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How do you measure "Signs" up high ? What tools do
Hello Guys,
Hope all is well.
I thought this could be a good topic to explore as i know it can be a time consuming process measuring fascias and signs for quotes especially up high. Time is money for everyone and i certainly dont charge for quotes.
So guys what do you use in the field to measure fascia and signs without having to unload ladders ?
I currently use a fat max measuring tape & bosch laser measuring tool,but they just dont get the heights and measurements i regular need.Yes sometimes i eye ball and make an educated guess and get away with it at times.
Has anyone used anything different ? Maybe a telescopic measuring rod or similar for high fascia signs ?
Appreciate your feed back,
Cheers,
PJ -
36 Replies
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It’s an interesting question.
I normally measure either a window or width of cladding etc then take a photo and then scale it all up from those measurements. Works pretty good for me.
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I do the same as Martin, measure a window, door frame etc Take a picture square on & scale up from that. It’s quick & works well for both visuals & pricing. Still need to go back & do a proper site survey & more accurate measure but you only do that once you have secured the job.
I always make sure the customer is aware that costs are subject to full site survey as it is amazing what you find once you start removing old signs. If I find a problem while doing this I will speak to the customer about it before doing any more work.
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Usually as Martin and err, Martin.
I usually try to get as far away for the photo as possible to reduce the fish eye effect.
Steve
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Measure measure measure, and take many pics, scale on comp, as MARTIN DOES.
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As mentioned earlier but also use a Disto D5 laser which can measure height & width of a sign 4 storeys high or more and is certainly accurate enough for a quote.
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We often count the number of bricks too. Works fine for quoting a job
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I too would normally take a picture and measure something like a window or door to use to scale up to size.
If i can actually measure, even if it means getting the ladders off the top of the van then i would prefer to actually measure.
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Hi Peter Dee
I’ve never come across the Leica Disto before but looking at their website it appears to be an excellent tool.
Please can you give some more comment on how easy it is to use, accuracy, any other salient points etc.
Is the 45 degree angle limit an issue? Is it worth looking at the hugely expensive D8 with the full 360 degrees?
Cheers
Macky -
this has been discussed before i think
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Sometimes the wind can bend over the tape so you end up playing the "lets get the "tape straight" game, fun for the whole family, I have used the photo and my measures pro (I Pad app) to scale up a low level measurement of a doorway etc, it is good within 1/4". but have a set of telescopic ladders handy as well. I have also tried backing two FAT MAX tape measures back to back as well which gives you a more ridgid vertical height.
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quote David McDonald:Hi Peter Dee
I’ve never come across the Leica Disto before but looking at their website it appears to be an excellent tool.
Please can you give some more comment on how easy it is to use, accuracy, any other salient points etc.
Is the 45 degree angle limit an issue? Is it worth looking at the hugely expensive D8 with the full 360 degrees?
Cheers
MackyDavid, this is one of those tools that sees daylight once in a while but is worth its weight in gold when used.
Recent scenarios;
I had to hang acrylic signs spaced at certain intervals over a restaurant counter. The client indicated each point and I just flashed the laser at an end pillar and instantly had my measurements, accurate to less than 1mm.I had to quote for replacing a sign at the top of a 12metre building. With the D5 I was able to measure the existing sign pretty closely for height and width, plus height above ground. For this I used the included package tripod.
This took around ten minutes and combined with scaling a photograph with some key points made for a realistic visual overlay with measurements good enough to quote from.Another good feature is the built in angle readout which can give you dead level readings. The 45 degree limit has never been a problem and as I don’t need blue-tooth connect-ability the D8 was not worth the extra.
The D5 is also great for measuring the height of a fascia etc above ground; no more steel rules blowing in the wind!
You can also set this to constant readouts so you can move the unit to a point until the display gives the required distance.I recently had to measure a fascia in the freezing cold and dark and forgot the laser. I had to use a tape and move the ladder 4 times adding up the distances. Would have taken seconds with the D5.
Now the thing about this model is that it is the first in the range that is designed for outside use, and combined with the zoomable on screen targeting is just superb. You can find its predecessor the A5 on ebay sometimes selling for around £160.
I got it from here http://www.laser-measure.co.uk/ and they are very knowledgeable and helpful.
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Hi Peter
Thank you for taking time to give that info.
Think I will order one.
Regards
Macky -
I use the sticky meter software its quick and I can print it off.
Ian
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Ian, where did you buy your sticky metre from?
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Hi,
I got it from the US site just the download as it was less than in the UK I just use a 1m white stick or magnetic cut to 1m.
Ian
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There’s an iPhone app called ‘Site survey’ £2.99 You tape an A4 or A3 sheet of paper to the building take a photo & the software measures what you tap on screen need in proportion to the paper.
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George, as for the sticky metre I use a strip of 5mm foamex with magnetic sheet one side. Easy to use and helps as a straight edge on some vehicles
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quote Kev Mayger:There’s an iPhone app called ‘Site survey’ £2.99 You tape an A4 or A3 sheet of paper to the building take a photo & the software measures what you tap on screen need in proportion to the paper.Tried it out. Pretty good for what it is. Worth the £2.99 as an extra tool in the box of tricks.
Certainly compliments a laser and tape measure.…and the old counting bricks, corrugations etc.
Dave
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quote Peter Dee:quote David McDonald:Hi Peter DeeI’ve never come across the Leica Disto before but looking at their website it appears to be an excellent tool.
Please can you give some more comment on how easy it is to use, accuracy, any other salient points etc.
Is the 45 degree angle limit an issue? Is it worth looking at the hugely expensive D8 with the full 360 degrees?
Cheers
MackyDavid, this is one of those tools that sees daylight once in a while but is worth its weight in gold when used.
Recent scenarios;
I had to hang acrylic signs spaced at certain intervals over a restaurant counter. The client indicated each point and I just flashed the laser at an end pillar and instantly had my measurements, accurate to less than 1mm.I had to quote for replacing a sign at the top of a 12metre building. With the D5 I was able to measure the existing sign pretty closely for height and width, plus height above ground. For this I used the included package tripod.
This took around ten minutes and combined with scaling a photograph with some key points made for a realistic visual overlay with measurements good enough to quote from.Another good feature is the built in angle readout which can give you dead level readings. The 45 degree limit has never been a problem and as I don’t need blue-tooth connect-ability the D8 was not worth the extra.
The D5 is also great for measuring the height of a fascia etc above ground; no more steel rules blowing in the wind!
You can also set this to constant readouts so you can move the unit to a point until the display gives the required distance.I recently had to measure a fascia in the freezing cold and dark and forgot the laser. I had to use a tape and move the ladder 4 times adding up the distances. Would have taken seconds with the D5.
Now the thing about this model is that it is the first in the range that is designed for outside use, and combined with the zoomable on screen targeting is just superb. You can find its predecessor the A5 on ebay sometimes selling for around £160.
I got it from here http://www.laser-measure.co.uk/ and they are very knowledgeable and helpful.
Hey Peter how accurate do you find the Distro from using it to measure to getting real world measurements?
I’d like to get one for my brother so he can measure things from the ground.
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you just like gadgets Jason
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quote Dave Rowland:you just like gadgets Jason
I won’t be using it. Its for my brother so when his on site doing a site survey he can accurately measure what he needs to from the ground. Saves someone else going to the side with a ladder and measuring it up properly.
Most stuff we do is SAV so we can add bleeds and adjust on site when fitting.
For comp panel signs etc we do the same but if it needs to be perfect I guess we can quote it then go back and accurately measure.
$500 is a cheap investment to save one stuff up getting the size wrong.
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Jason, I’ll know for sure at the end of March when we have to take down some very high signs which have been pre-measured by laser.
It works by using Pythagoras angle calculations. -
just a tape measure and pencil and pad 😮
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I am looking at this, as I had to measure a long thin sign up the other day.
Tape measure and ladders that couldn’t quite reach it.
Ended up playing ‘let keep the measure straight’ game, and measuring along the floor. so far from accurate. I measured windows and got a photo.
Would prefer to be able to rock up and fire a laser at it to get the sizes less messing around.
I assume it will use Pythagorus to work out widths as well as height?
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anyone got Pythagorus phone number?
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quote Dave Rowland:anyone got Pythagorus phone number?Try the squaw on the Hypotenuse, she might have it. 😀
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I have just purchased a Leica Disto d5, I am sure it will be a very useful tool, will let you know how it measures up !
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awesome
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I generally prefer to get up there and actually measure as guesstimates are fine but if you get the job do you then go back and measure it? Surely you can’t make a sign from a guess? Measure twice make once is always my policy.
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quote David Hammond:I am looking at this, as I had to measure a long thin sign up the other day.
Tape measure and ladders that couldn’t quite reach it.
Ended up playing ‘let keep the measure straight’ game, and measuring along the floor. so far from accurate. I measured windows and got a photo.
Would prefer to be able to rock up and fire a laser at it to get the sizes less messing around.
I assume it will use Pythagorus to work out widths as well as height?
I know this was posted a while back, but anyway, the Leica d5 uses double Pythagoras, or the button pressed twice to give you the measurement, which is done by taking three points to work out the width, it has to be used with a tripod to get it spot on, and also a bit of practice, but when you get the hang of it deadly accurate, list price looks pricey but it is a lot cheaper on auction sites, used it several times for hard to reach or up too high for traditional tape measures, saves a lot of grief and time, you tube have a few clips demos.
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If I had to size up the building in Derek’s pic I would measure the size of a stone and the width of one of the windows at ground level and just add them up.
Some buildings aren’t as easy as this one though. -
One of the companies we use to install our signs has let us down. I need to measure a long sign that’s on the side of a warehouse, it’s not a job I fancy on ladders and I’m not hiring a cherry picker for a day to measure it.
Looking at the Disto X310 due to budget.
How accurate do you find its measurements?
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Using the double pye feature, very accurate, use a tripod and it will be spot on, there are a couple of you tube video demos
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Excellent!
Is the tripod anything special, I’ve 3 photography tripods, so I might just need an adaptor for it to attach to?
Now do I get the 80m or 120m range one?
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Also worth logging in to your local planning office portal,
search by address and you may find drawings etc. Often check on weekly lists for planning decisions for developments where signs may be needed. -
quote Gary Birch:We often count the number of bricks too. Works fine for quoting a jobYep! Been doing that for ages. Pretty good to get quotes done
But for as signwriters its been enough to do full scale drawings and complete the job
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