Short answer: Choose a stand contractor who can show you four things in writing: where the stand is built, a quote that separates construction from venue services, a plan that meets your venue’s published rules (height, fire class, rigging, electrics, drawing deadline), and the documents the venue will ask for, such as fire certificates, structural calculations and insurance. A good contractor reads the organiser’s exhibitor manual before the first design, not after.
Updated 26 September 2026.
1. Where is the stand actually built?
Some “stand builders” design in-house but subcontract production, or broker the whole job. Ask for the address of the workshop and who does the pre-assembly. A stand assembled and checked in the workshop before shipping causes far fewer surprises on build-up day.
2. Have you read the exhibitor manual for my show?
Rules differ per venue and even per show. Examples from published venue regulations:
- Height: 2.5 m standard at NOVA Spektrum and Svenska Mässan, 275 cm for most stands at RAI Amsterdam, 3 m at FIL Lisbon and MCH Herning.
- Drawings: 20 days before build-up for tall structures at FIL, 30 days before build-up at MITEC Kuala Lumpur, and 12 weeks ahead for double-deck stands at Bella Center.
If the contractor cannot tell you your show’s height limit and drawing deadline, the design may be rejected. Our country guides collect these rules venue by venue, for example Portugal, Denmark and South Korea.
3. Which work does the venue reserve for its own contractors?
Most venues do not let your builder connect mains power or hang anything from the roof:
- Brussels Expo makes electrical connections exclusively through its own staff or the company it appoints.
- MITEC in Kuala Lumpur holds exclusive truss and hoist rights.
- At RAI Amsterdam, suspension wires are fitted by RAI’s designated supplier.
- At COEX in Seoul, a show’s rules can require electrical work by a contractor registered with COEX.
A professional contractor designs around these connections and tells you which services you must order from the venue.
4. Which fire class are your materials, and can I see the certificates?
Venues ask for certified materials, for example:
- fire class 1 or 2 under NEN 6065 at RAI Amsterdam
- B-s1,d0 for walls and ceilings at Stockholmsmässan
- class B for decorative materials at Bella Center
- DIN 4102 B1 for fabrics at NOVA Spektrum
Ask to see the certificates before production. Fire officers can inspect stands and take samples.
5. Does the quote separate construction from venue services?
A complete quote lists:
- design
- construction and materials
- graphics
- furniture and AV
- transport
- installation and dismantling
- storage
It should also say plainly which items you order from the organiser, such as space, power, water, rigging, cleaning and internet. Venue services are not small. For example, a 3 kW power connection costs €188–€199 in the 2026 price lists of Messe Frankfurt and Deutsche Messe (see our cost guide).
6. How will the stand be shipped, and who handles customs?
Crossing borders needs the right documents. For stands built in Türkiye:
- Industrial goods move into the EU under the EU–Türkiye customs union with an A.TR movement certificate.
- For Norway, the UK or Korea, exhibits often travel on an ATA Carnet.
- Consumable stand materials cannot travel on a carnet, so they need a separate customs declaration.
Ask who prepares these documents.
7. Who is my single point of contact, and who is on site?
Ask for the name of the project lead who follows the job from brief to dismantling, and ask who supervises build-up at the venue.
8. What insurance do you carry?
Organisers usually require contractors to hold third-party liability insurance, and the required cover is set in the exhibitor manual. Ask for the certificate, and check that it covers work abroad.
9. Can I see comparable work, and speak to the team that built it?
Look for photos and drawings of stands of similar size and type, such as island, double-deck or country pavilion, and ask what went wrong and how it was solved. Beware of portfolios that cannot be traced to real shows.
Red flags
- A fixed price per m² before the contractor has seen your floor plan and manual.
- No mention of drawing deadlines or venue approvals.
- “We handle everything”, with no list of what you must order from the venue.
- No fire certificates, or “we’ll sort it on site”.
What to send for an accurate proposal
Send the following:
- the fair name, hall and stand number
- the floor plan with open sides
- the stand size and the functions you need
- the exhibits and their power needs
- your brand assets
- the organiser’s exhibitor manual
VAV Grup designs and builds custom stands in its own workshop in Istanbul and installs them across Europe and the Middle East. Request a project-specific proposal.
Frequently asked questions
Should I hire a local stand builder or an international one?
Either can work. What matters is whether the contractor knows your venue’s rules and can deliver on time. An international contractor that builds in its own workshop can be cost-effective if transport and customs are planned properly.
Can my stand builder do the electrical connection?
Often not. Many venues reserve mains connections and rigging for their own staff or an appointed contractor, as at Brussels Expo, MITEC and RAI Amsterdam. Your builder wires the stand internally and prepares it for the venue’s connection.
How early should I hire a stand contractor?
Early enough to meet the venue’s drawing deadline. For double-deck stands, that can be 12 weeks before the show, as at Bella Center Copenhagen.
Sources
- Brussels Expo – Prescriptions générales de sécurité: https://www.brussels-expo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Prescriptions-de-securite-FR.pdf
- MITEC – Operational Rules & Regulations 2024: https://mitec.com.my/static/img/policy_guidelines/event-exhibition-operational-rules-and-regulations-2024.pdf
- RAI Amsterdam – stand types and guidelines; fire service regulations: https://www.rai.nl/en/regulations-terms-and-conditions/stand-types-and-guidelines ; https://www.rai.nl/en/regulations-terms-and-conditions/fire-service-regulations
- Stockholmsmässan – Generella regler: https://stockholmsmassan.se/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Generella-regler-2024-04-08.pdf
- NOVA Spektrum – regulations: https://novaspektrum.no/en/regulations/
- FIL – Regulamento Geral: https://www.fil.pt/regulamento-fil/
- Bella Center – exhibitor terms: https://bellacenter.dk/media/xl0lmqrq/udstillervilkaar.pdf
- European Commission – EU–Türkiye customs union: https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/countries-and-regions/turkiye_en
- TOBB – ATA Carnet FAQ: https://tobb.org.tr/TIRIslemleriMudurlugu/ATA/Sayfalar/SSS.php