Prepare before you start
- Define what your budget covers
- Identify the work that drives cost
- Separate venue and third-party charges
- Record assumptions and changes
Define what your budget covers
Record the currency, tax basis, venue-service allowance and whether the budget covers fabrication or the wider exhibition programme. Keep travel, staffing, product freight and marketing separate when they are outside the requested stand scope.
Identify the work that drives cost
Geometry, finishes, material quantities, graphics, equipment interfaces, reuse requirements and installation conditions affect the work required. Send dimensions and a finish schedule alongside the rendering. A floor-area figure cannot describe those differences.
Separate venue and third-party charges
List electricity, rigging, internet, material handling, storage and waste services with the party responsible for pricing, ordering and payment. Check current official arrangements for the exact show. An unpriced item remains open; it is not zero or automatically included.
Record assumptions and changes
Give each open item an owner, estimate basis and confirmation date. When the drawing changes, record the previous scope, new work and the impact on finished items, price and timing. Choose your own contingency approach rather than assuming an unsupported standard percentage.
Request quotes on a shared baseline
Send the same floor plan, drawing version, dates and work packages to each supplier. Compare quantities, finishes, inclusions, optional items, exclusions and tax treatment before comparing totals. Link the accepted scope to the project brief.
Pre-submission checklist
| Work item | Input to confirm | Owner and next step |
|---|---|---|
| Define what your budget covers | Record the currency, tax basis, venue-service allowance and whether the budget covers fabrication or the wider exhibition programme. Keep travel, staffing, product freight and marketing separate when they are outside the requested stand scope. | Send your scope for a cost review |
| Identify the work that drives cost | Geometry, finishes, material quantities, graphics, equipment interfaces, reuse requirements and installation conditions affect the work required. Send dimensions and a finish schedule alongside the rendering. A floor-area figure cannot describe those differences. | Send your scope for a cost review |
| Separate venue and third-party charges | List electricity, rigging, internet, material handling, storage and waste services with the party responsible for pricing, ordering and payment. Check current official arrangements for the exact show. An unpriced item remains open; it is not zero or automatically included. | Send your scope for a cost review |
Frequently asked questions
Can you provide a reliable price per square metre from area alone?
No. The design, materials, quantities, venue conditions, dates and included services are also needed.
Can I discuss a budget before drawings are complete?
Yes. Start with dimensions, functions and requested work packages. Keep assumptions and unresolved items explicit; a discussion estimate is not a confirmed quote.
Is the budget planner a supplier quotation?
No. It organizes inputs and user-entered estimates. Confirm actual costs through supplier offers and official service orders.
How should an unpriced item appear?
Mark it as open, assign an owner and state the next action. Do not treat missing prices as free or included.
Supporting material
Project confirmation
Services, production location, working language, price and availability are confirmed in writing for the specific project. Use the current official documents for the exact show.
Checked against the public service scope and listed sources. No unverified factory locations, client identities or measured outcomes are added.
Last reviewed: 7 October 2026Sources
Discuss your stand project
Break down custom exhibition stand costs by design, fabrication, graphics, installation, transport and venue services before requesting a comparable project quote.
Send your scope for a cost review