Billboard Insider is running a series featuring Tom Giesken who just retired after a 35 year career in out of home (including 25 years running his own company). Last week Tom talked about winning a permit dispute.  Today he talks about building signs.

Getting started building signs.

I’m a good old farm boy from Northwestern Ohio. My dad didn’t buy a tractor, he would build one! He taught me a “get ‘er done” work ethic. My dad had this 1931 Harley Davidson in the back shed when he put it away the day I was born. When I was in my 20s, I pulled it out and completely restored it. I wasn’t afraid of construction of hardly any size. I built my first two boards with a floor jack, a pry bar and a drift punch! If I needed to get something moved, I would jack it up with the floor jack. I put a brace underneath it and then I’d lower the jack down and put a block in there. The only time I’d use a crane was to set the column and then to put the completed head on top of the column after a couple days of letting the concrete setting up.

Who fabricated your signs?

I got all my structures from Jon Odom at Productivity Fabricators. John treated me very well over the years. Early on he would allow me to come pick up the parts with a goose neck trailer I borrowed from a friend. He would help me design to keep costs done but to make sure we were compliant with all building codes. And we would talk about life too.

Did you use contractors or do the construction yourself?

I never used a construction contractor. Not once. I was always the GC on the project. I got quotes from contractors and realized that if I could do it myself, I could save a lot of $$$$. When you’re just starting in out of home a $10-20,000 savings per sign makes a big difference especially if you’re financing 80%. Plus, you know it’s done right. I hired electricians to do all my electrical work but all the attachments and modifications I did myself with my nephew Nick.  We did the work of 10 men, literally.

Any close calls?

Here’s a funny story. I was building a board in Greenville Ohio on 127 north. We were working late trying to get the board done and we had the head built and It was dark but we were soooo close so we decided to go ahead and put it on. We were picking it up with a crane getting ready to put it on and I started to slip. I started screaming “Catch me. Catch me catch me”. It was so dark I didn’t realize that I was only 2 feet off the ground. My nephew said, just jump…… lol

To receive a free morning newsletter with each day’s Billboard insider articles email info@billboardinsider.com with the word “Subscribe” in the title.  Our newsletter is free and we don’t sell our subscriber list.

Paid Advertisement