Reusing office furniture? Audit what you have before you order
Turn an existing furniture inventory into a purchasing plan by checking condition, fit, missing parts and move costs before approving the new order.
Count what can actually move
An inventory might show 60 workstations while the new floor plan needs only 45. That count alone tells you little about whether the existing pieces can furnish the new space. A workstation may depend on a shared support, a particular power component or a top that only fits one orientation. Start the audit before the dealer prices the new furniture, while the designer can still adjust the layout.
Give each piece or workstation cluster an inventory ID and record its location, dimensions, model or label, finish and condition. Photograph the underside of worksurfaces and any labels or connectors that will be hard to identify later. Separate the quantity you own from the quantity you have inspected and approved for reuse. The EPA’s commercial building waste guide identifies repair and refurbishment as ways to extend the useful life of existing products. The audit helps determine where that approach makes sense on this project.
Draw the retained pieces in the new space
Ask the designer to show exactly where each retained furniture type will go. For a workstation, compare the existing top depth, panel heights and storage locations with the new layout, and have the project team review clearances and power and data access. For shared tables, check base placement against the seating plan and confirm the route into the room, including elevator and doorway constraints.
Ask the dealer or installer to verify one representative assembly before counting on a larger group of matching pieces. When two generations of a system look alike, confirm compatibility and replacement-part availability with the manufacturer. Record the proposed disposition next to each inventory ID: reuse as-is, repair, hold for parts, or remove. Give each unresolved item a decision owner and deadline.
Price the move and the purchase on the same basis
Have the dealer and installer show the cost of disconnecting, disassembling, labeling, transporting and reinstalling retained pieces. Add any cleaning, replacement hardware, temporary storage or phased work that the reuse option requires. Compare that scope with the delivered and installed cost of new furniture, and identify any removal work common to both options. GSA’s workplace waste guidance points to reuse or refurbishment when existing furniture is in good condition. Actual labor and timing still depend on the project.
Before releasing the purchase order, give the end user a room-by-room list showing what will move, what will be purchased and which decisions are still open. For example, if only 38 of the 45 planned stations can be rebuilt from inspected components, quote the seven-station gap separately and set a deadline for resolving any remaining parts questions. That gives facilities, design and purchasing one list to work from when the move date approaches.
Bring the conversation to your project.
Edgewater Contract connects dealers, designers and commercial end users with represented furniture manufacturers across Southern California, Hawaii, Nevada and Arizona. Territories vary by manufacturer.
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