Start with the brief, not the budget
Before you call anyone, write down what the stand has to do. Generate leads? Launch a product? Hold meetings with existing customers? A builder can only design well against a clear goal.
Note the show, the dates, your stand size and any brand guidelines. With these, any builder can give a useful first answer.
What to ask every builder
- Do you design, build, install and manage on site, or do you subcontract parts?
- Which venues have you built in, and do you know their contractor rules?
- How do you handle approvals and the move-in window?
- Who is my single point of contact, before and during the show?
- What happens if something is wrong on the morning the show opens?
Look at the work, then the process
Ask to see stands of a similar size and type. Look for clean finishing, good lighting and a layout that lets visitors walk in. Photographs of the build stage show more than polished final shots.
Then ask how the work runs. A confident builder can explain the steps from concept to teardown without hesitation.
Check the venue knowledge
Large venues set their own rules for contractors, rigging, power and delivery. A builder who has worked at the venue before will plan around them. In the UAE, that includes Dubai World Trade Centre, Expo City Dubai and ADNEC. In Saudi Arabia, it includes Riyadh Front and the Jeddah venues.
Red flags
- A price with no breakdown of what is included.
- No 3D design or layout before you commit.
- Vague answers on approvals, power or timelines.
- Several different contacts and no clear owner.
- Pressure to decide before you have seen a design.