Whether you are building a new workspace or plan to refurnish the existing office, it is pretty natural that the first thing you will want to know is how much should you spend on the office setup.

There is no universal formula that will help you to count the cost of office furnishing precisely. The furniture market is pretty broad and compatible; it offers numerous options for customers, from discounts for bulk orders to buying second-hand office furniture, which naturally allows you to save a lot of money.

The cost will, of course, depend on how much and what kind of office furniture you may need.

It may depend on the following factors:

  • The industry and niche of your business;
  • The number of employees in the office and how much time do they spend there;
  • The size of the available office space, its floorplan and peculiarities;
  • The concept and image of the brand.

Some companies require wide-open spaces; others need some advanced storage solutions. There are offices that allow you to build numerous cubicle workstations for employees providing them with necessary privacy at the workplace. At the same time, some companies otherwise prefer open-plan shared workstations that allow the whole team to communicate and work together.

Of course, all those factors will affect the choice of furniture for your office as well as its cost.

In this article, we shall discuss what should you consider while counting the cost of your office setup and how to save money on office furnishing without the need to compromise on its quality and convenience.


Which items are essential for office furnishing?

Before we start talking about the cost of office furnishing, it is important to define which items appear essential for the setup.

Some offices are built to hold regular team meetings or receiving visitors and customers; others are vice versa, very private. Depending on those factors, you may need some additional furnishing pieces such as reception desks, conference tables, waiting room furniture, etc.

However, there are specific groups of furnishing that are essential for every office and therefore form the backbone of the setup cost:

  • Office Desks;
  • Office Chairs;
  • Storage solutions.

Let's focus on them to determine your office furniture budgeting.

From our experience, the best way to price office furniture is by the number of workstations. You can then simply multiply the number of your employees by the cost per workstation to get the idea of the total cost for the whole office.
Obviously, there are two ways to go on about buying office furniture - brand new and second hand.

The cheapest brand new set of furniture for a single worker (chair, desk, storage pedestal) costs around £340 + VAT.

For second hand office furniture the total for the same size set is around £150 + VAT.

Therefore, opting for used office furniture saves you about 65% with the cheapest, most basic setup. If you want to go for higher end, deciding on used office furniture can save you up to 90%, compared to brand new - value loss of premium brands office furniture can be drastic.

Prices above are based on the UK commercial office furniture market in Q3 2023.

 Choosing the right desk for your office

A desk is the heart of any office, a centerpiece that defines the whole style of work, comfort and productivity at the workplace. Whether we are talking about large international companies or new startups, office desks are integral parts of the work process.

High-quality office desks are also multifunctional. Except for having enough surface for your computer, printer, phone, essential papers and other necessary equipment, they also provide additional storage solutions, drawers and shelves that allow you have everything you need at your hand without creating chaos at the workplace.

Customization options are also essential for a quality office desk. They allow adjusting its height, adding or reducing work surface, storage options, etc. Today's market offers a wide choice of office desk models, from the classic rectangular ones to ergonomic options, which help to save and optimize the available space.

Considering all those features as well as quality materials that make your workplace safe, versatile and durable, a quality office desk cannot be cheap. Depending on your expectations and demands, you may need to prepare from several hundred to several thousand pounds if we are speaking about executive office desks.

However, if you choose to buy second-hand office furniture, you get a chance to receive high-quality and even high-end items at a perfectly reasonable price.

 

An office chair is the key to success.

Studies show that the poor quality of office chairs is the primary reason for workplace accidents and injuries in the office. Moreover, there is a solid link between the quality of an office chair and the efficiency and productivity of the employee who sits in it.

A good office chair protects your posture, prevents muscle strain and back pains. It is perfectly adjustable according to your height and physical peculiarities.

It is essential to buy office chairs from reputable manufacturers that provide warranty for their products, use high-quality materials and have customization options.

Buying in bulk with certainly save you some money as most sellers provide discounts for such deals. However, you may save even more and get truly high-quality office chairs once you address the second-hand office furniture market. In this case, you can afford to buy items from reputable brands and choose among well-tested models while staying within your budget.


Storage solutions for your office

As we have already mentioned, most quality office desks provide convenient storage options. However, sometimes you may need additional solutions like shelves, drawers and bookcases.

In this case, the aesthetics of your storage units are not less important than their functionality. Addressing the second-hand office furniture market will give you access to a limitless choice of designs and options, guarantee that you will easily find your perfect setup and optimize your budget without having to compromise on quality and design.


Office setup is an investment into your business with almost an immediate payback. Quality office furniture is essential for the comfort, safety and therefore productivity of each employee. That is why it is essential to remain open-minded while planning your office furnishing setup, consider all available options and enjoy benefits provided by the second-hand and refurbished office furniture market.