Sign repair in Toronto: fix it, retrofit it to LED or replace it?

Most tired signs are not worn out everywhere. The faces fade, a few tubes fail, a power supply dies, and the whole sign starts to look neglected even though the box and the mounting are fine. That is why the first question is always the same: what is actually wrong with it?

If you have an older lit sign, our illuminated signs page shows the types we make and the upgrades we do on existing signs.

Three options

1. Repair. Fix the failed part: a dead section, a power supply, wiring, a cracked or sun-faded face, damaged trim. This suits a sign that is structurally sound and mostly working.
2. LED retrofit. Keep the cabinet and replace the lighting inside it with LED modules and new power supplies, usually with a new face. This suits an older fluorescent box that is in good shape but costly or unreliable to run.
3. Replace. Build a new sign. This suits a sign that is rusted, cracked, out of date for your brand, too small for the building, or past safe repair.

When repair is enough

• The cabinet, frame and mounting are solid, with no rust-through, cracks or loose fixings.
• The problem is a part: a section that will not light, a flicker, a damaged face.
• Your brand has not changed, so the existing artwork still works.

When an LED retrofit makes sense

Many signs around the GTA still run on fluorescent tubes. If the box is in good condition, converting it to LED and fitting a new face can make an older sign look and run like new. LED modules draw much less power and last far longer than the lighting they replace, which is why LED is now the default for new illuminated signs. A retrofit is also a natural moment to add a timer or photocell, so the sign switches itself on and off.

When to replace

• The structure is corroded, cracked or loose. A lighting fix does not solve a sign that is no longer safe.
• A rebrand changes the shape or size of the sign, not just the artwork.
• The sign no longer suits the building or the road. A different type, such as channel letters or a pylon sign, may serve you better.
• The repair would cost close to a new sign. We say so when that is the case.

What the City's by-law says

Toronto's Sign By-law, Municipal Code Chapter 694, puts the responsibility for a sign's condition on its owner: the sign must be maintained in good condition and must not become unsafe or structurally unsound. If your sign is damaged or leaning, fixing it is not only cosmetic.

The by-law also separates kinds of work. It defines maintenance as anything done to preserve a sign or stop it deteriorating, restoration as repairing a sign in whole or in part, and modification as changes to a sign, which does not include replacing the copy displayed on the sign face. It requires a sign permit before a sign is erected, displayed, modified or restored. Whether your job needs a permit depends on what exactly is being done, so we confirm that with the City before we quote rather than guess. Source: City of Toronto, Municipal Code Chapter 694, Signs, General. The City's general sign inquiries page lists Express Services at 416-392-8000 for questions about existing signs.

If a permit is needed, our Toronto sign permit guide explains what the City asks for and what it costs.

Electrical work on lit signs

A lit sign is electrical equipment. The Electrical Safety Authority states that electrical products must be approved by an accredited certification or evaluation agency and carry that agency's mark, and that installing unapproved electrical equipment is against the law. Source: ESA, Recognized Approval Marks. That is a reason to be cautious about cheap LED kits bought online and fitted into an old cabinet. We use certified components for lit signs.

What to send for a quote

1. A photo of the whole sign in daylight, from across the street.
2. A photo of the sign at night, if it is lit, showing what does not work.
3. Close-ups of any rust, cracks, damage or exposed wiring.
4. The address, and whether the sign is on a wall, a pole or a pylon.
5. The approximate size, if you know it.

We do not publish prices for repairs or retrofits. Every job is quoted from your photos, and we send the quote within 3 business days after the photos arrive.

Related guides

Reface or rebuild a tenant sign on a shared pylon? See our pylon sign cost guide, which covers re-facing.

Thinking about a new lit sign instead? See our channel letter sign cost guide.