What Is the Price of Constructing an Exhibition Stand

There are two types of companies that participate in trade shows. The first type of company creates a budget they plan to spend on attending the show and building a booth. These companies usually look at the funding from the previous show, add a factor for inflation, and look for those who can complete the upcoming project within that budget. Contractors find it easy to work with this type of company because all parties understand the numbers to stay within. Based on the budget, contractors propose specific solutions.

The second type of company does not set a budget in advance. These are usually companies that are attending trade shows for the first time or companies that have been away from trade shows for a long time and do not know what budget to focus on when communicating with contractors. In this case, companies have many questions about the price of exhibition stand construction. Often, they choose contractors for a long time because they focus only on the minimum price or their internal feelings about the booth construction price. This way of preparing for the upcoming exhibition can be called risky because the excitement of searching for the “optimal price” can shorten the terms of actual work on the project. After finding the appropriate contractor with the perfect price, they will have no enough time to implement the exhibition project properly.

This article has been prepared primarily for those new to the exhibition business. We hope it will help you navigate the figures that booth builders give you when you submit your booth design for evaluation.

Factors That Contribute to the Variety

Let’s say you want to build a house. You can’t just come to a builder and ask for the average price of a home. The builders will want to see the design of the house to calculate the price. The same is valid for a trade show booth building. To calculate the cost of a booth, a constructor needs to see the exhibition stand design.

In addition to the design, you must know how much space it will occupy on the fairgrounds. To achieve this, you must rent the area for the stand from the exhibition organizer or the exhibition center in advance. Usually, companies decide to participate in an exhibition a year before it starts, so if you delay your decision, there may not be any suitable spaces available. Often, companies participating in the event sign contracts to rent space for the next year immediately after the show closes. You should check this with the organizer of the exhibition you have chosen.

So, before answering the question of “How much does it cost to build an exhibition stand” let’s see what can affect the price.

Booth Size and Configuration

The size of an exhibition stand directly impacts the cost of its construction. You must agree that a one-bedroom apartment of 75 square meters and a three-bedroom apartment will cost differently, even though they have the same square meters. Do you plan to have separate meeting rooms in your booth? Will you have storage space, and how many meters? How many sides of your booth will be open? And how high will the walls be?

You may plan to build a two-story structure in a small exhibit space. As you realize, this can significantly impact the cost of exhibition stand construction. The larger the booth, the more the construction costs. The more complex the design, the more people will be needed to install it and the more expensive it will be. Please keep in mind that the number of days allotted for the booth installation is strictly limited, either by the show organizer or the exhibition center. Additional installation days for complex structures can be purchased for extra money, but not always. Some companies have explicit restrictions on the assembly and disassembly of exhibit structures.

The exhibition stand price is influenced by the type of construction you order from the booth builder. It may be a custom-built exhibit, constructed only according to your sketches and design requirements. If you rent a small space and frequently attend trade shows, consider purchasing and using a portable booth permanently. You could also consider building a modular booth, but in this case, your design will be limited to a specific set of modular design elements. However, it will be lightweight and possibly less expensive due to the relative ease of assembly.

Materials and Design

We have sorted out the dimensions, and it is clear that the cost of a booth is directly related to its size. However, some non-obvious things can significantly affect the cost of building an exhibition stand. These are the design of the frame itself and the materials from which it is realized.

In rendering the stand design, it is not obvious what materials the stand will be made of. There is a general idea of its appearance, which usually looks terrific. As ordinary people, we all want to get the best for our money. That’s why builders consider the booth construction cost at the highest bar if you have not limited it in your budget. The best wall materials, flooring, lighting, and furniture are chosen. The exhibition stand constructor is much more knowledgeable about the materials that can be used in the cladding, so if no budget is agreed, you will be offered the best option so that the realization is as close as possible to the design.

Any curves in the stand and non-standard solutions will also affect the cost of building the exhibition stand. So, if your brand uses rounded elements, the cost of your trade show booth will be slightly higher.

Technical Expertise

The cost of an exhibition stand also depends on the framework used by the builder. If you plan to build a complex structure whose frame must withstand specific loads, for example, shelves with heavily branded products, the builder will use materials and racks designed for such loads.

If you have a simple design, the builder may suggest using modular systems. Depending on the booth design’s complexity, the builder will often combine materials.

The price of an exhibition stand is influenced by the type of flooring and the presence of a podium. Often, at international trade shows, the organizers require a ramp at the frame. This is a nuance that should be clarified with the organizer in advance and communicated to the custom exhibition stand constructor so that he can take it into account in the design of the stand or make the appropriate changes in time.

If you plan to have a suspended structure above the stand, this can significantly impact the cost of your booth display. Only exceptional staff are authorized to place such a system above the stand at some trade shows. This will affect the price and change the booth construction schedule.

Assembly and Disassembly

The installation and dismantling price of the exhibit structure is usually included in the trade fair stand construction cost. However, if you have purchased a modular or portable booth, the assembly and disassembly service may not be included in the exhibition stand construction price. In this case, you will have to install and dismantle the structure yourself or hire a specialized team for an additional fee.

Sometimes, the booth supplier may issue a separate invoice for the dismantling and disposal of the booth. This should be agreed upon with the contractor before work starts so that you do not inadvertently become the victim of unforeseen and unpleasant expenses.

Additional Costs

The price of an exhibition stand also depends on the additional elements you wish to add. Glass blocks or stained-glass can significantly impact the cost. LED screens can be part of your design and considerably affect the price if they are large or there are many.

Personalized and branded decor can add a few zeros to your final booth construction bill. Florists can adjust the bill if you haven’t discussed this with the builder beforehand.

Audio and video equipment, which will enhance the experience of your exhibit, can cost much more if you do not order them comprehensively from the booth builder.

            Any additions beyond those approved in your design will also incur additional costs.

How to Save a Booth Budget

Exhibitors often ask booth builders for an approximate price per square foot for a booth. As you now realize, any figure given without a specific calculation based on your design will be inaccurate or even incorrect. The average price of a custom-designed stand can range from 500 to 2000 euros per square meter of space you rent from an exhibition center. To avoid being shocked by these figures, determine the budget you are willing to spend on the exhibition. 50-60 percent of this amount will cost building a stand.

If you have an idea of the budget you are willing to spend on booth design and construction, tell the booth builder that figure. This will save you both a lot of time.

If your budget does not match the actual figures for which the booth can be built, the booth builder will let you know. Do not rush into looking for cheap options. If the builder is experienced, he will offer you options for small changes in design or materials that will reduce your budget to acceptable figures. But this is only true if it is realistic to build a booth within your stated budget.

Sometimes, replacing carpet with laminate flooring is all it takes to stay within your budget.