Office Chairs Prices and Buyer’s Guide
Posted by Oze Parrot on November 17th, 2005
There are chairs, suitable for your office needs, that are quality products and priced so as not to break your budget.
Getting quotes or tenders, or just shopping around is a critical stage of finding out where to buy the most suitable seating for your needs, at the right price.
You can waste money by buying cheap, poor quality products or, on the other hand, by buying good quality office chairs at an inflated price.
Here are some examples of a variety of office chairs, available today.
“Executive Seating” - can range in price from $90 to well over $1,000. Depending on your personal taste, a suitable, executive style chair can be found for $400 to $600.
“Task Seating” - can range from $40 to $350.
Again the price depends on your personal requirements, but you will have to pay around $75 for something that is adequate and maybe $150 for better quality items.
“Managers Seating” - I would expect that you will pay at least $200 and up to $500 for suitable, good quality Manager style, office chairs.
“Guest Seating” - can range from $40 to $180. Depending on your needs, the lower end of the price range may be just as suitable as the upper.
“Breakroom Seating” can be served by stacking chairs or steel folding chairs. Stay away from the aluminum framed, vinyl seated and backed folding chairs as they have very low weight-ratings. In quantities, usually of 100+, steel folding chairs can be priced as low as $9.92 each. Individually, they can run from $21-$29.
Many merchants will provide a discount for bulk purchasers, so always ask for a concession on your multiple orders.
There are various types of seat covering materials available and you will need to choose what is best for your needs.
Leather is a marvelous option for executive and guest seating in the executive office. It exudes quality and style, lasts a long time, is easy to keep clean, and molds to the body for greater comfort. Leather, however, is not so comfortable in a non-air conditioned office.
Fabric covers are appropriate for areas where staining isn’t an issue and are more comfortable than leather in a room without air conditioning.
Fabric is a good covering for “task seating,” and “guest seating” in public areas.
Microfiber covers have the look and feel of suede and are easily cleaned as well as extremely durable. Typically, microfiber covering is a good, cost effective alternative to leather and gives a quality look to the office setting. Its durability and lesser cost also lends itself to an appropriate option for “task seating.”
“Mesh and matrex” seats are fabric covered with mesh which allows for greater “breathing” of the body while seated, allowing for greater comfort. It’s an excellent option for “managers and task seating.”
Your choice of frame construction is also important and depends upon your needs and personal taste.
The decision on steel, wood, aluminum, or composite material framing will depend on the intended use of the chair. All are generally durable frames, but steel and wood (oak and cherry especially) have an edge when it comes to heavy work use and durability.
Decisions on framing materials also depend on the weight of the persons that will be using the chair, heavier persons need the strength of steel or wood construction.
Always check the weight-rating of a chair before making your decision.
Pneumatic and ratchet adjustments are available on most executive and task chairs. The pneumatically adjusted chairs are the easiest to operate for efficient, individual height adjustments. Be sure to check the weight-rating of the pneumatic adjustments. For those who exceed the pneumatic adjustment weight-ratings, ratchet adjustment chairs are generally preferable.
Ergonomic options are available on a wider range of seating styles, but are most common on “task chairs.” These options include pneumatic gas lift, swivel and tilt control, height adjustment arms, and adjustable back height and angle.
Remember that prices of office chairs will depend on the frame construction, type of chair, seat materials, and ergonomic options.
When purchasing chairs for yourself or your employees, always have the seats tested, by sitting on them for a reasonable period of time. This will enable you to determine if there are any irregularities in the chair that will make your working hours uncomfortable.
For more information visit our website at: Chair Hunter
Stumble it!