Guides / Buying & Budget
LED display quotation checklist: what a complete quote must include
5 min read · Updated October 2026
A complete LED display quotation describes a working, installed screen, not a box of panels. It should state the exact model and specification, the structure and mounting, power and data work, the control system and software, installation and commissioning, warranty terms with where they are honoured, held spares, delivery and timeline, and a clear list of exclusions. If any of those lines is missing, ask for it in writing before you compare prices.
What must the specification section state?
The specification must name the brand and model and give the numbers that define the screen: pixel pitch, LED package type (SMD, GOB or COB), cabinet size and material, screen dimensions in cabinets and metres, total resolution, brightness in nits, refresh rate in hertz, IP rating front and rear for outdoor work, and typical and maximum power consumption.
Vague wording is the warning sign. “P3 outdoor, high brightness” is not a specification; “P3.91 SMD outdoor, 960 × 960 mm aluminium cabinets, 6 × 3 cabinets, 5,500 nits, 3,840 Hz, IP65 front and rear” is. Ask for the manufacturer’s datasheet for the exact model so every number can be checked against it.
Does the quote include structure and mounting?
It should say exactly what holds the screen up and who designs, fabricates and installs it. For an indoor wall that may be a wall bracket system or a free-standing frame; for an outdoor billboard it is a steel structure, foundation and access arrangement engineered for wind and seismic load.
Structure is the line most often missing from cheap quotes, and on outdoor projects it can be one of the largest. Check whether the quote covers civil work, steel painting or galvanising, cladding around the screen edge, and any crane or scaffold hire. If the quote says “structure by client”, you need a separate engineer and fabricator, and responsibility for alignment problems becomes unclear.
What about power, data and control?
A good quote lists the power distribution board, breakers, cabling from your supply point, earthing, and any surge protection or voltage stabilisation, because Nepal’s grid swings and outages are hard on LED power supplies. It should state whether a UPS or generator changeover is included or assumed to exist.
On the control side, look for the sending card or controller, receiving cards, video processor if needed, the media player or PC, and the content software and licence. If you want remote or scheduled playback, the quote should name the CMS and say whether any subscription is involved. If the screen will be filmed, the refresh rate and processor must support it.
Is installation and commissioning spelled out?
Installation should be described as labour by the supplier’s own team, including assembly, alignment, cabling, colour and brightness calibration, content system setup and a handover with basic training. Ask whether installation is in-house or subcontracted, because it decides who answers the phone when something goes wrong.
The quote should also give an indicative timeline from order to handover. Typical screens of about 2 × 1.5 m to 4 × 2.5 m take two to three days on site including structure, and larger or complex spans take five to seven, but shipping and fabrication come first. Our guide on the installation process covers the sequence.
What should the warranty and spares section say?
It should state the warranty period, what it covers, who honours it and where. For the LED lines we supply, that is a two-year manufacturer warranty honoured locally, with spares held in Kathmandu; a warranty that requires you to ship modules abroad is a very different thing on paper and in practice.
Ask how many spare modules, power supplies and receiving cards come with the screen, and confirm they are from the same production batch so colour matches. Ask for response times for a fault and whether an annual maintenance contract is offered after the warranty, and what it includes.
What exclusions and terms should you check?
Every quote has exclusions; a good one lists them. Typical exclusions are building modifications, permits and approvals, electrical supply upgrades to your meter, content creation, and damage from lightning, flooding or misuse. Knowing them now avoids variation orders later.
Also check validity period, payment milestones, delivery terms, whether taxes and duties are included, and who carries the risk until handover. For tenders, confirm the supplier can provide the documents the tender demands — manufacturer authorisation, CE and RoHS certificates and work completion certificates are the usual ones.
For questions of cost itself, our guide to what drives LED display price explains why two complete quotes can still differ, and how to read them side by side.
The short version
- A quote should describe a complete, installed, working display, not just panels.
- Insist on the exact model, pitch, brightness, refresh rate and IP rating front and rear.
- Structure, power work and commissioning are the lines most often left out of cheap quotes.
- Warranty terms only matter if they say who honours them and where spares are held.
- A written exclusions list is a sign of an honest quote, not a weak one.
- Ask whether installation is done in-house or subcontracted.
Common questions
What should an LED display quotation include?
It should include the exact model and full specification, the structure and mounting, power and data cabling, the control system and software, installation and calibration, warranty terms and where they are honoured, spare parts, timeline and a list of exclusions. Anything missing should be clarified in writing before you compare quotes.
Why is one LED quote much cheaper than another?
Usually because it leaves things out — the steel structure, power work, commissioning, spares or a locally honoured warranty — or quotes a lower specification such as a front-only IP rating. Compare quotes line by line rather than on the total.
Should an LED quote include the steel structure?
Yes, for any outdoor or large indoor screen the structure should be in the quote or explicitly excluded. It is often one of the largest lines on an outdoor job, and leaving it to a separate contractor splits responsibility for alignment and safety.
How do I check an LED display specification is genuine?
Ask for the manufacturer’s datasheet for the exact model named in the quote and check pitch, brightness, refresh rate and IP rating against it. For tenders, ask for manufacturer authorisation and CE and RoHS certificates.
Do LED quotes in Nepal include VAT and customs?
It varies by supplier, so check the quote states clearly whether taxes and import duties are included. A quote from a local supplier for delivered, installed equipment should make this explicit.
Where to go next
More in Buying & Budget
Want this applied to your site?
We survey the site free, then spec the pitch, brightness and structure around what it actually needs.
Book a site survey