How to price event production without leaving money on the table
Most production companies don’t lose margin on the equipment rate. They lose it on labor, time and everything that never made it onto the quote.
Devon Race
2 min read
To price event production well, quote the whole job, not just the gear: equipment, every labor call including prep and travel, trucking, consumables, subrentals, rush or after-hours work, and the project management time it takes to run the show. Then set your rates from what the work costs you and what the client values, and apply the same pricing rules on every quote. Most margin is lost to what was left off, not to the equipment rate.
Start from what the job really costs
Walk a show from first call to final invoice and list every hour and every expense. Warehouse prep and pull. Loading and trucking. Travel. Load-in, show calls and strike. Return, check-in and repair. Subrented items. Consumables like gaff tape, batteries, haze fluid and cable that disappears. Project management time before the show.
If any of those aren’t on your quotes, you’re paying for them yourself.
Price labor like the business it is
Labor is where production margins quietly disappear. Set clear minimums for each call, define how overtime, holidays and late nights are billed, and decide how travel time and meal breaks are handled. Put those terms on the quote so the client sees them before the show, not on the final invoice.
Know your equipment rate structure
Decide how you charge for multi-day rentals, rehearsal days and dark days, and apply it the same way every time. When pricing changes depending on who builds the quote, clients notice, and the team learns that every number is negotiable.
Charge for complexity and urgency
A last-minute booking, an overnight load-in or a difficult venue costs more to deliver. Price it that way. Clients who need the speed will pay for it; clients who don’t will plan ahead.
Turn your pricing into rules
- Templates for your common event types with the full scope already included
- Set rates, minimums and fees that every salesperson uses
- Clear discount limits and who can approve more
- Terms for deposits, changes, cancellations and overtime on every quote
- A review after each show of what you quoted against what it actually took
Common questions
- Should I publish my prices on my website?
- Many production companies publish starting prices for simple rentals and quote full productions individually. Showing a starting point filters out poor-fit inquiries without locking you into a number for complex work.
- How do I raise prices without losing clients?
- Give existing clients notice, apply the new rates to new quotes first, and make sure your proposals explain what’s included. Clients who leave over a fair rate are often the ones costing you the most.
