Does your office have an open floor plan with a number of employees using a variety of workstyles? Plenty of concerns arise regarding noise distractions in such a large work environment, and having a private conversation can be difficult.
Fortunately, adding a sound masking system in the workplace can reduce speech intelligibility, improve privacy and reduce the impact of noise on office productivity.
With such a great solution available, you might be wondering just how much this will cost you. Now, we will be upfront with you and say that we won’t give you a fixed price in this article. However, we will give you an overview of how much a typical sound masking system should cost and then break down the factors that influence how much you should expect to pay.
How Does A Sound Masking System Work?
An electronic sound masking system works not by eliminating sound but by introducing a continuous pink noise that will mask or offset the sound of voices, music, or nearby traffic. The system itself is usually installed in a centralized and easy-to-access location. At the same time, specialized speakers are dispersed around your office to evenly distribute the sound to each workstation, office and collaboration area.
Think of it as a surround sound stereo system with your stereo located in your TV cabinet and each speaker positioned to direct sound from a different direction.
This means that all across your space, instead of hearing distinct and distracting noises, you hear only a muffled blur of indistinct background sound, no different than your office’s ventilation system.
Read more about how a sound masking system works.
How Much Does A Sound Masking System Cost?
When working with our partner, Softdb, the average sound masking system will cost about $3 to $6 per square foot.
If you were to take a 10,000-square-foot floor and did not include stairwells, bathrooms, break rooms and mechanical rooms, you may only need about 6,000 square feet of sound masking. Thus, bringing your costs to around $18,000 to $36,000.
When you add a twenty-year warranty to this 6,000-square-foot example and divide $18,000 over 20 years, you end up with $900 per year. A high-quality sound masking system costs $75 per month or roughly $2.47 per day.
It should be mentioned that this cost may vary slightly depending on the location of the workspace or the size of the masking system and which features are included. Generally, it is more cost-effective to use a sound masking system to reduce distractions and improve privacy than more traditional soundproofing solutions.
Is Sound Masking Right for Your Space?
So you have done your homework and think a sound masking system just might be the solution you have been looking for, but how do you know if it is right for you and your space?
This is where we come in. We have installed sound masking systems in our customers’ offices for almost three decades. Our team of experts has evaluated hundreds of unique spaces and is armed with the experience to help you judge if this is the right investment for your business. Request a free consultation with one of our workplace experts today!
Cody Turner
Digital Content Specialist
Office Interiors
