Churches have a lot of expenses, and while donations pour in, there are often expenses that are too costly to justify. One of those expenses is purchasing pew chairs for church when first building a congregation.
It may be more cost effective to rent rather than buying chairs, but how can you know the right choice for your church?
Downside of Renting vs Buying
Renting has the benefit of having a lower upfront cost for chairs than buying. When you purchase chairs or pews outright, there’s a large upfront investment that you need to be able to cover.
So, renting can be the more economical and feasible option when you’re just starting your church.
But there are downsides, too:
- Fees. Rental contracts can be costly, and don’t expect these fees to fall any time soon. If you pay late, you may be charged additional fees, too. Damage to the chairs can result in you paying to fix or even buy the chairs.
- Interest. Rent-to-own opportunities are also found in the church chair industry. If you don’t have the funds to purchase, a rent-to-own opportunity may seem like a smart decision. The problem is that rental companies often charge over 300% interest for these rent-to-own options.
When you rent, you never actually own the chairs that are available. Instead, you’ll have to pay money for an asset that is never truly your own. For a church, this means that when donations are sparse, you may not be able to fulfill your rental contract requirements.
Rental companies bury late fees and penalties into their contracts, which may increase interest rates drastically or lead to major fines being assessed.
You also need to commit to one more monthly expense.
Upside of Buying Church Chairs Instead of Renting
Buying is an upfront expense, and this expense can be very costly when you’re first starting your congregation. If you don’t know how many members your church will have in the years to come, you may need to purchase chairs or pews that you’ll never use.
From this standpoint, it may seem unwise to purchase seating early on when the congregation is just coming together.
But that’s not always the case.
There are many benefits to purchasing seating outright, including:
- Maintenance. You can choose to maintain the chairs you own to the highest degree. You’ll be able to keep the chairs in good shape for years or decades, and if they need to be reupholstered or pews need to be sanded, you can do so.
- Quality. The chairs you purchase are often higher quality than those that are rented. You can be sure that no one has used the chairs in the past, and if there is some sort of defect, you can always return the chair within its warranty period.
When you buy your chairs, you don’t have to worry about a long-term commitment. If you need to sell the chairs in the future, you can – it’s an asset.
Buying Without the Massive Upfront Cost
Financing is often available for chair purchases, and it’s a much better option than a rent-to-own purchase. You’ll still have to make monthly payments and technically don’t own the chairs until the financing period has ended, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not the optimal choice.
When you finance your chairs, you’ll benefit from:
- Interest rates that are much lower than rent-to-own
- Option to pay off the loan without penalty
You’ll be making payments towards an asset that your church will own rather than spending the money on renting an asset that is never truly owned.
When Renting Makes Most Sense
Still unsure of when to rent vs buy? There are some circumstances when renting is the right thing to do:
- You plan on purchasing chairs soon
- Budget constraints stop you from buying
- Locations may change and chairs are needed short-term
Otherwise, buying church chairs is almost always the better option. Buying is a one-off expense that allows you to maintain the chairs, own them or even sell them in the future. Renting is for short-term use, while purchasing high-end chairs can help your church save money over the long-term.
You have complete freedom when you own, allowing you to extend the lifespan of the chairs or pews while not being stuck in a costly rental.
Renting vs buying church chairs. Learn when renting makes the most sense and when buying chairs may be the most economical choice for your church.