guides
What “turnkey” should mean in an exhibition stand quote
The word is on every proposal and means something different on each one. A checklist to compare quotes honestly.
"Turnkey" is supposed to mean you hand over a brief and collect a finished stand. In practice it is the least standardised word in this industry, and comparing two quotes that both use it can be comparing very different things.
A genuine turnkey scope covers
- Concept design and 3D renders, revised until signed off
- Production drawings and material specification
- Fabrication, graphics, lighting and AV integration
- A full mock-up before anything ships
- Freight, customs paperwork and venue delivery
- Stand plan submission and organiser approvals
- Installation with on-site supervision through build-up
- Support during show days
- Dismantle, waste removal, and storage if the stand is being reused
Questions that expose a thin quote
- Is freight included both ways, or only delivery?
- Who submits the stand plan to the organiser?
- Is dismantle in the price, or billed after the show?
- Will someone from your team be on site, or is it subcontracted labour?
- Are venue charges — power, rigging, water — included or excluded?
Ask who physically builds the stand. If the answer is vague, you are talking to a project manager who will sublet it, and your deadline depends on a company you have never spoken to.
Why in-house production changes the answer
We build in our own 9,000 sq ft facility in Mumbai. That is not a sales point for its own sake — it is why a late scope change is an afternoon rather than a renegotiation, and why the mock-up stage exists at all.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A single lump sum makes it impossible to see what was assumed, or to cut scope sensibly if the number comes back high.
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