The Mansfield at Miracle Mile is a new mixed-use building in Los Angeles. As a new building, they were in need of ADA compliant signs along with other interior signs to help tenants, visitors, and employees navigate easily. We are usually contracted by a construction company or a general contractor for ADA projects. The building plans are given to us to do a takeoff so we can bid the project. A takeoff is a list of materials with quantities and types that are necessary to make all of the signs. We provide this to the client or contractor so they understand what signs they need, and the take-off is also necessary for us to price out the job.
The original quote included over 500 signs which included 138 unit number signs for each of the apartments, restroom signs, exit signs, and stairwell signs just to name a few. Once we are hired for the job and the project starts to progress, changes can be made to the job scope. We do walkthroughs with both the management and the inspectors and add more signs or make changes as needed. A walkthrough is where we to the location and walk through the building to see if there are any signs that we are missing. The walkthrough with the manager helps us to go over ideas and the walkthrough with the inspector helps us make sure that everything is up to their specifications and if any signs need to be added or changed. For example, the inspector had us add signs for the emergency inverter on the device itself and outside of the room that it’s in. When new signs are added after the initial bid scope, we send the client a change order that is basically a new quote for the additional signs and the cost.
Once all of the signs are made and we are sure that we are not missing anything, we are able to install the signs. For most of these ADA signs, the positions in which they are installed is also important to make sure they are ADA compliant which is why we always have our installers take care of the installation to make sure it is done properly.