Glass Partitions vs. Stud walls

If you’re looking to minimise disruption in your office, due to the open-plan layout, you may have considered installing a stud wall to create private meeting rooms or an area for a new department. Whatever the case may be, you may have defaulted to thinking that installing a stud wall is your only option. This may be due to believing that stud walls are cheaper and easier to install, and that glass partitions are more expensive, requiring lengthy downtime for your business during installation. 

However, this idea that stud walls are better and more cost-effective than glass partitions could not be further from the truth. In this blog, we discuss the cost and disruption that come from both solutions, so that you can make an informed choice when updating the layout of your office. 

The disruption factor

For any business, downtime must be minimised at all costs. Which is why when you’re looking to update the layout of your office, choosing the right partitioning system must mitigate the risk of creating prolonged downtime for your business. 

Stud walls: A messy, multi-stage process 

Stud walls have always been a popular choice for businesses that want to create private areas or new departments within their office. However, installing these partition systems required multiple tradespeople, such as carpenters, decorators, and electricians, just to make the wall look presentable and safe. 

Not only does this mean that you have a great deal of noise being generated, which may require you to close the office while work is completed, but it also means that vital equipment is at risk of being damaged by the dust from sanding and plaster that is distributed across the office space. 

The business impact: Installing a stud wall is often a 3-5 day process that fills your workplace with dust, noise, and paint fumes, making it nearly impossible for your employees to work efficiently and safely. This means that you are likely to have to close the office for a number of days to get the work completed. 

Installing Glass Partitions: A clean, fast solution 

Glass partition systems are designed to fit the needs of your business, and with the designing and pre-fabrication being done off-site, the only time spent in your office is during measurement and on-site assembly. 

This makes them an attractive choice for many businesses; not only are they modern and stylish, but they can also make your office more attractive to new employees. It also means that the disruption is minimal, which will avoid you having to close. 

The Business Impact: Glass partitions can be installed in a single day, especially as most of the work of designing and fabricating is done off-site. The process is relatively quiet, dust-free, and can be scheduled to fit around your core working hours. This means that your employees could leave the office on Friday and return on Monday to a brand new office space. 

The cost factor

It can be easy to believe that stud walls are cheaper, due to their raw materials being wood and plasterboard. This is especially true when comparing a stud wall to a glass partition, as glass partitions can sound expensive. However, when you strip back and look at the whole picture, the core difference in price is quite apparent. 

Stud walls: the true cost 

Stud walls are considered to be cheaper as their raw materials are typically minimal. Below we list some of the major costs that your business can face when looking to install a stud wall: 

• Multiple labour costs: You will typically need to hire or pay for a carpenter, a plasterer, a decorator, and an electrician. Each of these trades comes with its own individual costs, even if you do use a contractor. 
• Business downtime: Installing a stud wall, as we previously mentioned, may require you to close the office for a number of days to avoid disrupting your workforce or putting them at risk from dust and paint fumes. This means a loss of productivity and delays in projects. 
• The light deficit: Stud walls are solid, so they will block 100% of any natural light your office enjoyed previously. Because of this, you will need to install new lighting systems, so that the room is not a dark, windowless box. This adds to the overall cost of the project and is an easy mistake to make if missed during the planning stage. 
• Zero Flexibility: If your office layout needs to change in 3 years, your stud wall will need to be completely destroyed to make way for the new layout plan. Whereas elements of a glass partitioning system can be repurposed.

The long-term value of Glass partitions

Whilst glass partitions may appear to be more expensive on the surface, the cost reduction for your business can be immeasurable, as they have multiple benefits that continue for years to come, these include: 

• Natural light: Glass partitions will never block any natural light, and can contribute to making your office more welcoming and enjoyable to be in for your employees. Equally, they can contribute to lower energy bills as you can benefit from daylight, rather than relying on artificial lighting. 
• Employee wellbeing: Many studies have concluded that increasing natural light in your office can help with employee wellbeing, as access to natural light boosts employee productivity and happiness, which will have a direct, positive impact on your bottom line. 
• Minimal downtime: As Glass partitions are designed and manufactured off-site, the only time that may be disruptive is during installation, but as we previously mentioned, Glass Partitions typically take less time to install and are quieter and cleaner, meaning less disruption to your everyday operations. 
• Future-proofing: Glass Partitions are demountable, meaning they can be readjusted if your office layout needs updating or if the needs of your business change.

The verdict 

Stud walls may look like an attractive and cost-effective solution to your office needs, but as we’ve outlined, the overall cost and disruption installing the system can have on your business is rather large. They can be noisy, messy, and won’t improve the overall well-being of your employees, and can in fact add to your overall costs, in the case of your business needing to update the layout in future. 

Glass partitions, on the other hand, may seem more expensive, but the benefits and longevity they bring to your business far outweigh the upfront cost. They improve employee wellbeing, they make your business more modern and adaptable, and if the needs of your business change in future, they can be easily updated with minimal effort. 

How Glass Partitioning MFE can help? 

If you’re looking to update your office layout with a modern, stylish Glass Partition that helps your employees feel more productive and happy, our team at Glass Partitioning MFE is here to offer expert guidance on your office redesign. Speak to our team regarding your office redesign today