01 · Planning

Plan around the people who use the office

Begin with your team’s daily work. Someone who takes frequent calls may need a quieter spot away from printers and busy walkways. A person who works with drawings or paper files may need a larger desk than someone who uses only a laptop.

Count how many people need a workstation on your busiest typical day. Identify which employees need assigned desks and which can share. Count meeting seats and visitor seating separately so you do not confuse occasional seating with permanent workstations.

Ask employees what works in the current office and what gets in their way. Their answers can reveal needs that a furniture list misses, such as somewhere to store samples or enough desk space for two monitors.

Allow for planned hires, but distinguish confirmed positions from possible future growth. You can leave space for another desk without buying it months before it is needed.

02 · Space

Measure the room and the route into it

Measure each room’s length and width. Mark doors, door swings, windows, columns, outlets, and heating or cooling equipment on a simple floor plan. These details affect where furniture can go, even when the room appears large enough.

Add the actual dimensions of the furniture you are considering. Leave room to pull chairs out, open drawers, reach cabinets, and walk through the office. A desk may fit against a wall but still leave too little space for someone to sit down or move behind it.

Check the delivery route as well. Measure doorways and elevators, and note stairs, narrow halls, and tight turns. Ask which pieces arrive assembled and whether larger items can be brought in as separate components.

Share the layout and access details with the supplier before requesting a delivery quote. Ask building management to confirm any restrictions on furniture placement, access routes, and exits before you approve the plan.

03 · Budget

Budget for the full cost of the project

Compare what it will cost to get the furniture into place and ready to use. Request an itemized quote that lists the products, quantities, finishes, delivery, assembly or installation, and applicable taxes.

Ask whether there are extra charges for stairs, restricted delivery access, packaging removal, or work outside normal hours. If old furniture needs to go, confirm who will remove it and what that will cost.

Make sure competing quotes cover the same work. One may include assembly while another charges for it separately. Comparing only the furniture prices can hide a meaningful difference in the final total.

Buy the essentials first

Prioritize desks, chairs, and storage that people need to do their jobs. Include meeting and reception furniture if those spaces are needed from the start. Extra seating and decorative pieces can wait if the budget is tight.

Closeouts and scratch-and-dent items may be worth considering. Before buying, check their condition, available quantities, warranty terms, and return policy. Ask whether matching pieces will be available later if you expect to add more workstations.

04 · Furniture

Check how the desk and chair fit together

Try the chair at a surface close to the height of the desk you plan to buy. Check the seat-height adjustment, armrest clearance, and space under the desk. You should be able to reach your work without the desk edge or armrests getting in the way.

Choose a desk with enough depth for your equipment and daily tasks. A setup with two monitors and paper documents needs different space from a laptop-only workstation. Check cable openings and monitor-arm mounting requirements before choosing a model.

If you are considering a sit-stand desk, check the manufacturer’s height range and weight limit. Allow enough cable length for the desk to move through its full range without pulling on equipment. Check for shelves or other obstructions above and below the moving surface.

Browse office desk options to build a shortlist, then confirm the dimensions and features of each specific model before ordering.

05 · Shared areas

Make room for storage, meetings, and visitors

Take stock of the files, supplies, samples, and equipment the business keeps. Decide what each person needs nearby and what can go in shared storage. Check cabinet dimensions and leave enough space to open doors and drawers fully.

Choose a conference table for the number of people who usually attend meetings. Include space for chairs when occupied, people moving around the table, and any display or presentation equipment. A table’s stated seating capacity does not tell you whether it will fit your room.

In reception areas, consider where visitors enter and wait. Make sure seating does not interfere with doors, deliveries, or the route to the reception desk.

06 · Logistics

Confirm delivery and installation before ordering

Ask about availability and estimated delivery dates for the exact products, finishes, and quantities in your quote. A showroom display or catalog listing does not mean every item is in stock. If anything is backordered, ask whether it will delay the whole project or arrive separately.

Confirm who will assemble the furniture, put it in place, and remove packaging. If the project includes power or data connections, agree on who will arrange that work. Tell the supplier about loading areas, elevator bookings, permitted delivery hours, and any paperwork required by building management.

Assign one person to coordinate the order and share the approved layout with the delivery and installation team. When the furniture arrives, check quantities, finishes, visible damage, and moving parts. Report any problems according to the supplier’s stated process.

07 · Next steps

Bring your measurements to the showroom

Bring a floor plan, room photos, equipment measurements, staff numbers, budget range, and target move-in date. You do not need to have every decision made. These details give the discussion a useful starting point and help identify what still needs to be checked.

Use the visit to try chairs, compare finishes, and ask about the products on your shortlist. At 309 Office Furniture, you can also discuss commercial office planning and confirm which design, delivery, and installation services are available for your project.

Frequently asked questions