The office of the 21st century bears little resemblance to its predecessor of 50 or 60 years ago. The person who occupied the desk next to your father or grandfather in 1955 was probably the same person who sat next to him in 1965. Things moved slow. Jobs lasted a lifetime. Today globalization, the Internet, mobile computing and more have forced companies to embrace flexibility and sent shock waves through the traditional office environment. Companies expand, contract or shift focus at breakneck speed in order to stay current with the demands of the marketplace and their offices must be able to adapt to the ever-changing realities.
To meet the demands of the contemporary office more and more companies have embraced modular wall systems. These moveable partitions have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years at the same time they have become generally more affordable. But while the cost of modular walls have come down to earth they can still represent a significant investment and as such it is important to know what you are buying and why before you put money into modular walls.
The Advantages of Demountable Wall Systems Include:
- Flexibility – Gone are the days of having to call the carpenter, electrician, drywall guys, painters and carpet company every time you wanted to rearrange the office. Demountable wall systems change when you change and go where you want them to go.
- Minimal Down Time – Modular walls can be rearranged overnight or over the weekend to begin serving their new purpose the next business day, ensuring that your company’s operations don’t miss a beat.
- Affordability – Since you no longer need to have a half dozen tradesmen answer the call every time you want to move a wall you also no longer receive the bills that came with them. Add to that the fact that your business no longer suffers from the attendant disruptions that come with demolition and construction and your savings become both apparent and significant.
- Environmental Friendliness – The mountains of refuse that used to be generated by the demolition of walls were destined for nothing but the landfill. With modular wall systems your new office is created without generating any waste products. A big environmental plus.
- Aesthetic Integration – Today’s modular walls come in a wide variety of designs, materials and textures so you can always find a look that will settle in nicely with your established business aesthetic.
- Additional Options – Built-in white boards, tack boards and accommodation for all relevant electrical, Internet and HVAC utility lines make modern architectural wall systems the office manager’s best friend.
Modular Wall Systems – Determining Cost
The modular walls of today are as different from yesterday’s accordion-style temp walls as a smartphone is from the old rotary phone. Before purchasing a modular wall system however, you need to have a clear idea of what you need and why and have and at least a rough idea of how much it will all cost. Here are some factors to consider that will influence that cost.
- Your Ultimate Goal – Is your goal to increase conferencing space? To make more efficient use of existing space? Are you hiring more staff? Reorganizing departments? Consolidating operations? You can’t begin to determine cost until you first determine your goal.
- Existing Decor – Most companies today understand the importance of brand reinforcement and the role that plays in determining the layout and decor of their offices. All visual aspects a company presents to the public should reflect the same overall design aesthetic and to that end the modular walls you purchase should fit seamlessly into your existing company design ethos or be an integral part of a redesign.
- Interconnectivity – Most contemporary modular wall systems provide the option of integrating modular furniture as well. This is an incredibly convenient aspect of modular construction but opting for it will affect the final cost of your new wall system.
- The Future – As your company grows and changes you will, at some point, need to rearrange your modular walls. Do you have the experienced maintenance personnel needed to handle the task? If not, then you must consider what it will cost to hire outside personnel for the job. While any cost incurred for this purpose will be a fraction of what the contractors of old would have charged to demolish and build new walls, it is nonetheless a potential cost that should be considered when purchasing your new demountable wall system.
- Putting It All Together – Now that you know exactly what you want to do, have determined the style that’s right for your office and know who will be tasked with rearranging your walls when future need arises, you need to determine how many of each type of wall section you will need – how many simple partitions, how many floor to ceiling sections, how many that incorporate glass or other additional options and how many sections with doors. Each can be a different price and it is at this point that you will start to get an idea of your total cost.
The office of the 21st century is a vibrant, technology driven, environmentally aware arena for engagement with the world. The days of smoked filled offices full of ½ ton desks and foot thick walls have gone the way of the dinosaur and few people are shedding any tears about that. But if your company is going to compete today you need to be driven, in touch with shifting consumer attitudes and above all, flexible. Your workspace needs to adopt the way of the theatre and be ready and able to change as circumstances require. Few things will allow you to do that like modular wall systems.
Give us a call toll free at 1-844-468-1468. We can help guide you through the process of determining your needs and costs and will be happy to answer any questions you may have about modular wall systems and their many applications.
