Per-inch pricing the way the trade quotes it: letter height × character count × your per-inch rate, adjusted for illumination style, plus install and permits. Every default is editable.
A channel letter's cost scales with its height: taller letters mean more return material, more trim cap, more LED modules, more weeding and more bench time — and it scales roughly linearly per letter. That's why the standard quote is height (in) × number of characters × per-inch rate, then adjusted for illumination style.
Halo-lit runs above front-lit (clear backs, standoffs, cleaner wiring) while non-illuminated fabricated letters drop to roughly 60% — no LEDs, no power supplies, no UL work. A raceway adds metal, paint and wiring by the foot but usually saves install time on difficult fascias; many landlords require it.
Install and permits are separate lines on purpose. Burying them in the letter price is how shops end up eating a $400 permit or an extra half-day on a brick facade. A minimum set price protects you on tiny sets — a 10″ six-letter set still needs patterns, wiring, and a truck roll.
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