How to Brief an Exhibition Stand Contractor: The Checklist That Gets an Accurate Quote

Why briefs come back with wild price gaps

Two contractors quoting the same stand can return very different numbers, and usually the difference is not greed or generosity - it is that each one assumed a different scope. One included graphics and venue submissions, the other did not. One allowed for a reception counter and storage, the other quoted four walls. The fix is a brief that pins down the same facts for everyone.

The facts every contractor needs

Show, venue and hall. Stand number if you have it. Exact dimensions and the number of open sides - a corner stand and an island stand of the same square metres are different builds. The organiser floor plan, because columns, power ducts and rigging points are fixed by the venue. And your real deadlines: not the opening day, but the design submission and move-in dates in the exhibitor manual.

What the stand must do

List the jobs before the look: products on display and their sizes, live demonstrations and their power needs, meeting space for how many people, storage for stock and literature, reception or hospitality. A contractor designing around function will ask these questions anyway; answering them up front removes a week of back-and-forth.

Scope items to agree line by line

Ask for design, materials, graphics, venue and authority submissions, transport, installation and dismantling as separate lines. Then ask what is not included: venue services such as power connection and cleaning are commonly excluded and commonly assumed. The comparison you want is not three totals, it is three identical lists.

What to attach

The floor plan, brand guidelines and logos at production resolution, photos of past stands if you have them, and two or three reference stands you like with a sentence on why. References communicate taste faster than adjectives.

Common questions

What is the minimum a stand contractor needs to quote?

Show and venue, stand dimensions, number of open sides, and what the stand needs to do. A floor plan and your submission deadlines make the quote accurate rather than approximate.

Should I send my budget to a stand contractor?

A range helps. It lets the contractor propose materials and scope that fit instead of designing something you cannot buy, and it makes the itemised quote more useful.

How do I compare stand quotes fairly?

Line by line, not total by total. Agree the same scope items with every contractor - design, materials, graphics, submissions, transport, installation, dismantling - and compare what each line includes.