More Game Table Decisions

This table is a tricky one.  While I could have purchased a set of table and four chairs for around $600, it wouldn't have been as good a quality as the beast (as I shall henceforth refer to it; see: Come to the Table (Wait! Not yet!))  I found the cheap, but nice enough Durango counter height chair at Furniture Row for $58 each.  After tax, times eight, it would run us (the chairs are for me, but the money is ours) about $500.  Not so bad considering the average chair suitable for my needs runs closer to $100 each.

The problem is money; what else?  We've got some to spare after our housing transactions, but the big project, costing around $2000, is the refinishing of the oak flooring upstairs (in progress).  That would be DeeAnn's current home amenity dream come true.  While my gamer heart's desire is only a fourth as expensive, it also serves a much more specific purpose and demographic.  Everybody uses the floor.  Everybody is welcome to use my would-be chairs, but the probable frequency is lower.  In fairness, I think it all balances out.  Increasing our project spending by a fourth may still not be so feasible.

An additional constraint on the decision is urgency.  Shipping rates are rising dramatically.  The furniture store manager said the costs haven't been passed on to customers yet, but they will be soon.  This fact makes the value on those chairs all the greater and more immediate.

My alternatives include haunting thrift stores, garage sales, and online classified advertisement sites.  None of these are at all reliable for attaining my desired quantity, quality, and style of chairs.  They don't all have to match, but I feel chrome and checkered vinyl, for example, would detract from the ambiance I'm aiming for.

I've considered building my own, temporary seating.  It's not out of the question, but the cost of raw materials may not run so far from buying new, prefabricated chairs.  There's also the indefinite construction time compounded by a lack of expertise.  Finally, I'd hate to be the proud owner of a hospital bill for one broken elbow due to some faulty carpentry on my part.

UPDATE:  I evaluated our budget and ordered 8 Durangos.  They'll be ready in about 2 weeks!