FocusPod Solo™
FocusPod Solo Plus™
FocusPod Duo™
FocusPod Team™
FocusPod Meet™
FocusPod Max™Office Pod vs Building a Meeting Room
Cost comparison
Build a room, or put one in.
The comparison isn't a pod against nothing. It's a pod against the fitout you'd otherwise commission.
A four-person acoustic pod costs $17,605 ex GST delivered, or roughly $16,490 installed and furnished. Building an equivalent meeting room in a leased New Zealand tenancy typically costs $20,000 to $40,000, takes two to six weeks, needs landlord approval and multiple trades, and creates a make-good liability at the end of the lease. The pod installs in a morning and relocates with you.
The full comparison
Where the money actually goes| Acoustic pod | Built meeting room | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $17,605–$16,490 ex GST | Typically $20,000–$40,000 |
| Time on site | One morning | Two to six weeks |
| Trades required | None | Carpenter, electrician, plasterer, painter, sometimes HVAC |
| Landlord approval | Generally not required | Almost always, often with drawings |
| Disruption | Team keeps working | Dust, noise, restricted floor access |
| Acoustic performance | Class A, tested to ISO 23351-1 | Varies with build quality, rarely tested |
| Changed your mind? | Move it on a Tuesday | Rebuild |
| At lease end | Comes with you | Demolished, make-good payable |
| On the books | Depreciable asset you own | Leasehold improvement, left behind |
The two costs people forget
Make-good at the end of the lease
Building a room creates an obligation to demolish it and reinstate the floor, ceiling and services when you leave. That cost sits in the future, does not appear on the fitout quote, and is often a five-figure surprise. A freestanding pod creates none, because nothing was altered.
What the disruption costs you
Two to six weeks of trades on an occupied floor has a real price in lost concentration, relocated desks and meetings that do not happen. Nobody puts it on an invoice, and everybody pays it.
Where a pod is not the answer
Two situations, and they are narrower than people assume.
Rooms for more than six people, and spaces needing plumbing or a fixed AV rig. Everything else — one to six people, calls, meetings, interviews, focus work — a pod does faster, cheaper, and without a make-good bill at the end of the lease.
If you own the building outright the make-good argument falls away, though the speed, cost and relocatability do not.
Full range and pricing
For comparison| Model | Solo | Solo Plus | Duo | Team | Meet | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1 person | 1 person | 2 people | 2 people | 4 people | 6 people |
| Exterior W×D×H | 1080 × 1000 × 2338 mm | 1600 × 1375 × 2338 mm | 1600 × 1375 × 2338 mm | 2300 × 966 × 2338 mm | 2300 × 1785 × 2338 mm | 2600 × 2605 × 2338 mm |
| Interior W×D×H | 942 × 960 × 2146 mm | 1462 × 1335 × 2146 mm | 1462 × 1335 × 2146 mm | 2162 × 926 × 2146 mm | 2162 × 1745 × 2146 mm | 2462 × 2565 × 2146 mm |
| Floor space | ~1.0 m² | ~2.2 m² | ~2.2 m² | ~2.2 m² | ~4.1 m² | ~6.77 m² |
| Weight | 290–335 kg | 442–502 kg | 442–502 kg | 504–564 kg | 635–700 kg | 852–970 kg |
| Ventilation | 0–70 m³/h | 0–110 m³/h | 0–110 m³/h | 0–110 m³/h | 0–218 m³/h | 0–327 m³/h |
| Air change | ~1.6 min | ~2.3 min | ~2.3 min | ~2.3 min | ~2.2 min | ~2.4 min |
| Power draw | 40 W | 52 W | 52 W | 60 W | 120 W | 120 W |
| Price from | $10,730ex GST, delivered | $14,505ex GST, delivered | $14,625ex GST, delivered | $15,630ex GST, delivered | $17,605ex GST, delivered | $20,335ex GST, delivered |
| Installation | + $1,145 ex GST | + $1,490 ex GST | + $1,490 ex GST | + $1,610 ex GST | + $1,725 ex GST | + $2,070 ex GST |
Common questions
Asked by real buyersIs an office pod cheaper than building a meeting room?
Usually. A four-person acoustic pod is $17,605 ex GST delivered, or about $16,490 with installation and furniture. A built meeting room of similar capacity in a leased tenancy typically runs $20,000 to $40,000, plus two to six weeks of disruption and make-good costs at the end of the lease.
What does it cost to build a meeting room in an office?
In a leased New Zealand tenancy, typically $20,000 to $40,000 for a small meeting room once partitions, glazing, door, electrical, lighting, HVAC modification, painting and flooring are included. Costs vary widely by building, base build condition and how much the landlord requires.
Do I need landlord approval to build a meeting room?
Almost always, yes. Partitioning is an alteration to the premises and most commercial leases require written landlord consent, often with drawings. Some buildings also require certification. A freestanding pod does not attach to the building and is generally treated as furniture, so it usually needs neither.
What is make-good and does it apply to pods?
Make-good is the lease obligation to return the premises to its original condition when you leave. Building a room creates a make-good liability, because the room has to be demolished and the floor, ceiling and services reinstated. A freestanding pod creates none, because nothing was altered — and the pod leaves with you.
Is a pod an asset or a leasehold improvement?
Generally a depreciable asset, because it is freestanding and relocatable. A built meeting room is usually a leasehold improvement, which means it depreciates over the lease term and is left behind. Confirm your own treatment with your accountant.
How long does each option take?
A pod is delivered and assembled in a single morning with the team still working around it. A built room is typically two to six weeks of trades on site, with dust, noise and restricted floor access throughout.
For four to six people see meeting pods. For one-person calls, phone booths. If you are still comparing suppliers, the buyers guide covers what to ask.
Get both numbers.
Send us the space and we will quote the pod. Get a fitout quote for the same room and compare them side by side — including make-good, which the fitout quote will not mention.