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AV tends to get figured out later than it should, usually once layouts are locked in and budgets are already under pressure. By that point, it’s less about getting it right and more about making it work.
We’ve been chatting with Juan Garcia over at Crossover AV, who has built a simple planning tool to bring a bit more clarity to that early stage. Their Meeting Room AV Planner is designed for RIBA Stage 2, helping you sense-check room types, expectations and budgets before things start to harden.
Most AV issues don’t come from bad decisions, they come from decisions made a bit too late. Tools like this just help move that thinking forward slightly, which usually makes everything else run a bit smoother. Worth a look if you’re working on early-stage projects and want fewer surprises down the line.
It’s not overcomplicated, and it’s not trying to be. Just a useful way to replace rough guesses with something a bit more grounded!
Read on to download a copy of the calculator!
Realistic Meeting Room AV Budgeting for Architects: A No-Frills Early-Project Cost Calculator You Can Use Today
In many office projects, meeting room AV only becomes a real focus once layouts are fixed, budgets are largely allocated, and delivery pressure is already high.
At that point, a lack of early AV cost and capability definition often shows up as frustration later — from end users, clients, and project teams alike. Rooms technically “work”, but don’t support how people actually want to meet, present, or collaborate. By then, options are limited and compromises are unavoidable.
To help address this earlier, we’ve created a simple planning tool – the “Meeting Room AV planner for RIBA Stage 2”.
This Excel-based calculator is designed for use at RIBA Stage 2 (early design / concept development), when decisions are still flexible and expectations are being set.
What the calculator helps with
The tool allows you to:
- Quickly define typical meeting room types (small, medium, large rooms and boardrooms)
- Select baseline video conferencing and performance expectations
- Generate indicative AV budgets per room, as well as overall project totals
It’s not a detailed design tool or a final cost plan. Instead, it’s a way to replace guesswork with realistic assumptions before projects move too far forward.
Why this matters
In our experience, many late-stage AV issues aren’t caused by poor intent or bad design — they stem from missing or unrealistic assumptions made early on.
Having a clearer view of AV cost and capability at RIBA Stage 2 helps:
- Reduce last-minute value engineering
- Avoid difficult conversations late in the programme
- Deliver meeting rooms that feel aligned with user expectations when projects are handed over
Download the calculator
The calculator is free to download and use.
You’ll also have the option to receive a monthly updated version, reflecting current UK pricing assumptions and typical office project scenarios.
👉 Download the Meeting Room AV planner for RIBA Stage 2-2604
At Crossover, we’re a London-based AV integration team and regularly support architects during early project stages — from initial cost planning through to design development and delivery. We cover a wide range of project types, including corporate, retail, leisure and entertainment. For project-specific advice, design development, or more detailed costing, please get in touch.
If you have something you’d like to share, reach out to us at press@fourthfloor.solutions