Q. Why are the prices lower ? A. We keep things as simple as possible. We do not pay for endorsements to major church denominations. This can add 15% or more to the price of our client's sign. We do not have a large advertising budget that adds to the cost of our client's sign. Cornerstone partners with it's wholesale fabricators for selling of some sign models.  This does not increase the cost of our clients signs and does help us provide a very high level of service and technical and engineering expertise.  We have no secrets beyond this simple formula.  We work hard.  We save our clients money on their signs.   Q. Why Cornerstone for your next sign ? A. Since 1984, the founder, Bob Singleton, has been designing, fabricating and installing church, school and commercial signs. He has been personally involved in church sign projects from Seattle, Washington to New York City.   Cornerstone Companies LLC is committed to providing you with a quality sign that both meets your needs and satisfies your budget requirements. Cornerstone currently works with two very large wholesale sign manufacturers. One has fabricated over 14,000 church and school signs nationally.  The other is one of Americas largest aluminum extrusion providers purchasing aluminum a half million pounds at a time, passing that purchasing savings power on to our clients. Cornerstone is committed to helping clients be good stewards while investing in their new signs.  This is the "cornerstone" on which the company was founded.   Q. Why do we sell Standard and Premier models and what is the difference ? A. Cornerstone began offering signs to church and schools nationally in 1997. The parent company, Carolina Sign Company, was already involved installing sign projects throughout America having been fabricating signs in-house since 1984.  The signs that they fabricated were the highest of quality marquee signs. Those signs had features that were not available on most signs offered at the time by other National sign suppliers or local sign shops.  After several years, the company began offering "standard model" signs that were identical in almost every feature to those signs offered by national sign providers. Some of our signs came from the same fabrication plants. The Premier Models are different in that they have features available only on these models. The Standard Models represent excellent values. They are not inferior in any way.  They are simply a different type of sign.   Q. Which is better... Painted or powder coated finishes ? A. In the sign industry, painted finishes are the "standard" finish. Most every sign you see while driving down every street in America has paint finished signs.  Signs prepared properly and painted with quality paints by certified painters using state of the art painting equipment last many years without any paint cracking or peeling. A sign not prepared properly will develop premature finish problems.  This is true of both finishes; painted or powder coated finishes. When you purchase a sign from Cornerstone Companies, that sign should provide you with zero paint problems for the life of the sign.   Oftentimes, the answer provided by some sales people is that whatever finish they provide is the very best.  The simple truth is that the finish for either technique is only as good as the craftsmen doing the finish work.  Finishes fade. That is true for both finishes.    Cornerstone offers the very best quality finishes . We recommend painted finishes because if your sign ever required touchups, powder coated finishes are very difficult to touch up outside of a plant and the necessary ovens required of powder coated finishing. Interestingly, when a powder coated finish is touched up, it is done so using liquid paint... what we offer to begin with.  Thousands of institutional signs have been installed in all 50 states and have proven that painted finishes withstand the most extreme of weather conditions.    The sign industry embraces painted finishes.  Most major and local sign companies provide painted finishes.  The reason is because this process has proven to be outstanding and devoid o the risks that can be presented with powder coated finishes.   Q. Do our signs come with vandal covers ? A. Yes. All of our vandal covers are made of virtually unbreakable solar grade polycarbonate just as are the sign faces.  Standard models have sliding locking props. Premier models have gas powered cylinders, also referred to as gas struts.   Both doors lock. Premier models have keyed locks.  Standard models have a keyless locking system.   Q. What about signs that are all aluminum ? A. Aluminum is a great sign material as it does not rust. We never play word games about our signs. Components that are steel are typically concealed with aluminum covers. Our steel components are finished to be maintenance free.  Even all steel signs finished properly can be virtually maintenance free. Cornerstone only offers aluminum cabinets and pole covers. Some of the signs support components that require the most strength possible are however steel. While aluminum does not rust, it does corrode. This is true of every sign made by anyone in America.  There are no "perfect" signs that going to last hundreds of years made by anyone.  This is true regardless of a warranty that is offered that might lead you to think that the case.   Q. Do our signs come with changeable letters ? A. Yes.   We recommend a package of 500 letters, numbers and punctuation.   Q. Do our signs come with any warranty ? A. Yes.  Most of our signs carry a limited lifetime warranty. Our lifetime warranty extends for the normal life of a sign. The normal life of a sign is twenty years. The warranty on stucco monument signs and electronic signs is five years.    Q. Why do we not offer a lifetime warranty that covers everything on the sign "forever"? A. There are some companies that offer a warranty on everything in or on the sign forever. When considering that nothing lasts forever, Cornerstone made the decision that our clients understood that if we offered such a warranty, we would of course simply charge you more and put the money in the bank until you called with a maintenance issue. That is not a position that Cornerstone chooses to embrace. The typical maintenance items are lamps and ballasts.  We do not want our clients thinking that these things will last forever. They do not.  Our clients are not buying a part of the Grand Canyon.  We believe it is important to be as honest about this as possible.   Q. How long does it take to get my new sign ? A. Normal production time is fifteen to twenty working days. We recommend allowing an additional week for transit. During some times of the year, production to delivery can take 4 to 6 weeks.    Q. Will I need a sign company to install my new sign ? A. Typically, the answer is no.  Most cities allow our clients to install their signs without the involvement of sign companies. When a local sign company's involvement is necessary, Cornerstone will either handle the installation on your behalf, or solicit bids from qualified installers in your area and provide these quotes to you.  The choice is always yours.   Obviously, if you have a working relationship with a local sign installer, you might consider having them provide you with a quote on installing your new sign. Most churches and schools simply call upon the experience and availability of it's members and associates to install their sign. Our signs are designed and shipped so that they can be easily installed.  Your local electrician or brick mason are also outstanding sources for installing your new sign. Quite often they will be called upon to wire your sign or build your wall should you choose to have a wall built and they are more than capable of installing your sign. Our signs are shipped assembled and ready for easy installation by non-professionals.  We have never had a situation whereby a client was unable to perform their installation.   Your individual situation needs to be investigated prior to your ordering your new sign. Some local sign ordinances are more restrictive and make it necessary to subcontract your sign installation to a local sign professional.  Cornerstone has successfully subcontracted sign installations throughout the entire US. Your sales representative is qualified and willing to help you in every aspect of your sign installation.   Q. What if I have a question that you have not answered here ? A. Call us. We would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to discuss any question that you might have. 1-800-456-9371.