You have picked the hardware. Now comes the question that determines how fast your team starts enjoying the benefits of a height adjustable desk: who installs it. The choice between white-glove installation and a DIY crew is not only about labor cost. It affects quality, speed, ergonomics, and the first-week ticket count. This guide breaks down when to choose each path, what a hybrid model looks like, and how to keep the work consistent so every standing desk feels stable, quiet, and ready on day one.

What “white-glove” really means

White-glove installers deliver and assemble at the point of use. They haul cartons, build the desk frame, mount the desktop, set up cable management, and remove packaging. A good vendor calibrates the control box, saves presets on the desk controller, and runs safety checks. In larger rollouts, they stage by floor and area to match your plan and provide photo documentation of the underside build.

DIY, by contrast, means you handle receiving, staging, assembly, cable routing, testing, and handoff with internal staff or a general handyman service. Done well, DIY can move quickly with a trained two- or three-person crew and a repeatable playbook.

The case for white-glove installation

Speed at scale: Professional teams can complete 40 to 80 stations per day per crew when power and data are ready. Their repeatable process compresses downtime and reduces disruption.

Quality and consistency: Experienced installers square the desk frame, torque crossbar and foot bolts in a star pattern, mount the control box in the right spot, and route a clean cable path with one power drop. That translates into quieter motion and fewer “random stops.”

Inclusive service: Stairs, elevators, pallet disposal, packaging removal, and recycling are part of the job. White-glove crews often carry general liability and worker’s comp insurance, which reduces risk for the client.

Warranty and accountability: If a lifting column or control box fails out of the gate, the installer is on-site to swap parts and close the ticket. You get a single point of accountability.

When DIY makes more sense

Budget control: Internal crews can build stations at a lower unit cost, particularly in smaller phases. If you already have facilities staff and tools, the incremental expense is minimal.

Flexible timing: DIY lets you schedule evening or weekend assembly around tenant moves or quiet hours without third-party minimums.

Simple scope: For home offices, micro-offices, or small departments with standardized kits—say, a dual-motor standing desk, a single monitor arm, and basic cable management—DIY can be efficient.

Fast iteration: You can adjust the underside layout, cable routing, and accessory placement on the fly, then document the “golden build” for the rest of the rollout.

A hybrid model that often wins

Many organizations split the difference:

White-glove delivery and set: Vendor crews unbox, assemble the desk frame and desktop, and mount the control box and desk controller.

In-house fit-off: Your team adds monitor arms, CPU holders, and custom cable management, then saves presets and posts quick-start cards.

This approach front-loads the heavy lifting and quality-critical steps while preserving control over IT, AV, and accessories. It also reduces installer time on site and lowers total cost.

Cost comparison (typical, not universal)

White-glove: $80 to $150 per station for standard desks, more for L-shaped or multi-leg tables and complex AV. Includes removal of packaging and basic calibration.

DIY: $20 to $50 per station in labor equivalents if done by internal staff, assuming a trained crew with tools and a clear playbook. Add costs for waste handling, missed steps, and service calls if quality slips.

Remember to calculate the cost of defects. One wobble complaint or a cable snag that trips anti-collision can lead to lost time and a negative perception of your ergonomic program.

Timeline and throughput

White-glove: After staging and site readiness, a two- to three-person crew can complete 12 to 20 stations per hour in rows. Conference tables and L-shaped layouts take longer.

DIY: A trained three-person team (assembler, wire lead, tester) can complete six to 12 stations per hour once they are warmed up, assuming a consistent kit and a prebuilt playbook.

Quality and risk: where installs succeed or fail

Regardless of who assembles, most first-week tickets trace to the same issues:

Racked frames: Fix with square-first, torque-second assembly. A rigid desk frame with long feet and a reinforced crossbar should damp quickly at height.

Poor cable management: Avoid loose bricks, tight lines, and daisy-chained strips. Mount a surge-protected strip in a rear cable tray, separate AC and data, tie down every brick, and route a single trunk through a vertical cable chain. This prevents flicker, “mystery” noise, and anti-collision stops.

Controller placement: Mount the keypad at the front edge, dominant side. If users cannot reach memory presets easily, they will stop using the height adjustable desk.

Missed reset: Many “won’t move” calls disappear after a full down reset: press and hold “down” to the mechanical stop until the desk controller beeps or displays a code.

Site readiness checklist (do this before any crew arrives)

Power and data: Floor boxes, spines, or ceiling drops aligned to the rear of each station. No tails across aisles.

Staging areas: Clear zones by neighborhood; soft mats for unboxing to protect powder coat; waste plan for cartons, inserts, and pallets.

Tools and spares: Torque drivers, hex keys, labelers, reusable ties, extra grommets, strain-relief clips, and a spares kit (control box, desk controller, and a lifting column per 50 units).

Layouts and labels: Seat map, labeling scheme for cables (“Left DP,” “Dock PD,” “LAN”), and a “golden build” underside photo for reference.

A standard installer playbook (white-glove or DIY)

Assemble the frame loosely; square; torque crossbar and feet in a star pattern.

Mount the control box at the rear; mount the desk controller at the front edge on the dominant side.

Install the rear cable tray; fix the surge-protected strip inside; separate AC and low-voltage runs.

Route motor leads along the crossbar with adhesive anchors; leave service loops at pivots and the control box.

Guide one trunk through a vertical cable chain to the floor box or spine; no tails on the floor.

Run a full down reset; test anti-collision down with a foam block and up with a padded shelf.

Save Sit and Stand presets; post a quick-start card (presets, reset, lock/unlock, 20-8-2 rhythm).

Metrics to track, whichever model you choose

First-week tickets per 100 desks: noise, wobble, cable snags, “won’t move,” and flicker on lift.

Install time per station: split by assembly, wiring, IT/AV, and testing.

Preset adoption: sample how many desks show at least two memory presets saved; a quick read on ergonomic use.

Rework rate: percent of stations needing a second visit or swap.

RFQ language for installation vendors

Scope: Delivery, room staging, assembly, control box and keypad mounting, cable tray and surge strip installation, vertical cable chain routing, calibration, anti-collision tests, preset saves, and packaging removal.

Standards: Torque specs, cable management pattern (AC/data separation; bricks tied; one power drop), desk controller placement, and reset procedure.

Documentation: Underside photos of a sample station, daily progress logs, and a punch list for exceptions.

Insurance and safety: Proof of coverage, background checks if required, and compliance with site EHS policies.

Throughput and schedule: Crew size, daily capacity, and night/weekend options.

There is no one right answer for installation. Large programs with tight timelines benefit from white-glove crews that deliver repeatable quality and speed. Smaller phases or highly customized stations can favor DIY, especially when you standardize the kit and follow a disciplined playbook. In both cases, the keys are the same: a stable standing desk frame with a rigid crossbar and long feet, clean cable management with one power drop, a readable desk controller with memory presets, and a quick reset and safety test. Get those right, and your height adjustable desk rollout will be quiet, ergonomic, and ready on day one.

Explore standing desk frames, cable management kits, monitor arms, and rollout services at Venace: https://www.vvenace.com

Contact us: tech@venace.com