How much does conference AV cost? It is the question everyone wants answered and almost nobody puts in writing, so here it is, honestly. Conference AV production in the UK can cost anywhere from around a thousand pounds to twenty thousand and beyond. That sounds unhelpful until you understand what moves the number, so let me break it down properly.
The honest ballpark ranges
Let me give you real figures, with the firm caveat that these are ballparks, not fixed prices. Every quote depends on the brief.
A simple one-day event with basic audio provision and one or two screens or TVs is typically in the region of £1,000 to £2,000. That covers a lot of standard corporate meetings and smaller conferences.
As soon as you add LED video walls, lighting, multiple conference days, a dedicated setup day, and a larger technical team, the price escalates quite quickly. At that point you are looking at £10,000, £15,000, £20,000, or more. The jump is not arbitrary, it tracks exactly what gets added.
For context, we rarely work below about £1,000 to £1,500, and only then for very close contacts where we are supplementing a small gap in what they already have. Below that, you are usually better off with dry hire than full production.
What pushes the price up
If you want to understand your own quote, look at what is in it. These are the things that move the cost the most:
LED video walls are the big one. They look superb and they are a significant cost. Lighting design and a proper rig come next. Then there is time: each additional conference day adds cost, and a dedicated setup day before the event does too. Finally, a larger on-site technical team to run a more complex show adds to the total.
None of these are upsells for the sake of it. Each one does a job. The point is that you can see, fairly directly, why a five-figure quote is a five-figure quote.
The thing most people do not realise: the venue matters
Here is something that genuinely changes the cost, and it is worth knowing before you brief anyone. The cost varies a lot depending on what the venue already has in-house.
We frequently supplement existing venue equipment with our expertise and some extra kit, rather than supplying everything from scratch. If your venue already has decent screens, a sound system, or rigging, that can bring the cost down a long way. A good AV company will ask what is already there and build the quote around it, not ignore it and quote for the lot.
So one of the most useful things you can do is find out what your venue provides before you ask for quotes. It can be the difference between two very different numbers.
Why budget belongs at the start of the conversation
The reason I am happy to talk numbers openly is that getting budget out in the open early is the single best thing you can do for your own event.
The way I always put it: if you expect Wembley but I quote for a local pub, you will not be happy with the outcome. If you want a local event but I quote for Wembley, you will not be happy with the quote. Telling an AV company your real budget early is not weakening your position, it is how you get a design and a price that actually fit.
For more on picking the right supplier in the first place, see our guide on choosing a conference AV company.
Frequently asked questions
How much does conference AV production cost in the UK?
As a rough guide, a simple one-day event with basic audio and one or two screens is around £1,000 to £2,000. Add LED video walls, lighting, multiple days, and a larger crew, and it can rise to £10,000, £15,000, £20,000 and beyond.
What pushes the cost up the most?
LED video walls, lighting design and rig, multi-day events, a dedicated setup day, and a larger on-site team.
Does the venue’s own equipment reduce the cost?
Often, yes. We frequently supplement what is already there rather than supplying everything from scratch, which can bring the cost down.
What is the minimum PSL usually works to?
We rarely work below around £1,000 to £1,500, and only for very close contacts supplementing a small gap.
Planning a conference in North Wales or beyond?
We provide conference AV production across North Wales, Chester, and the wider UK, and we will give you an honest quote built around your brief and your venue.
Get in touch and tell us what you are planning.
Darren Hughes is Director of Pivotal Sound & Lighting, an AV and event production company based in Llay, Wrexham, North Wales. PSL delivers conference and corporate AV for clients including Rolex, Google, and the Football Association of Wales.