Overview
Event lighting is sold for the look, and the rig plan is the line that delivers it
Lighting technicians design and deliver the visual atmosphere for events. Weddings, theatre, concerts, corporate launches, art installations, retail openings, brand activations. The customer pictures the result (warm uplighters on the columns, a wash on the dance floor, a spotlight on the speaker, programmed colour changes for the dance section). The contractor is planning a rig: fixture choice, hang points, cabling runs, power calculation, dimmer or DMX control, and a programming session before the event. A flat 'event lighting, $1,200' quote that doesn't show the rig plan, the fixture count, and the programming hours leaves the customer comparing against a quote that promises more for less and delivers a few uplighters from the floor.
QuoteGenio gives lighting technicians a quoting shape that pairs design with delivery. Lighting design and rig plan as the first line, fixtures by piece with the spec (LED par, moving head, wash, beam, profile), truss or hang points and rigging labour, cabling and power supply, control desk and programmer time, on-event operator if needed, and breakdown labour. Send via WhatsApp or email to the planner or production contact with the rig plan attached, take a deposit at booking, and the final invoice closes with photos of the lit event for the contractor's portfolio.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of event, stage, festival, and installation lighting business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every lighting technician knows
Every gig has a different rig, different programmer hours, and different power spec. The quoting process should not be what stops you getting to the next patch.
Rigs are bespoke every booking
A 400 guest wedding wash, a corporate product launch with moving heads, and a festival front-of-stage rig share almost no kit. Rebuilding the rig list from scratch every enquiry kills your week.
Programmer hours get absorbed
A good wedding wash needs 3 hours of programming on the desk and an operator on the night. Lumped into a day rate, programmer hours disappear and your LD absorbs a day for free.
Corporate bookers compare fast
Production managers shortlist three lighting suppliers and book the first clean itemised PDF. A scribbled rig list tomorrow is the gig already signed.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A fast quoting workflow that handles per-day rig hire, programmer time, operator hours, and power distribution without the spreadsheet.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for lighting work
Line items for ETC Source Four profiles, Chauvet and Martin moving heads, wireless uplighters, LED battens, DMX control, dimmer racks, and truss. Structured the way LDs actually scope a rig.
Programmer time always visible
Programmer and operator hours as named lines with day rates. Your desk time stops disappearing into a lump-sum rig fee, and the client sees exactly what the creative work is worth.
Quote from the site visit
No laptop needed at the venue. Build the rig list and power plan on your phone during the visit and WhatsApp the PDF before you drive back to the store.
Track deposits and balances
Know which bookings have paid the deposit to lock the rig and crew, which corporate accounts are on monthly terms, and which have open variations from rehearsal day.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how lighting technicians actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Lighting Technicians choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Lighting Technicians build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Lighting Technicians job pricing
A rough guide to what lighting technicians and LDs charge for common rigs. Pricing varies with fixture count, programmer complexity, operator requirements, power phases, and whether the venue has rigging points or needs trussing. Use these as a reference when you set your own rate card.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Wireless uplighter package (12 RGBW uplighters, per day) | $ 280 - $ 550 |
| Moving head rig (8 Chauvet or Martin, per day) | $ 650 - $ 1,800 |
| ETC Source Four profile pack (12 units, per day) | $ 320 - $ 680 |
| Programmer time (on ETC Ion, grandMA, per hour) | $ 85 - $ 180 |
| Operator on show day (per day) | $ 420 - $ 780 |
| Power distribution (3-phase distro, per day) | $ 180 - $ 450 |
| Full wedding lighting package (150 guests, turnkey) | $ 1,400 - $ 4,200 |
Pricing shown in USD as a rough benchmark. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A site visit and rig plan should be paid lines on every quote. Most LDs charge $ 120 to $ 280 for a site visit and 0.5 day rate for rig design. List both on the quote so your creative and survey time is recognised as work, not free labour absorbed into show day.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use hourly pricing ($ 85 to $ 180 per hour) for programmer time, ad-hoc adjustments, and post-event re-cuts. Use fixed per-day pricing for rig hire, operator day rates, and turnkey packages where the scope is locked. Combine both on bigger corporate shows with a provisional sum for last-minute cues.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here is what a clean, itemised wedding lighting quote looks like. Uplighters, moving heads, programmer, operator, power, truss, and setup are all priced separately. Transparent quotes win weddings because the couple and their planner can see exactly what each element of the lighting rig costs.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Wedding lighting package, 150 guests, farm venue, wash and dancefloor
Wireless uplighter package (12 RGBW, programmed to brand colours)
Moving head rig (6 Chauvet Rogue R2X, dancefloor wash)
Programmer time (ETC Ion desk, 4 hours pre-show)
Operator on wedding night (10 hour day)
Power distribution (single-phase 32A distro, cable)
Truss and rigging (6m goalpost for moving heads)
Setup and strike (crew, 5 hours on-site)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless uplighter package (12 RGBW, programmed to brand colours) | 1 | $ 420 | $ 420 |
| Moving head rig (6 Chauvet Rogue R2X, dancefloor wash) | 1 | $ 950 | $ 950 |
| Programmer time (ETC Ion desk, 4 hours pre-show) | 4 | $ 120 / hr | $ 480 |
| Operator on wedding night (10 hour day) | 1 | $ 580 | $ 580 |
| Power distribution (single-phase 32A distro, cable) | 1 | $ 220 | $ 220 |
| Truss and rigging (6m goalpost for moving heads) | 1 | $ 380 | $ 380 |
| Setup and strike (crew, 5 hours on-site) | 5 | $ 65.00 / hr | $ 325 |
| Subtotal | $ 3,355 | ||
| Tax (10%) | $ 336 | ||
| Total incl. tax | $ 3,691 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
The programmer time to build the brand-colour uplighter palette, the operator on the night for cue triggers, the truss goalpost for the moving heads, the power distribution for a venue without mains near the rig, and the setup and strike crew. Add these to your standard wedding template so they do not disappear.
Peer snapshot
How Lighting Technicians actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Lighting Technicians on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
22
Quotes sent per month
64%
Average quote acceptance
4 min
Median time to send quote
$ 3,691
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Lighting Technician jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of lighting technicians. The same scoping gaps come up every wedding season and corporate quarter. Fixing these protects your creative margin, keeps production managers re-booking you every year, and stops the programmer time from disappearing into a lump-sum rig fee.
Mistake: Bundling kit and crew into a day rate
Better: Split kit hire (uplighters, moving heads, profiles) from crew (programmer, operator) with named lines. When a client negotiates the total, your creative and operator hours stay protected because they are visible on the quote.
Mistake: No programmer time line
Better: Weddings and corporate shows need 3 to 6 hours of programming on the desk before show day. Price programmer time as a named hourly line so your desk work is paid for and the client understands the creative labour.
Mistake: Forgetting power distribution
Better: A 12 uplighter rig plus 8 moving heads draws serious current. State the power spec required (typically 32A 3-phase for bigger rigs) and include a distro line with cable and dimmer racks. Never assume the venue has the right phases near the rig.
Mistake: No truss or rigging line
Better: Moving heads and bigger fixtures need truss, goalposts, or venue rigging points. Price truss as a named line (with rigger certification if the venue requires it) so the client sees the infrastructure the rig sits on.
Mistake: Flat rate for weekdays and weekends
Better: Saturday weddings and corporate galas are premium slots. Build a weekend and peak-season surcharge (typically 15 to 25 percent) into templates so a Tuesday AGM does not subsidise a Saturday wedding.
Mistake: No cancellation tiers
Better: State cancellation tiers (90 days, 30 days, 7 days) on every quote. Lighting kit and engineers are booked weeks in advance, so a late cancel has to cover the opportunity cost of the other booking you turned away.
Mistake: No travel or overnight for out-of-town gigs
Better: State a free travel radius (typically 40km from your base) and charge per km after that, plus overnight allowance for festival or destination gigs. Never absorb crew travel into the rig fee.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote lighting rigs
Before you price a rig, visit the venue or at least run a detailed tech call. Record room dimensions, ceiling height, existing rigging points, power phases and amperage near the rig position, and whether the venue has in-house dimming or you bring a distro. Confirm the creative brief: wash colours, moving-head positions, special cues (first dance, cake cutting, keynote reveal), and whether the client wants a branded palette for corporate shows. For weddings, ask about the couple's colour preferences, feature lighting (chandelier, fairy-light canopy, neon sign), and the coordination with DJ and MC cues. Record distance from your base in kilometres because crew travel and truck hours both bill separately.
Itemise kit, programmer, operator, power, truss, and crew on separate lines. Price wireless uplighters per package ($ 280 to $ 550 for 12 RGBW units), moving head rigs per day based on count and tier ($ 650 to $ 1,800 for 8 Chauvet Rogue or Martin MAC units), and ETC Source Four profile packs at $ 320 to $ 680 per day. Programmer time on ETC Ion, grandMA, or Avolites ($ 85 to $ 180 per hour) belongs on its own line with a minimum 3 hour block. Operator on show day at $ 420 to $ 780 per day. Power distribution (3-phase 32A with cable and dimmer racks) at $ 180 to $ 450 per day. Truss and rigging per line depending on format, with rigger certification noted if the venue requires it. Setup and strike crew at $ 38 to $ 65 per crew hour.
Set a 30 day validity and ask for a 40 to 50 percent deposit on booking to lock the rig and programmer. State cancellation tiers (90 days, 30 days, 7 days) because kit and engineers are booked weeks out. State travel policy: free within 40km, per-km beyond, plus overnight allowance for festival or destination gigs. For corporate clients booking multiple events a year, issue a framework quote with per-day rates locked for kit and crew then re-issue event-specific quotes referencing the framework. For weddings, state deposit as non-refundable because your Saturday slot turns away other bookings the moment you accept. Include a breakage and damage deposit for wedding uplighter rentals where the client handles positioning on the day.
Speed wins corporate bookings. Production managers shortlist three lighting suppliers and book the first clean itemised PDF. Build the quote from your site visit notes on the laptop at the venue, send the WhatsApp PDF link before you drive back to the yard, and follow up two days later. Convert the accepted quote to a deposit invoice on booking, a variation invoice if rehearsal day adds scope, and a balance invoice on show day or 7 days after. For repeat corporate clients, save the show as a template and re-quote next quarter in 5 minutes. Save creative briefs against each client so the brand-colour palette or preferred moving-head palette rolls forward automatically.
FAQ
Common questions from lighting technicians
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. QuoteGenio lets you structure quotes any way you like. Quote kit per day, programmer time per hour, operator per day, and the whole rig as a turnkey package. Mix uplighters, moving heads, power, and crew lines on the same quote with section headings so the client can read it.
Yes. Every quote is a branded PDF with your logo, rig list, power spec, and service terms. Share it as a link via WhatsApp and the production manager or wedding planner gets the full document on their phone instantly.
Programmer time is the pre-show desk work to build cues, palettes, and cue stacks. Price it per hour ($ 85 to $ 180) with a minimum 3 hour block. Operator time is the show day attendance to trigger cues and respond live. Price it per day ($ 420 to $ 780). State both on every quote so the creative labour and the show day labour are clearly separated.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link with a time-stamped accept button. When the client accepts, convert to a deposit invoice with one click. No printed PO chase or scanned signatures.
Yes. Issue a deposit invoice on booking (typically 40 to 50 percent) and a balance invoice on show day or 7 days after. Raise variation invoices for scope added at rehearsal. All invoices tie back to the same quote so your records stay clean.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports once your corporate pipeline grows.
State the power spec required (typically 32A 3-phase for bigger rigs, single-phase 32A for wedding uplighter packages) and include a distro line with cable and dimmer racks where needed. Never assume the venue has the right phases near the rig position. For venues with no mains, price a generator and sparky patch-in as named lines so the client understands the full cost of a greenfield setup.
Yes. Moving heads and bigger fixtures need truss, goalposts, or venue rigging points. Price truss as a named line with length, tonnage rating, and rigger certification if the venue requires it. State clearly on the quote whether rigging is flown from venue points or ground-supported from the truss so the venue ops team can plan access and sign-off.
Price per service day with a fixed day rate for kit, programmer, and operator. Add travel per km with overnight allowance for festival gigs where the crew cannot return home. State ground protection for festival fields and call out the power responsibility of the organiser versus you. Build a festival template so you can quote the next festival of the season in minutes.
Yes. Save your most common rigs as templates: 'wedding wash 150 guests', 'corporate product launch with moving heads', 'church install QSC K-series'. Each template pre-loads the kit list, programmer time, and crew plan. Save the creative brief against the client so brand-colour palettes roll forward automatically on the next booking.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Explore more
Related trades in Events & Hospitality
QuoteGenio is built for a whole family of trades. Explore other pages that might fit how you work.
Reviews
Trusted by tradespeople
Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"I like how simple it is. No learning curve. I created my first quote in a few minutes and sent it straight away."
Chris Botha
Carpenter · Bloemfontein
"Wedding packages have so many variables. Sharing a quote on WhatsApp and getting acceptance in the same hour has won me bookings I would have lost."
Elena Ortiz
Wedding Photographer · Barcelona
"Everything is in one place now. Quotes, invoices, and payments. I do not have to chase paperwork anymore, which saves me a lot of time."
Liam Smith
Builder · New York City
Guides
Guides for Lighting Technicians
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
Free forever plan
Start quoting faster. Win more jobs.
Create professional quotes in minutes, send instantly, and stay on top of your work without the admin slowing you down.
Free to start. No credit card required.