Quotes for the same exhibition stand can differ by a factor of two. That is usually less about one contractor being expensive and another being cheap, and more about the two quotes covering different things. Here is what actually drives the number.
1. Floor area and number of open sides
Square metres alone tell you very little. A corner stand, a peninsula and an island cost differently at the same area, because as open sides increase the wall area drops while every surface now has to survive being seen from all directions.
2. The system you choose
The gap between a bespoke wooden build, a Maxima system and a modular octanorm stand is the single biggest cost driver. A wooden stand is made from scratch for you, so all of the material and labour lands on your project. With a modular system the frame is hired, and you pay for its use, the graphics and the build.
3. Height and second storeys
Standard stand height at most shows is four metres. Going above it, hanging anything from the ceiling, or building a second storey means structural calculations, an engineer's sign-off and additional fees to the organiser. A double-deck stand costs noticeably more per square metre, but it very nearly doubles your usable area.
4. Surface and finish quality
There is a wide cost range between melamine-faced board, laminate, lacquer and real wood veneer. Lacquer is the most expensive because it is applied in coats with sanding between each one, and it is also the finish that photographs and reads best in person.
5. Lighting
Lighting decides how your stand looks in photographs, and it is the line most often underestimated. The difference between track spots, concealed linear LED, illuminated lettering and backlit surfaces changes both the electrical design and the price.
6. Furniture, hospitality and storage
The bar counter, seating, display cabinets, a fridge, a lockable store and barista service are all separate lines. On small stands, the store eating into the display area is the single biggest constraint on the design, so it needs discussing at the very beginning.
7. Technology
LED walls are priced by the square metre and get more expensive as the pixel pitch tightens (P1.8, P2.5, P3). Touch kiosks, tablet stands, audio and, crucially, producing the content itself all belong in the budget as separate items.
8. Freight, installation and dismantling
For shows out of town or abroad, freight, crew accommodation and customs make up a serious share of the total. Dismantling is the line most often left out of a quote; make sure it is in your contract so it does not appear as an unexpected invoice afterwards.
How to compare quotes properly
When you put competing quotes side by side, ask one question: does every quote contain all of these lines? If the electrical design, flooring, store, furniture, freight, build and dismantling are not itemised, the headline figure is misleading. That is exactly why we break our quotes down line by line.
