Booking AV production for an event is one of those decisions where getting it wrong is very public and very expensive. Whether you're planning a corporate conference, a live concert, or a product launch, understanding what AV production services hire cost — and what you actually get for that money — saves you from nasty surprises on the day.
What AV Production Services Actually Include
"AV production" covers a wide range of technical services, and companies vary a lot in scope. Before comparing quotes, know what you're asking for:
- Sound systems – PA rigs, mixing desks, microphones (handheld, lapel, headset), monitoring
- Lighting – stage wash, moving heads, LED panels, follow spots, uplighting for venues
- Video – screens, projectors, LED walls, cameras, live streaming and recording
- Staging – risers, trussing, rigging, set design and build
- Crew – engineers, technicians, riggers, operators on the day
- Dry hire – equipment only, no crew (cheaper, but you need to know what you're doing)
Some companies are full-service and handle everything from site survey to strike. Others specialise — audio-only providers, for example, or firms that focus purely on live streaming rigs.
Realistic Cost Ranges
AV production services hire cost varies enormously depending on event size, duration, and technical complexity. Here are realistic ballpark figures for the UK market:
Small events (up to 100 people, seminar or meeting format) Expect to pay £500–£2,000 for a basic PA system, a couple of microphones, and a technician for a half-day. Add screens or a simple lighting rig and you're looking at £1,500–£3,500.
Mid-size events (100–500 people, conferences, awards nights) A full AV package with sound, lighting, staging, and video typically runs £5,000–£20,000. Multi-day events, complex rigging, or live streaming push costs toward the upper end.
Large-scale productions (concerts, festivals, major corporate events) Budget from £25,000 upward. High-end LED walls alone can cost £10,000–£30,000 to hire for a single event. Full festival production with multiple stages regularly runs into six figures.
Dry hire only If you have your own crew and just need equipment, dry hire can cut costs by 30–50%, but you take on full responsibility for operation and any damage.
Always ask for an itemised quote. Vague "package" pricing makes it almost impossible to compare suppliers fairly.
Key Steps When Hiring an AV Company
1. Define your brief clearly Share your venue, expected audience size, running order, and technical rider (if you have one). Ambiguity leads to underbidding followed by costly change orders.
2. Request a site visit or recce Reputable AV companies will want to see the venue. Ceiling height, power availability, venue acoustics, and access routes all affect equipment choices and pricing.
3. Compare at least three quotes Don't just compare the bottom line — compare what's included. One quote at £8,000 with full crew and a contingency tech on standby may be far better value than £6,500 with a skeleton team.
4. Check their portfolio and references Ask to see previous events of similar size and type. A company that excels at intimate corporate dinners may not have the crew capacity or kit for a 1,200-person conference.
5. Clarify the contract terms Look for cancellation policies, damage liability, overtime rates, and what happens if equipment fails on the day. The best AV companies carry redundant equipment for exactly this reason.
6. Confirm crew ratios For anything beyond a straightforward presentation setup, you want a dedicated audio engineer, a lighting operator, and a video technician as separate roles — not one person stretched across all three.
Common Hidden Costs to Watch For
- Haulage and transport – large rigs often attract significant delivery fees
- Overnight bump-in – if the venue requires a midnight load-in, expect anti-social hours surcharges
- Power distribution – some venues charge separately for three-phase power hookup
- Accommodation for crew – on multi-day out-of-town events, this falls to the client
- ISDN/internet lines for streaming – dedicated upload bandwidth isn't always included
How to Find the Right Provider
The AV production market ranges from one-person operators with a van full of kit to large production houses with warehouses of inventory. Neither is automatically better — it depends entirely on your event. Mercoly lets you compare and find trusted AV production companies in one place, so you can filter by location, specialism, and budget without hunting across multiple directories.
Ask the right questions, get itemised quotes, and don't sign anything until you're clear on exactly who's showing up and what they're bringing.
Start your search today and get your event's AV production sorted with the right company at the right price.