I handle office equipment orders for a mid-size tech company. Been doing it for about six years now. And in my first year (2018), I made a classic mistake that ended up costing us $1,200 and a lot of embarrassment.
I ordered a bunch of standing desks without really understanding the sizing or the accessories. Thought I'd save money by skipping the detailed product page check. Big mistake. We ended up with desks that didn't fit our space, and a couple of them had the wrong control box setup. (Should mention: we'd just switched to a new vendor for better pricing, and I was rushing to close the PO before end of quarter.)
That disaster is why I now document every spec. And it's why I'm writing this—to save you from making the same stupid errors I did on your Fully Jarvis order.
Let's break down what matters: the real price, the real options, and the real gotchas. We'll use a side-by-side comparison of two common paths—the 'I want a basic, no-frills setup' vs. the 'I'm optimizing for comfort and aesthetics' approach.
The $1,200 Mistake: What I Did Wrong
Everything I'd read about standing desks said to just pick a size and go. 'Get the frame, pick a top, done.' In practice, I found the exact opposite to be true.
The conventional wisdom is that the 'frame only' option saves you money. My experience? It can cost you more if you don't account for shipping and assembly time. When I compared our rush reorder costs versus what a pre-assembled desk would have cost, the 'savings' evaporated.
So here's my framework: we're comparing two typical buyer profiles for the Fully Jarvis, using the specific dimensions and options available as of early 2025.
Dimension 1: The Frame vs. The Complete Desk
Let's talk about the core product choice. You can either buy a Fully Jarvis frame only (like $549 for the standard frame as of January 2025) or you get a complete desk with a top already attached (starting around $779 for a 60x27 laminate top).
The 'Frame Only' Path
I did this on my first order. Thought I was being smart. I bought 10 frames (the Jarvis bamboo frame, which was $599 each at the time). Looked like a deal. Then I had to source tops separately. That added $180 per desk in materials and labor (we had a handyman cut and finish them). Plus, the shipping for the frames was one box, but the tops were separate. Total landed cost per unit: about $780. Not bad.
But then the issues showed up. The control box placement on the frame was for a specific top thickness. Our custom tops were a bit thinner. The grommet holes didn't line up perfectly. Looked fine on the showroom floor, but in the office, it looked… off. (Basically, the aesthetics were kind of a mess.)
The 'Complete Desk' Path
Second time around (2023), I ordered complete desks. The Fully Jarvis with a bamboo top, 60x30. Price was $899 per unit as of that order. No separate sourcing. No custom fitting. Everything arrived in one box, and assembly took about 25 minutes per desk. The quality was actually pretty good for the price—the pre-drilled holes for the grommets were perfectly aligned, and the top had a nice finish.
The surprise conclusion: For an office of 10+ desks, the complete desk path was actually cheaper when you factor in the 'hidden' costs of sourcing, finishing, and the risk of misalignment. Net savings? About $150 per desk, plus we avoided the 1-week delay we had on the first order. (Source: my own PO records from Q3 2023 and Q1 2025 pricing from Fully's site.)
Dimension 2: The Size & Shape Decision (And How I Got It Wrong)
Another mistake: I ordered a mix of 60-inch and 72-inch wide desks, thinking 'standard' was fine. But the 72-inch (the Jarvis L-shaped version, actually, which I didn't order) has a totally different footprint. We used a cubic feet calculator to estimate shipping volume and got it wrong because the L-shaped box is significantly bigger than a rectangular one.
The Rectangular 60x30 vs. The L-Shaped 60x30
When I compared the two side by side in the warehouse, I finally understood why the details matter. The rectangular desk is straightforward. The L-shaped desk (like the Jarvis L-Shaped Frame) is a beast to move and assemble. The box dimensions for the L-shaped are roughly 63x35x8 inches (source: FedEx shipping quote based on our 2023 order). That's about 10 cubic feet. The rectangular one is closer to 7 cubic feet. That difference means higher shipping costs and a harder move.
What I learned: If your office layout is open and you have space, the L-shaped is great for a 'command center.' But if you're moving desks in and out of tight rooms (like we did), the 60x30 rectangular is way more practical. The L-shaped is better for corner placements, but the rectangular is more versatile.
Dimension 3: The 'Extras' That Kill Your Budget
This is where I really messed up. I thought I'd save money by skipping the advanced controller and the cable management tray. Classic penny-wise, pound-foolish.
Saved $70 by getting the basic button controller (vs. the memory controller). Ended up spending $300 on a reorder to replace all the controllers because our employees (who change height constantly in a hot-desking environment) hated the non-memory one. Net loss: $230.
The 'no cable management' choice looked smart until we had a tangle of wires under every desk. We spent $45 per desk on aftermarket cable trays that looked terrible. The Full's own tray (like the one available as an accessory) would have been $35 and matched the desk color. Dumb mistake.
Bottom line: For a 10-desk office, adding the memory controller ($129 per desk) and the cable management tray ($35) adds $164 to each desk. But the alternative (basic controller + aftermarket tray) costs $70 saved upfront, but then $45 for the tray + $30 for the controller replacement later = $75 in extra cost, plus the hassle. The 'nice' option is actually cheaper in the long run.
Prices as of January 2025. Verify current pricing at fully.com.
So, What Should You Do?
Here's my scenario-based advice, based on making about $1,200 in mistakes (that I documented):
- Scenario 1: You're outfitting a single office or a home desk. Get the complete desk with the bamboo top (60x30 is a good middle ground). Spring for the memory controller and cable tray. It's about $1,049 total (based on Jan 2025 pricing). You'll be happy you did.
- Scenario 2: You're outfitting a whole department (6+ desks). Buy the frames only (if you have a reliable wood shop) and source your own tops. But you MUST create a detailed checklist. Measure the control box depth. Test the grommet hole location on a sample top. Budget for a 2-day assembly period. You can save ~$100 per desk, but only if you manage the details.
- Scenario 3: You need the L-shaped desk. Accept that it's bigger and heavier. Buy the complete unit. Don't try to build your own top for the L-shape—the alignment is a nightmare. The Jarvis L-shaped with a laminate top is about $1,329 as of Jan 2025.
Oh, and one more thing: use a chronological age calculator to estimate the age of your warranty claims. The Jarvis has a 15-year warranty on the frame and 5-year on electronics. Knowing when you bought them helps you track when the warranty expires. And if you need to measure the angle of the desk tilt? Grab a how to use protractor guide—it's a genuine thing you might need for ergonomic setup.
The Jarvis is a solid desk. I've bought 40+ of them across three different orders. I just wish someone had given me this checklist before my first $1,200 mistake.
(Pricing info sourced from fully.com product pages, accessed January 15, 2025. Prices vary by configuration and are subject to change.)
