Seating is one the most important parts of your sanctuary. It’s where members gather, worship together and share in fellowship. While sanctuary seating is built to last, all church chairs will eventually need to be replaced.
Whether you’re replacing all of your seating or just a small percentage, it’s important to know how much to budget for your church chairs. Budgeting properly will help ensure that you raise enough funds to cover your chair purchase for your congregation.
How Much Do Church Chairs Cost?
In order to budget properly, you need to have an idea of how much your chairs will cost.
The cost of church chairs can vary based on quality, size and materials, but generally, you can expect to pay:
- $30-$60 per chair.
So, if your congregation seats 500 and you plan to replace all of your seats, you can expect it to cost between $15,000 and $30,000.
It’s important to remember that cheaper isn’t necessarily better. Quality chairs cost more, and they are worth every penny. These are the chairs your members will sit on during your service. If you want them to keep attending service, you must make sure that they have comfortable chairs to sit on.
Better quality chairs will also be more durable, so they can better withstand the heavy use they will get over the years.
Which Factors Affect the Cost of Church Chairs?
There are several factors that will impact the cost of your chairs. These include:
The Materials Used
The materials used will have the biggest impact on the price of the chair. The higher the quality, the higher the cost.
But keep in mind that low-quality materials often translate to low durability. This may mean that you’ll need to replace your chairs more often. In the long-term, cheap chairs can wind up costing more because of frequent replacements.
Size
The size of the chair will also affect the price to some degree. Larger chairs require more materials to make, so they will naturally cost more.
Other features, like contoured backrests and armrests, may also increase the price.
Design
The design will also play a factor in the overall cost. The better the design, the higher the price. In many cases, well-designed chairs are worth the cost because they’re more comfortable and often more durable.
Remember that your members will be sitting for long periods of time during service. You want them to be comfortable and to enjoy their time spent at your sanctuary. It’s worth the extra cost of having comfortable, well-designed chairs in your sanctuary.
How Much Should You Budget for Chairs?
When budgeting for your church chairs, there are a few things you want to consider:
- How many chairs will you be replacing – all or just a few?
- What is your sanctuary’s maximum seating capacity?
- How many people, on average, attend events and services?
- Will other types of seating be available?
The goal is to determine how many chairs need to be replaced or added. Once you have calculated how many chairs you need, budgeting is as simple as multiplying the cost by the number of chairs needed.
If you plan to buy hundreds of chairs, you may be able to finance the purchase. This can save your congregation money upfront, but you will still need to budget for the monthly cost of repaying the loan.
Understanding your estimated costs is important. Sanctuary chairs are an investment, particularly if you have a large member base. Fundraising efforts can take several months or years, so you need to have a realistic budget.
How Much Can Church Chairs Save You?
Church pews are the traditional form of church seating, but chairs are quickly replacing them in modern sanctuaries. Why? Because they can be costly.
The average cost of a 12-foot, fully upholstered pew is $750. The average linear foot cost comes out to $60-$65.
A 12-foot pew can hold about 6 members. At an average cost of $750, a pew of this size comes out to about $125 per seat/person. That’s more than six times the cost of a chair.
Church chairs can often be linked together to create a pew of sorts. This allows members to sit closely together, as they would in a traditional pew, to engage in worship and fellowship.
So, when budgeting for church chairs, remember to first sit down and calculate how many chairs you really need to replace. Calculate your estimated range, and plan to spend somewhere the in middle.
