Is REUPHOLSTERY expensive?
Different shops can have pretty different prices for the same job, so it’s important to ask around. That said, there’s a lot that goes into reupholstery that isn’t obvious when all you can see is that your piece went in one color and came out another. Whether or not it is expensive is a matter of perspective. Among the important things to consider when thinking about reupholstery are the time and various grades of materials that go into upholstery, and of course the value of the piece to you, both in dollars and in emotion.
Some of the factors that influence the price include:
Stripping: Preparing a piece for reupholstery can take a long time. Taking the old upholstery off a simple dining chair can take two hours, depending on how it was upholstered before. A truly antique piece might have hundreds of tacks or nails that have to be removed from aged, delicate wood. Stripping also should be done in an ordered process; you can’t just tear the thing apart as fast as you can. I have seen experienced pros take two full work days to strip seating. Stripping can also create a lot of trash, and some municipalities charge significant fees for disposal above a certain amount.
Repair: Once a piece is stripped, it may need significant repair, depending on the age and how many times it has been reupholstered. Antiques often have been worked on many times, and much of the wood splinters, breaks, or is full of broken-off tacks, leaving very little space to attach new material and requiring quite a bit of technical skill. Do you need springs removed, cleaned, replaced and tied? These things take time.
Cleaning, painting, and staining: If you need to clean the chrome, paint the wood, or refresh the stain, these processes can be quite involved depending on the condition of the piece you bring in. If there’s a lot of detail in the wood, for example, removing the paint or stain is an equally detailed process.
Materials: I use high-quality materials in every job. If you’re spending the money to reupholster furniture that’s important to you, the finished product should be comfortable and durable. Low quality foam, cotton, poly fill, and other materials will mean you’re back in an upholstery shop before you should be. Always make sure you know what’s under the fabric of your reupholstery job. See “Beware of upholstery prices that are too low” a couple sections below.
Style: The pattern and the style you choose can really affect he time it takes to reupholster your piece. A pattern with a lot of detail requires pattern matching, which sometimes can involve repeated trial and error. It’s not a huge jump in price, but it takes time. Similarly, some styles just take longer. Biscuit tufting is regaining popularity and has many different styles. It can be one of the hardest looks to achieve! It takes a long time to get it right. Also consider the shape of your piece, and what goes into making smooth lines around a lot of curves. Your upholsterer should be happy to discuss how these factors affect your price.
Ordering your own fabric: It’s not uncommon for a client to bring the fabric they want to see on their transformation. Several of the suppliers make similar or basically the same fabrics at different costs. You might be able to save a little loot with the help of your upholsterer.
should i reupholster?
After digesting what’s above, it’s understandable that a lot of people still don’t know if it’s worth it to reupholster, or if it makes more sense to buy something new. It depends on you answers to the following:
Antique or Vintage?
Obviously, an authentic antique or vintage piece usually can’t be replaced -- at least not without a really high price tag. If you have one of these timeless treasures that’s showing its age, reupholstery is the way to go. You’ll want to make sure the job is done right: careful stripping, quality materials, and a competent upholstery job.
hard to find or sentimental value?
It may be that you love the style of your piece, or it’s important to you for other reasons, irrespective of its vintage or value. If it’s your style and makes your statement, consider reupholstery. Again, you can talk to your shop about various ways to keep the cost under control. Fabric is one of your biggest costs, and many fabric makers have similar styles that come at very different prices. Remember that your small geometric pattern or the birds in the branches are going to require pattern matching to be done correctly.
looking to make a one-of-a-kind statement?
Maybe you have the right chair, wrong upholstery. Or your personal style demands a look you haven’t found anywhere. In that case, by all means, reupholster! We especially love to work with interior decorators to achieve just the right look, and a lot of shops will work with you to come up with the statement piece you want.
beware of upholstery prices that are too low
Unfortunately, a lot of shops will quote you a low price to get your business, and give you a really bad product in return. As I’ve tried to show you above, there’s a lot involved in professional, quality reupholstery. Some of the ways shops cut costs are:
Simply putting new fabric over the same worn out, filthy materials you brought in to be refreshed and rejuvenated. Often they’ll just slap another layer of cotton or Dacron on top of the old materials to hide their shoddy work. Sometimes it’s fine to keep the existing materials because the piece is fairly new, but make sure before you commit to the job that it’s what you want.
Low quality materials. Foam, cotton, fabric, tacks, staples … all the materials come in different quality grades, and it’s most often the case that you get what you pay for. Cheap foam degrades quicker. Cheap cotton can be full of sticks and other things you don’t want in your sofa. Here is a good explanation of what to look for in your fabric choice.
Bad technique. Pattern matching is the biggest offense usually. You see this surprisingly often on expensive furniture in retail shops. The link I included above shows really good pattern matching. Remember what that looks like next time you’re in mass market furniture stores, and definitely when you get your pieces back from the upholstery shop.
At South Austin Upholstery, we’re always happy to discuss your job with you so that you understand all your options, and exactly what you should expect. There’s nothing more gratifying than to see someone’s face light up when they get back a piece they absolutely love! People have an emotional attachment to their furniture. It makes our personal statement, it affects how we feel in body and mind when we’re in the room with it. Sometimes it holds our family history. Reupholstery isn’t always the most economical decision. Just make sure it’s the right decision for your situation, and that you get the quality you’re paying for.