Two AV quotes for the same meeting can look very different. One is a single line with a total. The other lists every microphone and cable. The cheaper one is not always the better deal, and the detailed one is not always padded. This guide shows you how to read a corporate AV rental quote, what moves the price, and what to ask before you sign.
What a good AV quote should list
A clear quote lets you see exactly what you are paying for. Look for:
- Each room on its own line. The general session, each breakout room and the registration area should be priced separately, so you can change one without redoing the whole quote.
- The gear, item by item. Speakers, microphones by type (handheld, lavalier, headset), screens or TVs, projectors, a mixer, a podium, cables and power.
- Labor. Setup, any technician who stays during sessions, and teardown, with the hours for each.
- Delivery and pickup. Including any time window the venue requires.
- Dates and times. When gear arrives, when it must be ready and when it leaves.
What changes the price
- Number of rooms. Each room needs its own sound, screen and microphones.
- Number of days. A two day conference often costs less per day than two separate one day events, because the gear stays set up.
- Headcount and room size. A 300 person ballroom needs more speaker coverage and bigger screens than a 30 person boardroom.
- Remote attendees. Cameras, streaming and extra audio work add cost. See hybrid meeting equipment for what is involved.
- Labor rules at the venue. Some hotels and convention centers have set load in times or require their own staff for parts of the work.
Ask about venue fees before you book
Many hotels have an in house AV company. If you bring your own, the venue may charge a fee to connect to the house sound system or power, sometimes called a patch fee or a service fee. Ask the venue for its outside vendor rules early, and share them with any AV company you get a quote from. That way every quote includes the same costs and nothing surprises you later.
Questions to ask every AV company
- Is this price for everything on the list, including delivery, setup and teardown?
- Will a technician stay during sessions, or only during setup?
- What backup gear do you bring if a microphone or laptop connection fails?
- Can you send a certificate of insurance to the venue?
- How late can we add a room or change the headcount?
How to compare quotes fairly
Put the quotes side by side, room by room. Check that each one has the same number of microphones, the same screen sizes and the same labor hours. If one quote is much lower, it is usually missing something, such as a technician, a second screen or teardown. Ask the company to add it so you are comparing the same setup.
Get a corporate AV quote
AV Stars quotes each room on its own line, so you can see what everything costs. Send us your agenda, room list and headcount and we will put together a gear list and price. See our conference AV rental and meeting and boardroom AV pages, or request a quote.
