How Much Does Second Hand Furniture Cost?

Oct 2, 2024

4 min read

There are many factors to consider when buying second hand furniture, and cost is often top of the list for the thousands of people who visit us here at Foundations each year.

As a charity supporting people in hardship, we keep our pricing affordable and fair (which we explain further down).

But we are just one of many providers of pre-loved furniture, so when thinking about the cost of second hand furniture in general, the two greatest influences on the price to think about are:-

Where you buy the item(s) from
The style, quality and condition of what it is you're looking for.

Where To Buy Second Hand Furniture

Buying a second hand wardrobe from the Gumtree website is likely to be very different to the cost of a wardrobe from an antique dealer. Similarly, a pre-loved sofa from a charity shop will cost more than a similar one offered for free on a site like Freecyle.

Apart from Freecycle, where you always know that household items will be free of charge, other websites and shops will have a variety of items to suit different budgets.

Websites

Gumtree- free classified advertisements
Ebay - an online marketplace
Facebook Marketplace - an increasingly popular place to buy and sell
Freecycle - a platform where people can give and receive items for free

Shops

Charity Shops
Antique Dealers
Community furniture Services (like Foundations Furniture)
Car boot sales
Second hand furniture stores

Example Prices - What We Charge

Foundations is a community furniture charity. We collect household items and we make them available at a low cost to people in hardship who need them the most.

Hardship can affect people differently, and there are many circumstances that lead to financial difficulty. This is why we have no strict criteria for who can visit our charity showroom. Anyone struggling to afford furniture who lives in Gateshead is eligible for support.

To get an idea of the quality an type of items we offer, head over to our Facebook page where we regularly post images of the generous donations we receive. We sell many different items, too many to list here, but here’s our prices for our most requested items:-

Single bed bases £20

Single Mattresses £20

Double bed bases £26

Double mattresses £26

Wardrobes £39

Drawers £32

Bedside cabinets £10

Dining Tables & 4 chairs £39

Sofa £39

Bookcase £25

Coffee Table £14

(prices correct from April 2024)

We also sell a few items on Facebook Marketplace too that we would otherwise have to refuse to collect due to size, condition or style but which tend to have a greater demand for online. This helps to avoid items ending in landfill unnecessarily, whilst supporting our charity.

Other Costs to Consider?

Delivery charges

Unless you have your own transportation big enough to get items home, delivery charges are essential considerations when setting your budget. We charge £10 per delivery, whether that is for one item, or a van full of items. We give customers a delivery date and a morning or afternoon time slot and our experienced team are pro's at what they do. They'll safely put your items where needed, if preferred, and are happy to answer any questions while they're there.

Aftercare

Are certain products, repairs or maintenance needed for the furniture or appliance you purchase? Consider what the cost of this might be.

Longevity

Some second hand furniture is built to last, however there is a risk that some second hand furniture may need to be replaced sooner than anticipated. Knowing the signs to look for such as wear and tear, sturdiness and safety tags can help you to select furniture that will last. We do quality checks, cleaning and safety/PAT testing on all of our items to give added peace of mind.

Added Value

Not only can you save money when buying furniture second hand, you also create a whole list of benefits which make each purchase full of added value:-

You are helping to prolong the life of natural resources by minimising the amount of furniture sent to landfill by giving it a new home.
You reduce the CO2 emissions that occur from waste removal of bulky items and landfill services
If buying from a charity shop, you're contributing to a good cause
Each pound spent at the Foundations community furniture charity, creates £3.22 in added value to the local economy, environment and society overall.
If you buy from community furniture or charity shops, you help them to continue their work in the community.

Foundations has been providing pre-loved items to households in Gateshead since 1996 to help local people to create settled and comfortable home lives during times of financial hardship.

If you live in Gateshead and would like to know more about our charity, feel free to call in any weekday (excluding bank holidays) between 9am and 4pm. We're based in the Teams Craft Workshops, Askew Road West, NE8 2PB, or use the form below to get in touch. Prefer to call? Our phoneline is open on weekdays between 9am and 4:30pm on 0191 477 8337.