1. Start with Exhibit Area Benchmarks (see the previous question for details)

2. Allocate by Major Categories (see the next question for details)

• Casework & Millwork
• Graphics Production
• Mechanical Interactives
• Linear Media & Digital Interactives
• AV/Media Hardware Integration
• Lighting Hardware Integration
• Specialty Fabrication
• Shipping, Installation & Rigging
• Contingency / Value Engineering Allowances

3.Consider Complexity

Ask:

• How interactive will exhibits be (hands-on, digital, mechanical)?
• How much technology is included (projection, AR/VR, sensors)?
• Will there be scenic or specialty fabrication (replicas, dioramas, models)?
• Do you need custom casework or can you use off-the-shelf cases?

* The more complex, the higher the per-square-foot number.

4. Coordinate with the Total Project Budget

• Fabrication typically accounts for 30–50% of total exhibit project costs.
• Consider other major costs: design, AV hardware, media production, lighting, content development, project management.
• Hold a 5–10% contingency

5. Get Early Cost Validation

• At schematic design stage, engage a fabricator for ROM (Rough Order of Magnitude) pricing. This helps confirm if your baseline budget is realistic before design progresses too far.

Casework & Millwork (20–30%)

• Exhibit furniture (benches, platforms, plinths)
• Display cases (freestanding + wall-mounted)
• Specialty joinery or scenic elements

Graphics Production (10–15%)

• Large-format wall graphics & murals
• Labels & signage (vinyl, direct-print, dimensional letters)
• Wayfinding elements

Mechanical Interactives (10-15%)

• Mechanical interactives (hands-on stations)
• Mock-ups
• Prototyping & testing

Linear Media & Digital Interactives (15-25%)

• Software Production

AV/Media Hardware & Integration (10–20%)

• AV hardware (projectors, monitors, servers)
• AV enclosures & mounting systems
• Control systems

Lighting Hardware Integration (5–10%)

• Integrated case lighting
• Specialty theatrical lighting for immersive scenes
• Fixtures, wiring, dimming controls

Specialty Fabrication (5–10%)

• Models & replicas
• Dioramas & scenic painting
• 3D printing or CNC work

Shipping, Installation & Rigging (10–15%)

• Crating & transport to site
• On-site assembly & finishing

Contingency / Value Engineering Allowance (5–10%)

• For cost overruns or substitutions
• May be reduced if budget is tight

• Simplify the physical design (e.g. avoid complex curves).
• Consider lower cost materials and finishes (e.g., high-pressure laminate instead of solid surface).
• Design to working yields for specified materials to avoid waste.
• Consider pre-engineered systems when suitable.
• Reduce AV and/or digital interactives.

While competitive bidding may look cheaper on paper because it can drive prices down, a “race to the bottom” can reduce the quality of the final product. Traditional bid projects are often plagued by change orders, redesigns, and delays that ultimately erode savings. Designers may specify details that later require value engineering, adding months to the project timeline and ultimately compromising the design intent. 

The design/build model engages a fabricator at the beginning of the design process allowing early cost control, as budgets are tracked through design, resulting in fewer surprises and more opportunities to integrate value engineering into the design process. Savings are more about avoided risk and time than the lowest per-item price. Because design and fabrication phases can be set up to overlap, this model also allows faster project delivery.

A fabricator can be engaged as early as Concept Design. While not essential, a fabricator can provide a ballpark cost check at this stage to avoid concepts being designed beyond the project budget.

If not using a design/build approach, it is typically best practice to engage a fabricator during Schematic Design. This way, the design team gets real-world cost/constructability feedback, and the museum avoids “designing twice” (once in drawings, once in fabrication). Many projects bring a fabricator on board in a pre-construction services agreement — a modest fee for estimating, advising, and prototyping before full fabrication contract during Schematic Design and Design Development. The contract can then be extended to fabrication following approval of the completed design.

Selecting the right exhibit fabricator is one of the most important decisions a museum can make. It’s not just about price, but also about quality, collaboration, and trust. Here’s a structured approach:

1. Confirm Your Project Needs

• Project Scope: Define the needs for casework, graphics, interactives (both mechanical and digital), AV integration, and lighting integration. 
• Level of Complexity: Are you looking for simple didactic displays or immersive tech-heavy interactive experiences?
• Budget Range: Consider the target budget for the project based on scope and complexity. Look for any misalignment or the need for value engineering based on any existing design work.
• Project Schedule: Some fabricators are booked months or even years out, so consider the total project timeline and the time set aside for fabrication and installation early.

2. Develop a Long List

• Use referrals from your exhibit designer, other museums, or industry groups (e.g., ASTC, AAM, ACM).
• Look for fabricators who have worked on projects of similar size, scope, and type (science center vs. history vs. children’s museum…large vs. small….simple vs. complex).

3. Prequalify Fabricators

Request a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to evaluate and create a short list of firms to whom you will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP). Typically, a short list would include 3-5 firms. Consider interviewing the short-listed firms before issuing the RFP. “Fit” can be just as important as qualifications when executing large multi-year contracts. 

• Portfolio of similar projects.
• Capacity (shop size, staff, ability to handle your budget).
• Experience with interactives, AV, or specialty work.
• References from recent museum clients.
• Confirmation of Financial Stability like a bonding letter (important for multi-million-dollar jobs).

4. Decide on Procurement Method

• Design–Bid–Build: You have already hired an exhibit designer and have completed the design phases of the work. Issue a complete detailed bid package; compare lowest qualified bidders.
• Design–Build / Negotiated: You have not hired an exhibit designer yet. Select a design/build team based on qualifications, then negotiate pricing as design develops. The selected designer and fabricator will work collaboratively through the design and fabrication phases to drive budget and schedule alignment and oversee quality of the build. The designer and fabricator do not need to be “under one roof”. Hiring a design/build team that is made up of independent firms ensures proper checks and balances.
• Hybrid: You have already hired an exhibit designer and have completed a master plan or some amount of conceptual design work. Prequalify 2–3 firms, then select one for pre-construction services. They will work alongside the designer to assist with budget alignment, schedule projection, and buildability analysis during the design phases before beginning fabrication.

5. Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

Your RFP should include:

• Scope of work.
• Budget range.
• Timeline.
• Evaluation criteria (price, experience, approach, creativity, capacity).

6. Evaluation Criteria

When comparing proposals/interviews, weigh factors like:

• Cost Realism: Remember, you get what you pay for! The lowest price may not be the best overall value.
• Experience: Evaluate experience with similar content and complexity.
• Approach to Value Engineering: Will they partner to keep the design within budget?
• Project Management Strength: How will they handle communication, scheduling, and reporting?
• Quality of Craftsmanship: Check out their work through site visits or shop tours if possible.
• Culture Fit: What’s important to your team?  Are they collaborative, transparent, and good at problem-solving?

7. Interview Finalists

If you did not interview potential firms before issuing the RFP. Ask:

• How do you collaborate with clients and designers to maintain the design intent?
• How do you handle budget overruns or scope creep?
• Can you share an example of a project that required heavy value engineering and your approach to budget alignment?
• Can you share an example of when you ran into an unexpected challenge and explain how you overcame it?
• What’s your QA/QC process before shipping and during installing?
• How do you handle warranty and post-opening support?

8. Check References & Visit Completed Projects

• Talk to past museum clients about delivery, communication, and problem-solving.
• If possible, visit an open museum exhibit they fabricated to see how well it holds up after years of public use.

9. Negotiate Contract

• Clarify what the contract includes regarding pre-construction services, design-assist, prototyping, shipping, installation.
• Build in allowances for mock-ups and contingency.

Do we want to include this??

Design Phase (before fabrication begins)

• Concept, schematic, design development, and construction docs: 12–24 months (for large projects).
• Smaller galleries/refreshes: 8-12months.
  (Fabricators may start advising during this phase, but aren’t building yet.)

2. Fabrication Phase

Once final design drawings are approved and contracts are signed:

• Small/medium exhibit ($1,000,000 – $3,000,000)
  🔹 8-12 months fabrication + 3 month installation.
• Medium/large exhibit ($3,500,000 – $7,000,000)
  🔹 18-24 months fabrication + 4-7 months installation.
• Large/complex exhibit ($7,500,000 – $15,000,000)
  🔹 24-30 fabrication + 7-10 months installation.
• Extra-large/complex exhibit ($15,000,000+)

🔹 28-36 fabrication + 8-12 months installation.

3. Key Timeline Factors

• Complexity of Interactives and Media: Custom digital interactives and AV integration can add months to the production process due to the development process as well as prototyping and testing.
• Prototyping & Mock-ups: This step can add time for projects with mechanical interactives, like children’s museums. However, this is time well-spent because it identifies challenges and prevents failure of completed exhibits.

Shipping & Site Conditions: Evaluate the alignment of the building construction/renovation schedule and the fabrication schedule. A dust-free space is required prior to exhibit installation, so site delays can delay exhibit delivery. Also consider the need for union labor, phased installation, or working around other trades.

kubik maltbie, of course! But in all seriousness, there isn’t a single “best” museum exhibit fabricator in North America — the right choice depends a lot on your scale, content, location, budget, and expectations. Here are some key factors that typically distinguish a “top” fabricator. Depending on your priorities, some will matter more than others:

1. Experience with similar content & complexity
   Do they have experience with interactive exhibits? Immersive scenery? Climbing structures? The right fabricator for your job will have extensive, documented experience building the type of exhibits you need for your project.
2. Quality & craftsmanship
   How well do their exhibits hold up over time? Museum traffic, environmental conditions, and conservation constraints all stress exhibits. A great fabricator builds for durability and longevity.
3. Ability to collaborate early (design-assist / pre-construction)
   One of the risk reductions comes from having the fabricator involved early so design and engineering can work in tandem, spotting cost or technical issues before too much is committed. If you’re looking for this service the right fabricator will not only have the necessary experience, but will also be collaborative and transparent.
4. Turnkey service vs. specialized scope
   Does the fabricator provide everything (design, prototyping, fabrication, shipping, installation) or only certain parts? If you’re looking for turn-key project delivery, you’ll want a fabricator with full capabilities and experience as a prime exhibit contractor.
5. Reputation, references, past work
   What do other museums say? Can you visit their prior exhibits and inspect their workmanship? Are their clients happy with timelines, budget, and final delivery?
6. Cost & value engineering
   The best fabricators are good at offering alternatives, materials substitutions, and suggestions that serve not only the budget but also the design intent.  The right fabricator will be able to help you stay within budget without compromising mission, vision, and quality.
7. Creative capacity
   Sometimes you want innovation, originality, and immersive storytelling.  A “safe” fabricator might deliver reliably, but the “best” often also brings creative problem-solving and enthusiasm.

kubik maltbie is considered best in class because:

Scale: We can handle tens of millions in fabrication contracts as the prime exhibit contractor.

Experience: We have 60+ years of museum projects including extensive experience with immersive, interactive experiences.

Collaboration: We frequently partner with leading museums and design firms in a design-assist and/or pre-construction consulting capacity to align budgets and scope.

Reliability: We are known for on-time, on-budget delivery of very complex projects.

We are considered a “go-to” fabricator for high-profile, complex, and politically sensitive projects and are often brought in on projects where there is zero tolerance for risk — we have deep capacity and experience managing large contracts.

Absolutely not. Engaging a fabricator early in the design phases can be incredibly beneficial. Design-assist and pre-construction services can help to align the design intent with target budgets and project timelines. If you haven’t engaged an exhibit designer yet, consider a design-build approach!