In This Post:
List of equipment for home-office
Cost of setting up a home office
Backed by the recent wave of technological advancement and social distancing, the work-from-home routine is quickly being adopted by professionals from almost every field. If you have also been affected by these changes, here’s the total cost of building a home office in Pakistan, along with the list of essential material, furniture, and fixtures that are required for a dedicated workspace in your house.
Let’s get working… remotely!
List of Essential Furniture, Fixture, and Equipment for Home-Office
As mentioned at the beginning of the blog, we will first share a list of essentials that your office cannot do without. Office stationery, telephone, computer, printer, and working desk, are some of the key equipment that separates your workspace from home. So, we have compiled the ultimate list of furniture, fixture, and office equipment that will help you work comfortably and carry out your work from home. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Latest Computer System
- Strong Internet Connection
- High-Quality Media and Other Necessities
- Adequate Office Supplies
- Relaxing or Meeting Corner
- Productive Work Desk
- Comfortable Work Chair
Cost of Building a Home Office in Pakistan
A home office is more than just some slabs of wood slapped on the wall, some filing cabinets, and a rotating chair. To help yourself get distant from the home chores and completely immerse in your office work, you have to build a plan where everything – from laptop to office stationery – fuses to enhance your productivity.
Further, setting up an office at home or a dedicated space for working from home is one of the great ways to maintain a healthy work-life balance while working from home. So, this comprehensive list will help you plan and execute a productive home-office, along with the cost that you should keep in mind.
Latest Computer System
The first thing to consider on our list of the cost of setting up a home office in Pakistan is a latest computer system. We are living in an age where communication comprises a huge fraction of any profession, and it usually involves emails, messengers, and other social-networking websites and software. In this age, considering whether or not you need a computer to carry out your work is out of the question. So, you should rather ask yourself which one meets your work requirements.
As such, the designing needs of a graphic designer aren’t the same as an accountant, while a communications professional does not need the software developed for finance professionals. To make your home-based office productive and cost-efficient, check the compatibility and nature of your work and list down your needs so that the sellers can help you narrow down the options.
If you are looking for a laptop that can run substantial software and store heavy files, you need to at least keep a budget of around PKR 50,000 to PKR 100,000 in mind.
Strong Internet Connection
Coupled with the latest computer system, a strong internet connection is a necessity that is required by almost all professionals to carry out their office-related tasks. So, right after you have selected the most appropriate system, you’ll need a strong and stable internet connection for your home-based office.
You will be glad to know that we have already completed the legwork for you by listing the best internet service providers in Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad that can take your experience up a notch. For a strong internet connection, you need to keep your budget anywhere between PKR 10,000 to PKR 12,000, including the installation charges and fees for the first month.
High-Quality Media and Other Necessities
Media equipment such as LED screen, a projector, printer, scanner, photocopier and other such add-ons are known to enhance productivity so do not forget to add these while building a home office in Pakistan.
For an idea, the price of a branded LED screen or TV powered by the Android operating system can be around PKR 40,000 to PKR 90,000. The cost may vary with size, brand reputation, features, installation cost, and the period of guarantee. Meanwhile, a projector can cost you around PKR 35,000 to PKR 100,000 on average. You need to couple it with a motorised screen if you don’t have a blank or empty wall in your home office. The price of a motorised screen is around PKR 18,000 to PKR 20,000. Similarly, buying a combo of printer, scanner, and photocopier can cost you around PKR 28,000 to PKR 30,000.
Adequate Office Supplies
The next thing on our list of the cost of building a home office in Pakistan is office supplies and stationery. This one is self-explanatory. You cannot run an office without pen, diary, calculator, postage stamps, bookmarks, staplers with pins, hole-machine, thumb pins, printer inks, printer papers, colour papers, and other such supplies that help everything go smoothly.
At this point, we would suggest you keep a budget between PKR 2,000 to PKR 5,000 to buy these supplies in an adequate amount that can last for at least 6 months. Not to mention, the cost of these things mainly depends on the quality and brand you opt for.
For instance, you can get them for a price as low as PKR 10 to PKR 1,000, depending on the purpose of work. If your work solely depends on hand-written documents, we’d recommend that you buy high-quality stuff.
Relaxing or Meeting Corner
Adding a relaxing or meeting corner within your home-based office is optional. Some workaholics are sure to think otherwise. Frankly speaking, it entirely depends upon the nature of your work and how many meetings you attend in a day. If your work is entirely based on client interaction, then you must add a comfortable and quiet area in your home-office that enables you to attend the meetings with ease and relaxation. Take a small coffee table, a bean bag or a comfortable chair, and a wire extension for laptop charging and other work.
A simple coffee table that can support your laptop and a few other things can cost you around PKR 5,000 to PKR 15,000, while a bean bag or comfortable chair can cost you up to PKR 5,000. Similarly, the price of a wire extension is around PKR 1,000.
Productive Work Desk
Any ordinary desk or study table can be productive if you choose it carefully as per your needs and budget. When we say ordinary, we literally mean something that makes you feel at the office and doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable. Something aesthetically pleasing to eyes while simultaneously helping you take care of work-related tasks.
For an idea, a simple wall-mounted office desk can cost you around PKR 10,000 to PKR 15,000 with filing cabinets and without any racks. Meanwhile, the price of a portable/moveable office deskt PKR 50,000 to PKR 100,000.
On a side note, if you want to save some money, take a look at our blog where we have revealed some DIY desk ideas when you have to work from home.
Comfortable Work Chair
Coupling a productive work desk along with a comfortable chair is a necessity that shouldn’t be overlooked while calculating the cost of setting up a home office in Pakistan. At this point, it is recommended to get a rotating chair that can increase mobility and comfort.
Speaking of which, the cost of a rotating chair lies anywhere between PKR 5,000 to PKR 15,000 varying from the brand, comfort, and material.
Also, make sure to check out our blog where we have compiled some tips on how to design a home office that supports both form and function.
So, this concludes our post on how much it costs to build a home office in Pakistan. We have shared some economical ways that can help you add a dedicated workspace in the comfort of your house. If you are still contemplating whether building a home-office will affect your productivity or not, imagine yourself working in a comfortable environment with a fast internet connection and where everything is within your reach.
Before we sign-off, we would like to mention a few more things. If your house has space constraints and you are worried about adding a home office in a small space – worry no more. All you need is a room big enough to accommodate all your furniture and equipment. You can even buy smart, portable, and multi-purpose furniture that can be used for various purposes around your house. For instance, your work desk and chair can serve in your dining area – only if you invest wisely and buy things tactfully. Remember, a carefully drafted plan is all you need in this scenario. Opt for hardware that can be pinned to the wall and carried down only when needed.
Share your thoughts on the subject with us at blog@zameen.com. We will try to answer your queries and get back to you as soon as possible. On the other hand, navigate to our recently published blog where we have listed the pros and cons of working from home.
For more informative posts on space management and home décor, keep visiting Zameen Blog – the best lifestyle blog in Pakistan. Meanwhile, read our blog where we have shared the reasons why Clifton, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Bahria Town, and Shahrah-e-Faisal [a road in PECHS] are the best areas in Karachi to set up your office. Also, like Zameen’s Facebook Page, where we share all the recent updates.
Disclaimer: This blog aims to give you an idea about the estimated cost of setting up a home office in Pakistan. The prices of items mentioned in this blog have been taken from several online shops such as Interwood and OLX Pakistan as well as local retailers. Zameen.com doesn’t take the responsibility of the availability of these essentials, and in case the cost of these items vary in your region.
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