When it comes to setting up an office, the expenses involved can be extremely high. Not only will you have a lease or mortgage to contend with, but you may also have expensive equipment and employees to pay for, which can mean that there is not much of your budget left for office furniture.
However, more and more businesses are starting to realise that buying second hand furniture can not only save them a fortune, but also open up many more styles and options for them. That is why in this article, Auction News take a look at some of the best ways to kit your office out in second hand furniture.
Understand your needs
Before you part with any money, it is important to draw up a shopping list of all the things that you actually need. Sitting in an office furniture auction or walking through a furniture store can lead to the temptation to get a little carried away, and before you know it, you have bought three huge desks that won’t fit through the door of your office.
You therefore need to work out how many desks, chairs or lamps that you need, as well as the size of them. After all, you might buy the right number, but they still need to be small enough to fit into your space properly. Make sure you measure your space, ensure that there is enough room to move around and take into account any obstructions such as doors, pillars and radiators.
Budgeting
Second hand office furniture might be cheaper than buying it new, but you still need to set a budget and stick to it. Auctions can be places where the thought of cost gets thrown out of the window when you get sucked into the excitement of a bidding war. You therefore need to work out how much you need to spend, and what the maximum amount is that you are prepared to spend on each item. This means you will know when you have got a great deal and when it is time to walk away.
You should also factor in any hidden costs that might not be immediately obvious. Auction houses may charge fees, and you may need to hire a van or a professional removals company to transport all of your new furniture to your office. There is also the fact that some items might need cleaning or repairing, and so this should also be considered.
Style
Every business will have its own style, and your office furniture can help you to reflect that. When buying second hand, you are no longer confined to just buying what is in fashion, as you can choose from almost any style or era. Therefore, think about whether you want 1970s chic or Victorian opulence, and you can then focus your search. You might want to look out for specialist auctions aimed at the type of items that you want, look abroad or even focus on stores that might cater for your needs. Once you know your style, it is much easier to target your search.
Understanding the worth of furniture
When you set your budget, you know how much you want to pay, but do you know what each item you are looking for is worth? This can be important in order to ensure that you get the best value for money that you can. You therefore need to look at the age and condition of an item, the brand of it and how popular it is to know how much you should be paying for it. When you understand the value of what you want, you can calculate a fair price and make sure that you do not go beyond it.
Online or offline
The internet has opened up the world for us, and so there are lots more possibilities when it comes to shopping for second hand office furniture. This can allow you to be very specific in what you are looking for and compare a number of items side by side. It can also save you a lot of time and give you a lot more to choose from.
However, it is worth remembering that the internet is also capable of hiding a lot from you. Buying online means you do not have the opportunity to inspect the condition of the items and can only rely on the description that you are given. It is therefore important to buy through reputable dealers and auction houses who can get the items for you or offer you adequate protection if they are not as they should be.
Buying online can also be expensive, as there will be a lot of shipping costs involved, and these can rocket where large pieces of furniture are concerned.
Make sure that you read all of the terms and conditions when buying second hand furniture online to ensure that you know what your rights are. You should also stick to using secure methods of payment in order to protect yourself from any scams.
Life span
When you buy brand new furniture, it is likely to come with some sort of guarantee, so you can be confident it has a good few years of life in it, but this can be more tricky when buying second hand office furniture. Whilst some pieces will have been built to last, others might be a little flimsier, and so you cannot always be sure how much life they still have left in them. This is something that you need to take into consideration when making your choices and agreeing on a price, as you might need to replace it sooner than you think.
Second hand office furniture is not only more cost effective, but it can also produce some absolute gems that ensure your office is unique and stylish as well as functional. It can give you a lot more creativity when putting your workspace together, so make sure you have a plan and a budget and then enjoy shopping.
