It’s one of the first questions event planners ask — and one of the hardest to answer without more information. Here’s why AV costs vary so much, and what actually drives the price.
If you’ve ever tried to get a straight answer on AV hire costs, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. You search online, find a few vague ranges, and still have no real idea what your event is going to cost.
That’s not because companies are hiding something. It’s because AV hire genuinely isn’t one-size-fits-all. Two events in the same venue on the same day can have completely different AV requirements — and completely different price tags to match.
This guide breaks down exactly what affects the cost of AV hire in London, what you can expect for different types of events, and how to make sure you’re getting good value when you come to book.
Why AV hire costs vary so much
Before we get into specifics, it helps to understand what you’re actually paying for when you hire AV equipment and production services.
It’s not just the kit. It’s the people who operate it, the logistics of getting it to your venue, the time it takes to set up and take down, and the expertise behind making it all work together. When you get a quote from a professional AV company, all of that is factored in.
Here are the main things that push the price up or down.
1. The size of your event
This is probably the biggest single factor. A 30-person boardroom briefing needs a very different setup to a 500-person conference or an awards dinner for 300 guests.
Bigger events need more equipment — more speakers to cover the room, more screens so people at the back can see clearly, more lighting rigs, more microphones. And with more equipment comes more crew to set it up, operate it, and take it down afterwards.
As a general rule, the larger the audience, the higher the AV cost. But the cost per head often becomes more reasonable as the event scales — a lot of the groundwork is the same whether you’re hosting 100 or 400 people.
2. The venue
The venue affects your AV costs more than most people realise — and not always in the way you’d expect.
Some venues have their own built-in AV infrastructure. House sound systems, fixed screens, built-in lighting rigs. If that equipment is suitable for your event, it can reduce what you need to hire in. But “suitable” is the key word. House systems are often basic, and for anything beyond a simple presentation, you’ll likely want to supplement or replace them entirely.
Other venues — blank canvas spaces, outdoor locations, marquees, unusual buildings — come with nothing. You’re starting from scratch, which means more kit, more time, and higher costs.
Things like ceiling height, room shape, ambient light, and background noise all affect what equipment is needed. A long narrow room needs different speaker placement to a wide square one. A venue with big windows can wash out a projected image, making LED screens a better (and more expensive) option.
A good AV company will ask about the venue before quoting. If they don’t, that’s worth noting.
3. The equipment itself
Different types of equipment sit at different price points — and the spec within each category varies enormously.
A basic projector and screen is one of the most affordable options. A high-resolution LED video wall is one of the more expensive ones. Between those two extremes there’s a huge range of screens, displays, and visual solutions — each suited to different room sizes, lighting conditions, and audience expectations.
The same goes for sound. A small portable PA system is relatively inexpensive. A full line array system for a large conference hall or outdoor festival is a different proposition entirely.
Lighting is where costs can creep up quickly if you’re not careful. Basic stage wash lighting is affordable. Moving heads, colour-changing uplighting, intelligent fixtures, and atmospheric effects all add to the bill — but they can also transform how an event looks and feels.
The key is making sure the spec matches what you actually need. A good AV team will advise you honestly on that rather than upselling you on kit that won’t make a meaningful difference to your event.
4. Crew and on-site operation
This is the part of AV hire that people sometimes underestimate — and then regret skipping.
Equipment hire without crew means the kit gets dropped off and you figure out the rest. That works for very simple setups. But for anything with multiple elements — sound, lighting, video, staging — you really want a technician on-site who knows the equipment and can manage it in real time.
A skilled AV technician keeps the audio balanced, manages transitions, handles any technical issues before the audience notices them, and makes the whole event run more smoothly. Their presence on the day is often what separates a polished event from a stressful one.
The number of crew needed depends on the scale and complexity of the event. A small conference might need one technician. A large production with sound, lighting, and video elements might need three or four.
Crew hours — including setup, the event itself, and breakdown — all factor into the final cost.
5. Setup and de-rig time
AV doesn’t just appear. Equipment needs to be delivered to the venue, unloaded, built, cabled, tested, and signed off before doors open. After the event, it all needs to be stripped down, packed up, and removed.
For a simple setup this might take a couple of hours each way. For a complex production with staging, video walls, and a full lighting rig, you could be looking at a full day of build and several hours of de-rig.
Venue access time matters here too. If the venue only gives you two hours to get in before guests arrive, that limits what’s physically possible — and may require additional crew to get it done in time.
Always be upfront with your AV company about load-in and load-out windows. It helps them quote accurately and avoid surprises on the day.
6. Delivery and transport
You’re in London. Your AV company is in London. But getting a van full of equipment across the city, especially at peak times, takes time and costs money.
Distance from the warehouse to the venue, parking, congestion, and the volume of kit all factor into delivery costs. Events outside central London or further afield will generally cost more to service.
If your event is outside London entirely, factor in travel time, accommodation for crew if it’s a multi-day build, and any additional logistics costs.
7. How far in advance you book
AV companies have finite equipment and finite crew. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to get exactly what you need, at the best price, with the most experienced team available.
Last-minute bookings aren’t always impossible, and a good company will do their best to accommodate you. But if availability is tight, options may be limited — and that can affect the price.
For large events — conferences, award ceremonies, product launches — booking three to six weeks in advance is sensible. For complex productions, even earlier is better.
What affects the cost for specific event types
Conferences and corporate events
Corporate events tend to be the most technically demanding in terms of AV. Presentations need to be clear and consistent. Microphones need to work reliably — especially for panel discussions and Q&As. The setup needs to look professional because the audience is judging the organisation running the event.
Key cost factors for conferences: room size, number of screens, type of microphones needed (lapel, handheld, lectern, floor mics for audience questions), whether you need live recording or streaming, and the length of the event.
A full-day conference with multiple breakout rooms will cost considerably more than a half-day single-room event — not because the hourly rate changes, but because more equipment and more crew are in play for longer.
Award ceremonies
Award ceremonies are as much about atmosphere as logistics. Lighting is often where a significant portion of the budget goes — because the right lighting is what makes the room feel like an occasion rather than a dinner in a hotel ballroom.
Stage setup, presentation screens for category reveals and winner announcements, video playback for showreels, and a reliable PA system all need to work in sync. Cue management — making sure everything happens at the right moment — requires an experienced operator who’s been briefed properly in advance.
The more theatrical the ceremony, the higher the AV costs. But the investment in atmosphere almost always pays off in how the event is received.
Product launches
Product launches vary enormously. A small trade press reveal in a boutique venue has very different requirements to a flagship launch event with hundreds of guests and a big production moment.
What most product launches have in common is a need for visual impact. LED screens or video walls, strong lighting design, and clean audio for the reveal presentation are usually non-negotiable. Branded content integration — making sure the visuals and sound work with the brand’s creative assets — adds another layer of complexity.
The clearer your brief, the more accurate your quote will be. If you have a creative direction in mind, share it early. It helps the AV team design a setup that actually delivers it.
Private parties and weddings
Private events cover a huge range — from a 40th birthday party in a function room to a wedding reception for 200 guests at a country house.
For parties, the main AV costs are usually sound (a PA system, possibly DJ equipment) and lighting (uplighting, dancefloor lighting, ambient effects). The bigger the venue and the later the night goes, the more substantial the setup needs to be.
Weddings often have multiple phases — a ceremony, a drinks reception, a dinner, and an evening party — each with different AV needs. Managing those transitions smoothly requires planning and usually at least one technician on-site throughout.
One thing worth knowing: venues often have noise restrictions, particularly for outdoor events or those in residential areas. Your AV company needs to know about these in advance so they can design a system that sounds great within those limits.
Live music and festivals
Live music is where AV hire gets genuinely complex. The quality of the sound system directly affects the quality of the performance — and audiences notice.
Line array systems, monitor wedges, front-of-house mixing, stage lighting, backline, staging and rigging — a live music event has more moving parts than almost any other event type. The cost reflects that.
Festival-scale productions are in a different category entirely, with multiple stages, extensive rigging, and large crews. But even smaller live events — a venue show, a corporate entertainment set, a private concert — warrant proper professional sound and lighting if the performance is going to land the way it should.
The headline act or entertainment you’ve booked deserves a setup that does them justice. Cutting corners on AV for a live music event is usually one of the first things people regret.
How to get an accurate quote
The best way to get a quote that actually reflects what your event needs is to be as specific as possible when you make an enquiry. Here’s what helps:
Tell them about the venue. Name, location, room dimensions if you have them, ceiling height, and any known quirks. If you can share a floor plan, even better.
Give them a realistic headcount. Not “around 100 maybe” — your best estimate. Room size and audience capacity drive a lot of the equipment decisions.
Explain the format. Is it a sit-down presentation? A panel discussion? A drinks reception? An awards dinner with entertainment? The more detail, the better.
Share your schedule. What time can the AV team access the venue? When do guests arrive? What time does it end? When does the venue need to be cleared?
Be upfront about your budget. This one makes a lot of people uncomfortable, but it genuinely helps. If an AV company knows your budget, they can tell you honestly whether it’s achievable and suggest where to prioritise. That’s a much more useful conversation than getting a quote that’s way over budget and having to start again.
What good value actually looks like
Cheap AV hire isn’t always good value. An unreliable PA system, a screen that’s too small for the room, or a crew that’s not experienced enough to manage a live event can cost you far more in stress and reputation than you saved on the quote.
Good value means the right equipment for your event, operated by people who know what they’re doing, delivered and collected without hassle, at a price that’s fair and transparent. That’s what you should be looking for — not just the lowest number.
The AV at your event is the thing that makes everything else visible, audible, and memorable. It’s worth getting right.
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Tell us about your event and we’ll come back to you with a clear, honest price based on exactly what you need — no hidden fees, no unnecessary upselling.