Exhibits cost money. No surprise there. Sometimes, they cost lots of money and since most people don’t purchase new exhibits every day or even every decade, sticker shock can set in.

Lots of factors influence what exhibit costs.

For a design/build project, clients can expect to pay a design fee and, of course, the cost of the time and materials required to build, ship, install, and manage an exhibit project. Those are the very most basic ingredients that make up a project budget, and, of course, there are lots of nuances that drive those costs. Things like how much travel is required and even the number of miles between the client and design firm can make a difference. More distance = more money.

Ways to control costs

Fortunately for clients, there are also ways to help control costs. And, since just about everyone enjoys saving some green where they can, here are five miscellaneous things – some big, some small –  that can help keep dollars where they belong – in your pocket or, preferably, in an even bigger, more attention-grabbing WOW exhibit. 🙂

• Look for Shortcuts – Does your exhibit have animal models? How about scientifically accurate tree or plant models? Ask if your fabricator has an inventory of plant and animal molds and see if you can pick a few species to represent that are part of that inventory. This saves the time and travel that might be required should a fabricator need to, say, go on-site to mold a specific type of tree.

• Focus on What’s Important – Of course, everyone wants a top of the line exhibit, but picking a few key pieces to concentrate your resources on can have a big impact. Does every leaf on that fiberglass tree really need to be custom made or will commercial foliage do? Is a photorealistic mural the only way to set the scene for your exhibit, or might a more simplified style of artwork suit your purposes? Strike a balance you’re happy with and save!

• Jump In – What items do you currently own or could you purchase to contribute to the exhibit? Could you cloth your cast figures or provide props to finish off a scene? Maybe there’s a subcontractor that you could manage, artifacts you could install in the finished casework, or some copy you could write. You can avoid paying markup costs by helping in this way.

• Value engineer – Are there components in your design that could be simplified? Ask your designer! Perhaps there are components that could be purchased rather than custom fabricated – cases, plants, and props could be a few components worth checking.

• Take Charge – This is a big one – have a single decision maker for your stakeholder group. The ideal candidate would be comfortable managing the group and making project decisions. A contact person with the authority to call the final shots can go a long way to prevent change orders that can result when individual stakeholders request last minute tweaks to designs or fabricated pieces.

Now it’s your turn. How do you control your exhibit costs?