Let's face it. New cubicles are expensive. They take a long time to get them once they're ordered. The average cost of a typical 8' x 8' cubicle workstation is between $2,500.00 and $5,500.00 per workstation. Cubicles when ordered from major manufacturers such as Herman Miller, Haworth and Steelcase, can take 4-6 weeks to arrive once ordered.
So, what's the alternative to new workstations? Yep, you guessed it! Used cubicles! With the downturn in the economy, you'll find a whole range of choices for used cubes. Making the decision to purchase a pre-owned cubicle is often a good decision, financially speaking, and can be good on the environment as well! Used cubicles tend to cost between $350.00 and $1,100.00 per workstation.
Some of the advantages include the quickness in which you can have a used workstation up and running. Depending on the location, used cubicles are often "knocked down" in a warehouse somewhere (often stored by used cubicle brokers or office furniture installers). In this case, you can typically have them installed within a week or so. Other times, they are still standing in an office somewhere.
However, some of the disadvantages to used cubicles are the lack of choice, the condition, and the lack of customization. Basically, what you see is what you get. You don't get any of the manufacturer's original cubicle warranties. Used workstations are usually purchased "as-is" (and sometimes where-is) and do not include a warranty.