The booth crate is only part of the bill. Installation labor and electrical are where many 2026 budgets quietly break—especially when advance rates expire and overtime starts.
What the national benchmarks say
The Exhibitor Advocate’s 2025 Annual Survey of Exhibition Rates (released May 12, 2026; 224 public manuals across 23 U.S. cities) puts hard numbers on the pressure. Electrical outlet rates surged 18.4% in the 2025 data. Electrical straight-time labor rose 6.4% and overtime 12.5% that year; across 2022–2025, electrical overtime labor is up 41.2%. Installation labor rose between 12.7% and 16.7% across straight, overtime, and double-time rates over those four years. The same survey’s basket-of-goods view finds exhibiting in New York costs about 75% more than in Atlanta—the widest spread they have recorded since 2022 (Exhibitor Advocate survey summary).
What real 2026 rate cards look like
Published kits vary by city and contractor—always read yours—but the shape is consistent. Example advance vs. floor pricing for a common 120V drop: Commonwealth Expo’s 2026 sheet lists a 500W outlet at $93.85 discount / $122.00 regular, 1000W at $118.96 / $154.65, with 208V services carrying minimum labor (often one hour install/remove) and layout labor when outlets are not on the back drape (AIX 2026 electrical PDF via Commonwealth Expo). A GES-style 2026 list shows a 5 amp connection at $138 advance / $195 standard / $254 floor, with requested placement labor listed separately (GES 2026 Electrical Price List). Another 2026 kit prices straight-time electrical labor at $160–$180/hr and overtime at $240–$260/hr, with a one-hour install minimum and half-hour dismantle minimum (2026 IFPA/TriCord electrical form). A Chicago franchise-show sheet posts advance electrical labor at roughly $136/hr ST, $205/hr OT, $273/hr DT (CHI26 electrical PDF).
How to keep labor and power from owning the show
- Order in the advance window. Floor rates exist to punish procrastination.
- Design power drops onto the back rail when the manual allows—moving outlets into the booth often triggers layout labor minimums.
- Build exhibits that install fast with clear drawings. Union hours love ambiguity.
- Plan supervised vs. unsupervised labor rules before you fly. Standing around waiting for a crew you did not schedule is still billable somewhere.
- Right-size amperage. Ordering 208V “just in case” can drag mandatory labor onto an invoice that a simpler 120V plan would have avoided.
We design and kit with these rate cards in mind from Cincinnati. A beautiful island that needs a forest of special electrical drops is not a bargain.
Sources: Exhibitor Advocate 2025 Annual Survey summary (May 12, 2026); Commonwealth Expo / AIX 2026 electrical PDF; GES 2026 Electrical Price List; IFPA 2026 electrical form; CHI26 electrical PDF. Your show’s manual governs—use these as context, not a substitute.