The reception wall introduces the company before anyone speaks. How unlit wall signs and lit 3D letters compare, what door tags add, with prices.
You are moving into a new office, or tidying up the one you have, and the wall behind the reception desk is bare. Every visitor, client and job candidate will look at it first. Two kinds of sign can go there, at very different prices, and the right one depends on the light in the room and how long you plan to stay.
Unlit wall signs: the sensible default
A reception sign is priced at KSh 1,500 per foot, which makes it easy to budget: measure the space, multiply, and you have a working figure before anyone visits. In metric terms that is about KSh 4,900 per metre. Cutting, lettering and finishing are done in our own workshop and the sign is installed to sit straight and secure.
For an office lit by daylight and ceiling lights, a well-made unlit sign is all most companies need. It reads clearly, it photographs well behind a handshake, and the same treatment extends into boardrooms and corridors when you want it.
Lit 3D letters: when the sign must work at 9pm
3D signs are raised letters and logos, built in acrylic, metal or wood, at KSh 13,000 per metre. They can be lit in three ways, and the choice changes the effect:
- Front-lit. The face of each letter glows. Bold and bright, readable from across a road.
- Back-lit. Light spills onto the wall behind the letters as a soft halo. Quieter and more formal.
- Side-lit. Light shows along the edges of each letter. A subtler outline effect.
Lit letters cost more than two and a half times as much per metre as an unlit sign, so they earn their place where light matters: a shopfront, a restaurant, a clinic open in the evening, or a reception that visitors see in the dark. Lit or not, raised letters catch daylight with a shadow that lettering flush to the wall does not have.
The face material is part of the price. Acrylic is one of the materials these letters are built in, and Perspex, a maker of clear cast acrylic, rates its sheet at more than 92% light transmission, still passing 85% after over ten years of harsh outdoor exposure. That is why a lit acrylic face stays even and bright for years.
| Sign | Price | Works after dark | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlit reception sign | KSh 1,500 per foot (about KSh 4,900/m) | Only with room lighting | Offices, daylight receptions |
| 3D letters, lit | KSh 13,000 per metre | Yes | Shopfronts, evening premises |
| Engraved door tag | KSh 400 each, minimum 10 | No | Office doors, rooms, washrooms |
Do not forget the other doors
A strong reception sign next to a row of paper notices taped to doors undoes itself. Engraved door tags, 30 by 10 cm, are KSh 400 each with a minimum of 10, enough to label a floor of offices in one order. Because they are laser engraved rather than printed, the lettering survives cleaning and daily knocks, and the whole set matches in style.
Office names, meeting rooms, washrooms and floor signs all benefit. Send the full list of names at once so the set is laid out together.
Getting a useful quote
- The width of the wall or space, in feet or metres.
- A photograph taken from the visitor's position.
- Your logo in its original file.
- Whether the space is lit at night, and whether there is power near the wall for lit letters.
If the reception is also getting wall graphics, the guide to wall stickers in rented spaces explains what comes off cleanly when you move. And if the premises is a restaurant or a hotel, the branding carries on at the table: menu folders, table talkers and bill holders covers that.
Sources: Perspex, clear cast acrylic (read 14 Oct 2026).
Common questions
How much does a reception sign cost in Kenya?
Unlit reception signs are priced at KSh 1,500 per foot, about KSh 4,900 per metre. Lit 3D letters are KSh 13,000 per metre. Send the wall width and a photo for a figure for your space.
What is the difference between front-lit and back-lit signs?
On a front-lit sign the face of each letter glows, which is bright and readable at a distance. On a back-lit sign the light shines onto the wall behind the letters as a halo, which looks softer and more formal.
Do you install reception signs?
Yes. Signs are fabricated in our workshop and installed on site so they sit straight and secure. Tell us about the wall surface and whether power is available for lit letters.
What is the minimum order for engraved door tags?
Door tags are 30 by 10 cm at KSh 400 each, with a minimum of 10. Send the full list of door names together so the set is engraved to match.
