REMOTE OFFICE | 8.5 MIN READ
Once a dedicated space in your house is set aside to be turned into a home office, the complicated task of furnishing it comes next. In this article, we'll break down each piece of office equipment into low, medium, and high-cost ranges and then give a few product recommendations. Keep reading to learn on average, how much it costs to set up and furnish a home office.
In general, purchasing a basic equipment bundle comprised of a desk, chair, printer, and laptop for a home office can cost the following amounts based on a low, medium, and high budget:
Low: $240-650
Medium: $1,000-2,100
High: $2,450+
Keep reading for more pricing insight and product recommendations!
Purchasing affordable and secure printers, business phones, and laptops for remote employees can become overwhelming and expensive. We can help! Check out our Remote Office webpage to learn more about our Remote Office Bundles.
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How Do I Set Up a Home Office?
Office Chair
Low Cost: Free-$100
If you're opting for a budget-friendly office chair, simply using a kitchen chair or other chair already in your house is free. Although these chairs are not the most comfortable to sit in for 8 hours a day, if you just want the basics to get started, you could try not buying one and see how it feels.
Major budget-friendly retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Target sell basic office chairs for those looking for a low-cost addition to their home office. A downside to buying a chair like this is that it may not be durable enough to last for a long time.
Medium Cost: $150-300
When you move into this price range, you can start to see a difference in terms of quality. These chairs are more ergonomic and more durable.
Additionally, at this price point you start moving away from major retailers known for cheap quality such as Walmart and Amazon, and you start moving towards brands more well-known for quality office equipment such as Staples and Office Depot.
High-End: $350+
At this price point, it may be a little harder to immediately distinguish differences between the chairs at a medium price point. However, if you look closer you'll notice some subtle differences and will have more customization options in terms of factors like tilt and back support.
Major office supply retailers such as Staples and Office Depot do sell chairs in this price point, but when you search for chairs in this price point, established luxury retailers such as Herman Miller start coming into play.
Our Recommendations
HermanMiller Aeron Chair
With a price point falling in our high-end range, this chair is well-reviewed for its durability, customization, and back support options.
To learn more about this model, click here.
Staples FlexFit™ Hyken Mesh Task Chair
This mid-range priced office chair has thousands of positive reviews online. It has amassed such widespread acclaim due to how its construction makes one feel as if they actually purchased a high-end chair.
To learn more about this model, click here.
Office Desk
Low Cost: Free-$100
Those who do not wish to invest much money in a home office desk, at least to start, may be able to use a foldable table from their garage or find a cheap desk at a thrift store.
However, for those looking to purchase a budget-friendly desk to start, major retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, and Target will have options. At this price point, many desks won't have drawers, be made of real wood, or be constructed in a large L shape. But for those with simple needs, an affordable solution can be found.
Medium Cost: $150-400
Major office retailers such as Office Depot and Staples come into play at this price point again, similar to with office chairs.
When you move into this price range, the desks will start to have additional features that the cheap desk won't, such as drawers, more sleek designs, and larger sizes. L-shaped desks can be found in this price point for those with executive tastes and needs.
High-End: $500+
High-end office desks give you a full range of customizable design options. While lower price points had less options in terms of design and sizing, at this price point the world is your oyster.
A main difference I notice in desks at this price point is that you start moving towards luxury retailers such as Bush Furniture, and that some desks also come with a built-in, above-head hutch for storage.
Our Recommendations
Flexispot Standing Adjustable Desk
This desk is priced within our medium-cost range, making it affordable for many remote workers. While this model was chosen partially because of the thousands of positive reviews it has online, it was also selected because of the recent surge in interest for standing desks.
As opposed to normal office desks which require the user to sit for long periods of time, a behavior more people are beginning to associate with negative health consequences, standing desks have gained notoriety for their ability to boost a user's energy levels, reduce back pain, and more.
To learn more about this model, click here.
Union & Scale™ Essentials 60" Powered Writing Desk
For those with a lot of technology to plug in, your desk can quickly become a tangled and unsightly mess of cables. This desk features a minimalist yet sturdy design that has been positively reviewed for its easy assembly, letting users get to work more quickly.
Additionally, users can visually declutter their desk through cable management holes and an integrated power strip with USB ports.
To learn more about this model, click here.
Printer
Low Cost: $40-100
Those without a home printer looking for a quick fix to outfit their home office with a machine to print work documents may turn to low-cost printers that are $100 or less.
Be warned though− while cheap printers may save you money up-front, the costs for cartridges, supplies, and maintenance can quickly add up.
Additionally, these machines are not business-grade, which means that they are not built for longevity. In the short-term these printers will be able to handle lower printing volume with a decent output quality.
However, these machines are not built for high print quality, which can become problematic when professional quality documents are needed. Additionally, when this printer eventually breaks, the maintenance costs will likely surpass the cost of the printer itself.
We recommend that remote workers refrain from purchasing machines in this price range.
Medium Cost: $200-500
For remote workers with slightly higher print volume looking to upgrade to a printer with higher output speeds and print quality, a medium-cost printer could be beneficial to your home office.
Major office retailers carry models in this price point, making these printers attainable for those with lower monthly print volume looking to invest in a more durable printer.
High-End: $600+
High-end printers are truly business-grade. Industry powerhouses like HP, Canon, and Sharp have models that make those with home offices feel as if they're printing in the office.
Models at these price points tend to boast high print and scanning speeds, high print quality, extensive security features, and more.
For those who need to print high-resolution images, those who scan a lot of documents, or those who print more than 400 pages per month, a high-end printer could be a worthy long-term investment.
If the price gives you sticker shock, leasing a printer can be a beneficial alternative, especially because maintenance can be built into contracts with a dealer.
RELATED: How Can Your Printers Have Security Risks?
Our Recommendations
The following business-grade printer recommendations were sourced from one of our Sales Managers who has deep industry expertise so that we can provide you with the most informed opinions.
HP P57750dw
While remote businesses typically value printers with high output speeds and print job quality, they should also value those with robust security features, seeing as hackers can potentially access sensitive company data through home printers. In general, the HP brand is known for print security, which is why we recommend
We recommend this printer for its security features, speed, price, and wireless printing options.
To learn more about this model, click here.
HP PageWide Managed Color MFP E58650
For those with heavy-duty printing needs, this machine can keep up. This printer was chosen for its speed, security features, and ease of use.
With a large print tray, 50 PPM printing speed, and user-friendly interface, you'll complete printing jobs faster, maximizing productivity.
To learn more about this model, click here.
RELATED: What is the Best Home Office Printer? [Top 6]
Laptop
Note: Keep in mind that if you want a computer with a hard drive as opposed to a laptop, these price ranges will likely be different.
Low Cost: $200-350
Brands like Acer, Dell, and Lenovo have budget-friendly options for those looking for a basic laptop for your home office.
Keep in mind however, that these low-end laptops likely have shorter battery life, less memory, and lower GPU and CPU.
Medium Cost: $500-900
Many home office employees purchase laptops in this range. A laptop within this price point will function just fine for everyday business needs.
For remote workers that use the same few programs and don't necessarily require a computer with the highest GPU and CPU on the market, a laptop in this range can be a good fit.
High-End: $1,000+
For those with extensive CPU, GPU, or security needs, high-end laptops are truly business-grade.
HP and Mac, two brands with high-end models in this price range, are widely used by business executives. While both are known for durability and high computing power, expensive HP models are also known for their extensive security features, which is beneficial for businesses looking to better secure sensitive information.
Our Recommendations
These business-grade laptop recommendations were sourced from our Director of Managed IT Services to provide you with the most informed opinions.
HP Probook 440
When businesses operations go remote, network security measures can become strained without the proper infrastructure to ensure a solid foundation, and trained employees to handle network issues.
Having the right laptop is one step businesses can take to better secure their remote networks.
As a Managed Service Provider, we used our cyber security expertise to keep data protection at the forefront when we built these bundles. The HP Probook 440 is an affordable option for businesses looking to secure company data.
With 32GB of RAM, various security features such as HP Secure Erase and HP Sure Click, and more, this business-grade laptop is durable and can keep up with a remote worker's needs.
To learn more about this model, click here.
Lenovo Thinkpad E-14
With a 10th Generation Intel core processor, this laptop sits at the junction of affordability and durability. For remote workers looking to furnish their home offices with a laptop that will hold up over time, look no further.
The Thinkpad E-14 line comes with a few models, allowing you to custom-pick a laptop with the specifications you need.
To learn more about this model, click here.
How Do I Set Up a Home Office?
Consider Your Budget
The length of time you'll be working from home can impact your office equipment budget. For instance, if you're only working remotely for a few months, you may not wish to invest in expensive monitors and a luxury office chair.
Carefully consider how much you're willing to spend on your equipment, and be sure to consider all the smaller purchases too, such as calendars, decorations, mousepads, and more.
If you will be working from home permanently and are looking to buy a range of equipment to outfit your home office, consider leasing equipment like laptops and printers instead of buying.
When you lease this equipment, the costs are spread out over a period of time, letting you afford high-end equipment that you don't have the up-front capital to purchase.
Additionally, when you lease technology, you may have service or automatic upgrades built into your contract, as opposed to outright buying a piece of equipment and being stuck with the maintenance costs down the road.
Perform the Technical Setup
When transitioning to a home office, the technical planning beforehand is the most crucial factor that will determine a successful and seamless transition.
Keep reading to see what steps you should take to prepare for a transition to a home office.
Update/Patch Necessary Cyber Security Software
Before taking your network remote, audit all computers within it to ensure that all antivirus and anti-malware are working properly. Make sure that all antivirus and anti-malware are running the latest version so that all security gaps are patched.
Additionally, if you want to be really thorough in an examination of your network, check that all computers on your network are free of any security gaps.
Consider if you want to install additional security software such as endpoint protection, email filtering, etc.
Set Up Remote Communication Platforms
When working remotely, you may need more communication channels than just email. Consider which additional communications platforms that you wish to implement.
If you have a unified communications platform, you may already have services such as instant messaging and virtual conferencing bundled in. Check to see if you have any of these platforms before looking at buying/leasing a new software.
For instance, Elevate includes virtual conferencing platform AnyMeeting with all unified communications packages.
If you wish to set up instant messaging platforms, consider Slack or Microsoft Teams. If you already have Office365 set up, you and any co-workers should be able to access Teams.
Planning for remote meetings may become a little tricky, but by setting up virtual conferencing platforms, you will be able to have phone and video conferences.
Consider platforms such as Zoom or AnyMeeting for virtual conferencing. As long as employees have a fairly strong Internet signal, conferencing should be able to take place with minimal issues.
When you're planning for remote conferences, you also need to consider whether or not you wish to purchase headsets or microphones to enhance the sound quality during meetings.
Conduct a Remote Test Run
Before going remote, consider conducting a test run to address any issues that pop up. Work remotely from home for a few hours and monitor your productivity and performance.
Make sure that your computer is functioning fine, your remote communications platforms aren't hindering productivity, your office space is optimized for productivity, and your WiFi connections are secure. Additionally, consider checking to make sure that there are no security gaps that pop up.
RELATED: 3 Steps to Set Up a Home Office
While furnishing a home office can be exciting, as it means that you're taking a next step in your career, the task of finding the proper tools to outfit your office can be daunting.
We hope that this article made this project a little easier for you.
As a Managed Service Provider that helps clients transition to a remote environment, we aim to use our expertise to educate our audience about how to choose the right office technology for their needs.
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