Hiring a stand builder for a French show is easy to get wrong, because the things that go wrong — venue rules, official-supplier requirements, build-up access — aren’t visible in a nice proposal. The right questions surface them before you sign, not during build-up. Here’s the list, and why each one matters.
Do you build in-house, and where?
This separates a builder from a broker. A builder with its own workshop controls quality, timeline and on-site fixes; a broker subcontracts and adds margin. If they build elsewhere in Europe and ship to France — as we do from Frankfurt — that’s fine, but then ask how freight and install are handled, because a shipped-in stand lives or dies on that planning.
How do you handle the venue’s official-supplier rules?
French venues often mandate official suppliers for electrical, rigging and some trades. A builder who knows this plans and budgets for it; one who doesn’t leaves you with surprise venue bills and tasks their crew can’t legally perform. If they look blank at this question, that’s your answer.
How do you manage build-up access and security?
Paris and Lyon venues run strict access slots, vehicle scheduling and badge rules. Ask how they plan the install around these. A builder who’s worked the venue answers concretely; one who hasn’t underestimates the time and loses build-up hours at the gate.
Who is on site, and what’s the backup plan?
Ask who from their team is physically in the hall during build-up and dismantle, and what happens if something breaks. “We’ll send someone” is not an answer. Their own crew, with tools and spares, is the answer you want to hear.
What’s in the quote, and what’s billed later?
The most expensive surprises are the line items left out — venue-mandated services, freight, late changes. Ask for an itemised quote and what’s explicitly excluded. A builder who’s straight about exclusions is one who’s actually planned the project.
The honest version of our answers
We build in Frankfurt, ship to France by EU road freight, plan around each venue’s official-supplier and access rules, and put our own crew on the floor. We itemise quotes and name the exclusions. If any of the questions above get a vague answer from a builder — ours included — keep asking until they don’t.
Related
- Stand fabrication in Paris
- How to choose the right stand builder
- About SOL Germany
- Hub: Europe exhibition list
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a French exhibition stand builder before hiring?
Whether they build in-house and where, how they handle the venue’s official-supplier rules for electrical and rigging, how they manage build-up access and security, who is on site during build-up, and what the quote includes versus what’s billed later.
Why do official-supplier rules matter when hiring in France?
French venues often require electrical, rigging and some trades to go through official suppliers rather than your builder. A builder who plans for this budgets it correctly; one who doesn’t leaves you with surprise venue bills and tasks their crew can’t perform.
