area, just give us a call. We'll always be straight with you about whether a job is practical for us to take on.

The quickest way is to call or WhatsApp Bradley directly on 07442 255226. For vehicle work, a photo of the van and a brief description of what you're looking for is usually enough for us to give you a ballpark figure straight away, with a detailed quote to follow.

For exterior signage, a site survey is usually the best starting point — it takes 20-30 minutes and means we can quote accurately rather than guessing from a description. Surveys are free and without obligation.

You can also fill in the quote request form on our contact page and we'll get back to you within four business hours. We aim to be the sign writer who actually responds promptly — we know how frustrating it is waiting days for a quote that never arrives.