This guide is designed to help you work out roughly how much it is going to cost you to get the modular meeting table you want.  There are many different styles and prices out there, but hopefully we will be able to help you find what you are looking for.

First of all you need to work out how flexible you want your modular tables to be. You have to decide if the room is going to be used for many different purposes, such as meetings, interviews, training, and even reception parties, or whether it will always be used just for meetings and conferences

If it’s the former that you are after, you are looking at 3 types of modular table. One is the most basic and has 4 tubular steel legs. The tables are mainly rectangular in shape although there is a semicircular meeting end table as well.

These tables are all freestanding and can be configured in many different ways. They are cheap and robust, but storing them out of the way when not is use can be a bit of a problem.

These tables, in a man made finish (as this is the most durable) start at around £80 per table. These tables are available in depths of 60,70 or 80cm and in lengths from 80cm up 10 180 cm in 20cm  increments.

They will suit your purpose if you are looking for some cheap tables with fairly basic functionality.

Folding tables are much more versatile, as the name suggests. They can be folded flat and then loaded on to a trolley and stored easily when not in use.

For durability and price the tops are usually a man made wood effect or coloured finish. Quite often the edge trim is thicker and softer than a standard desk, which makes them more durable.

This is important as the tops and folding frame weigh a significant amount and can therefore get bashed about. On average a folding table will cost about 60% more than a standard 4 legged table, although there are cheaper ones available.

With these tables there is always compromise to be reached between their weight and their rigidity.

Flip top tables are the most expensive but the most versatile and easiest to use of all of the training/meeting tables. Again the versatility of this design is that the table can be easily stored away when not in use.

Operating a lever moves the table top from horizontal to vertical and the whole unit can then be wheeled away.

The weight of the unit is never a problem as it never has to be lifted off the ground. The tables can be stacked very close together out of the way, and rooms can be reconfigured in minutes. Latching systems are available if lots of tables are being used to produce one large meeting table.

Theses locking mechanisms help to keep all of the tops in line with each other on soft carpets and uneven floors.

A flip top table will typically cost 3 times as much as a basic 4 legged meeting table but as with everything, you really do get what you pay for.

Most meeting table tops are made from a MFC ( melamine faced chipboard) or a laminate finished with protective edging. These finishes are extremely durable and will stand being moved about and reconfigured as often as you wish.

They are liquid and heat proof which is a real advantage in training areas, and are extremely strong. Most man made wood finishes nowadays are very realistic and there is a wide range of wood finishes to choose from.

You can opt for the additional warmth of a real wood veneer top, with solid wood edging, but you do need to be realistic about what you are going to use the room for. Any reconfiguring has to be done extremely carefully, as these tables dent and scratch very easily. Also stacking them on top of each other is definitely not a good idea.

If you really have to have wood veneer, then you must go for the flip top mechanisms for ease of use. You can expect to pay twice as much for a veneer finish as a man made one, which will make a big difference to your overall office furniture budget.