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What’s the real difference between a €3,000 booth and an €8,000 booth?
What’s the real difference between a €3,000 booth and an €8,000 soundproof booth? What features should you demand? What red flags should you avoid?
If you are looking to invest in soundproof booths or office pods, this series of blog posts was written for you.
Over four posts, we’ll explain different aspects of booths in simple to understand language, covering all the key aspects from soundproofing and ventilation to comfort and durability.
We’ll show you how booths are built, how different manufacturers make different engineering decisions. We’ll even tell you how some manufacturers cut corners to save money. And then we’ll show you how to spot it before you part with your own money.
At Persy Booths, we make booths. It’s in our name. But we’re not telling you which booths to buy. We’re just giving you the information so you can make that call for yourself.
Ready for the facts? Let’s lift the lid.
This is blog 4 in the series. You can also explore:
- Blog 1: Soundproofing
- Blog 2: Ventilation
- Blog 3: Comfort
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In this article, we’ll cover
- What affects long-term durability
- Where manufacturers cut corners
- What to look for – and what to avoid
The truth about durability
Since you’re making a large investment into your office and your team, you want to make sure soundproof booths don’t become obsolete or worn out in a couple of years.
If you buy a soundproof phone booth, you want it to last longer than your phone.
A higher-quality booth will stand the test of time, but this boils down to more than just features.
Say no to cutting corners or flimsy hinges
To keep the cost low, some manufacturers cut corners.
And while there's a limit to how many corners they can cut on soundproofing and ventilation (they wouldn’t be able to get away without any fans, for example), they frequently use cheaper materials when building it.
Flimsy door hinges, for example, will wear out over time leaving imperfect door seals that affect soundproofing performance.
No loose screws...
Also take a good look at the way things are screwed together.
Anything screwed directly into wood is a bad sign.
It’s cheaper to do, but weaker over time, and if the booth ever needs to be moved or reassembled, it will inevitably become damaged or misaligned.
Also check that you can get access to electronics without needing to reconstruct the booth.
The option of mobility
Talking of reassembling, look out for booths with wheels.
It may sound simple but we’ve seen examples of clients paying a lot of money to move a booth just a few metres.
A small investment that you will only find on decent quality booths.
Warranty = trust
A good guide to quality can be seen in the warranty.
Industry-standard is three years, but some will only offer two years because they don’t expect their booths to last as long.
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Are you paying for a booth or paying for the reseller mark up?
One final point could save you a lot of money.
We’ve talked about “cheap booths” throughout this guide and by now we hope you have a better understanding of why they are cheaper to buy.
But don’t forget that, if you buy through a reseller channel, they can add 40% or more transforming a relatively affordable booth into a more expensive purchase, without improving the quality.
With the mark-up, expensive booths can sometimes be cheap booths in disguise!
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What more truths about booths?
Want more truths about booths?
Click on the links below for some more straight talking on other topics:
- Blog 1: Soundproofing
- Blog 2: Ventilation
- Blog 3: Comfort
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• Durability depends on build quality, not just features
• Cheap components wear out quickly
• Fixings and assembly methods matter
• Warranty is a strong signal of quality
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In summary
Durability isn’t always obvious when you first look at a booth. In fact, most products look solid enough at the start. The real differences only become clear over time.
That’s why it’s important to look beyond the surface. The quality of the materials, the way components are fixed together, and the thought that has gone into long-term use all play a part in how well the booth will perform after months or years of use.
A well-built booth will continue to do its job without issues. A poorly built one will start to show signs of wear – and those issues often affect performance as well as usability.
As with the other blog posts in this series, we’re not telling you that Persy Booths is the best option for you. You can make your own decision – we’re just trying to give you the facts you need to make it.
Another important guarantee is that your supplier gives you the option of returning the booth.
If your needs change, you should be able to change your mind about buying.
So if you buy a Persy Booths product and decide it’s not for you, you can return it with a full refund and no questions asked.
(It’s just that no one has ever done that yet.)
If a manufacturer isn’t willing to stand behind it for at least three years, there’s usually a reason.
- A warranty of at least 3 years
- High-quality door hinges
- Easy access to electronics
- Limited use of screws that screw directly into wood
- Cheap, flimsy-looking fixings
- A warranty of 2 years or less
- Anything screwed directly into wood
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