How Much Does It Cost to Reupholster a Couch?
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Summary:
Reupholstering a couch can elevate your living space. Reviving your existing couch can be more cost-effective and sustainable than buying a brand-new one. The average cost to reupholster a couch ranges from $50 to $4,000, depending on factors such as the type of fabric and the type and condition of the furniture.
Getting a couch reupholstered is like getting a haircut: everyone reaches a point when it’s necessary, and it’s best to pay a professional to do it. It can be expensive to reupholster a couch, but it can be so worth the cost. It’s all about managing expectations. Keep reading to learn about the process and costs of a reupholstery job.
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What is reupholstery?
Reupholstery is the art of reviving a piece of furniture by replacing its padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather cover. The process involves stripping down a piece of furniture to its frame, then reassembling it and recovering it in new fabric. The ideal candidate for a reupholstery job is a piece of furniture that is of good quality but shows signs of wear and tear.
Couches and chairs are the most common types of furniture to reupholster. At the least, their seat cushions require regular updates depending on how frequently they’re used. If your couch has seen better days, consider getting it reupholstered.
Here are some common types of furniture that can be reupholstered:
- Leather sofa
- Chaise lounge
- Outdoor cushions
- Sectional sofas
- Larger multi-piece sectionals
- Chairs
- Fabric or leather love seats
- Couch cushions
When should I reupholster my couch?
Knowing whether your couch needs a makeover isn’t always black-and-white. At the end of the day, it all comes down to your standards and preferences. So let’s all dance in the gray area together.
When deciding if you should reupholster your couch, consider the following factors:
- Frame: Make sure the frame structure of your couch is strong and stable. Check that the frame material isn’t severely damaged. Your couch will need a sturdy frame to withstand the reupholstery process.
- Fabric: Obviously, the main reason people reupholster couches is to update the fabric. Is yours severely damaged or dirtied? Is the pattern outdated? Is the material inconsistent with your home? These are all reasons you may want to have your couch reupholstered.
- Value: A couch’s monetary and sentimental value are important to consider. If a couch is special to you or your family, such as a family heirloom, reupholstering it can help extend its lifetime.
- Warranty: High-quality couches are meant to last years without needing reupholstery — with the exception of extreme cases of damage. Do you have a warranty on the couch? Has the furniture been damaged within its warranty period? If so, you should take advantage of the warranty to have your sofa reupholstered.
Is it worth the cost to reupholster a couch?
If the frame of your couch is unstable or deteriorated, or if it’s a low-quality couch to begin with, it might not be worth the expense to reupholster. Also, consider how much you paid for the couch when it was new; we recommend not spending more on the reupholstery than the couch itself is worth.
Emotional, monetary, and name-brand value are worthwhile reasons to consider reupholstering. If you paid a lot of money for a couch and you’re not quite done with it yet, repair it! If the couch is an antique, has a hardwood frame, or simply holds sentimental value for you, it’s likely worth the cost to reupholster.
Repair vs. replace
We hate to break it to you, but your couch may be too far gone to reupholster. Even if it would survive a reupholstery job, it may not be worth the cost. Sometimes, it’s simply better to buy a new couch. As mentioned above, when considering whether to replace or repair your couch, consider the frame, fabric, value, and warranty.
If your couch’s frame is severely damaged, it won’t be strong enough to withstand an upholstery job. However, if the furniture has no emotional value to your family and you can afford a completely new sofa, replacement is likely the better option, especially when the old sofa is past its warranty and has already seen plenty of good use.
If you choose to replace your couch instead of repairing it, consider your options for getting rid of the old couch:
- Sell it: Even couches in poor condition can sell. You might not get a lot of money for it, and you certainly won’t make back what you originally paid for it, but at least you can use that money to cover part of the cost of a new sofa.
- Donate it: If you don’t need your couch, someone else will. Consider donating it to your local thrift store or charity.
- Gift it: Maybe you personally know someone who could use your couch. Ask around before selling or donating the couch to see if you can bless one of your friends or family members with it.
- Toss it: No one wants a couch that is dangerous to their family’s health and safety. If your couch is so damaged that it’s basically a hazard, throwing it away is in everyone’s best interest. Take it to your local dump or furniture recycling yard.
Pro Tip
Keep in mind that getting rid of a couch and buying a new one has environmental impacts. It’s far more sustainable to simply repair what you already have.
How to get your couch reupholstered
Reupholstery isn’t for the faint of heart. It involves stripping furniture down to its frame, then breathing new life into it with better fabric and parts. Every reupholstery job is different — which is one reason upholsterers enjoy their line of work.
Here’s how to get your sofa reupholstered:
Choose the right upholsterer
Furniture upholstery is a difficult skill to master. You can trust an upholstery professional to reupholster your couch and send it back to you in excellent condition.
Choosing the right upholsterer can take some trial and error. Look for local workroom professionals in your area, as well as good upholsterer reviews and ratings. Ask your friends and family if they can recommend anyone.
The right upholsterer will have a good balance of quality, professionalism, and price. If possible, we recommend contacting two or three professionals for quotes before deciding on one to reupholster your couch.
Choose the best materials
When you spend the time and money to reupholster a couch, you want to make sure the materials are of high quality and will fit your needs. Keep in mind that the materials you choose will have a large impact on the cost to reupholster. Ideally, a professional upholsterer can help you decide which materials are best for your couch and will use hardware that matches the existing sofa when making repairs.
The main decision you need to make is which upholstery fabric to use, as you will have to live with this new fabric when you return the couch to your home. Decide how much fabric matters to you and how much you’re willing to spend. Think about what colors will work best with your home decor, and consider fabric durability when making your decision.
Pro Tip
Consider if the couch will frequently be in the presence of little kids or clumsy adults. If so, you might want to go with a tightly woven, water-resistant, easily washable upholstery fabric in a darker color.
Need help covering the cost to reupholster your couch? Consider taking out a personal loan to pay for a reupholstery job.
How long does it take to get a couch reupholstered?
Getting a couch reupholstered can take 5 to 25 hours, depending on the type and size of the couch and the severity of any damage it’s sustained. Note that while the work itself takes 5 to 25 hours, it can take a busy professional upholsterer up to a month to send you the couch back. When you are browsing upholsterers, ask what their estimated timeline is and if they accept rush fees.
Can I reupholster my furniture myself?
Furniture reupholstery isn’t as easy as some other DIY tasks you may have completed in your home. While it’s possible to reupholster a couch yourself with the help of YouTube and Google, if done incorrectly, you can ruin the furniture. We recommend hiring a local professional to get the job done; you’ll save yourself the risk of a botched job and a lot of wasted time.
How much does it cost to reupholster a couch?
The average cost to reupholster a couch is typically anywhere from $50 to $4,000, depending on a number of factors. To get a better idea of what this cost might look like for you, consider the following factors that influence the cost of reupholstering furniture:
- Type and size of furniture: The size of the furniture is the number one contributing factor to the cost of couch reupholstery. The larger and more complicated the sofa, the more expensive the reupholstery job will be.
- Type and amount of fabric: Fabric comes in a variety of textures, properties, colors, and qualities. On average, upholstery fabric costs $10 to $200 per yard.
- Furniture condition: If the furniture is in fair condition, reupholstery will likely cost less than if it were a total wreck. Repairing a couch costs an average of $250.
- Tufting: Tufting is a specialized weaving technique that can increase the cost of an upholstery project by around 30%.
- Seat cushions: The number and condition of your couch cushions will impact the cost of reupholstering your sofa. Depending on the material used, cushion restuffing can add $100 to $1,200 per 24-by-24-inch cushion.
- Spring replacement: Replacing collapsed springs in a couch costs anywhere from $220 to $400.
- Padding replacement: New padding can revitalize a couch, and some couches will require this repair. Replacing the padding in a sofa costs $10 to $20 per square foot.
- Frame repair or modifications: In some cases, the couch frame is damaged but still salvageable. Frame repair costs between $50 and $240.
- Refinishing and mold mitigation: It’s common for couches to have moisture or mold damage in the frame or cushions. Recovering a couch from this kind of damage can add 20–25% to your reupholstery cost.
- Labor costs: Upholsterers will charge for their labor by the hour.Average labor costs range from $40 to $100 per hour.
- Transportation expenses: If you don’t have a vehicle large enough to transport the couch, expect to pay $100 to $300 in delivery fees per trip.
Here are the average costs to reupholster furniture based on the type of couch or furniture piece:
- Chaise lounge: $900 to $1,500
- Leather couch: $600 to $4,000
- Love seat: $600 to $2,000
- Sectional sofa: $2,000 to $4,000
- Couch cushions: $200 to $500
- Outdoor cushions: $50 to $500
Also, keep in mind that the cost varies depending on your region. Your best bet for an accurate cost estimate is to call up your local furniture reupholstery business.
FAQ
Is it worth it to reupholster a sofa?
If your sofa is in fair condition but could use a refresh, it may be worth reupholstering. However, if you’d have to pay more to reupholster the couch than you paid for it brand-new, it might be better to buy a new couch instead.
Is it cheaper to reupholster or buy new furniture?
The answer to this question depends on the type of furniture and the scope of the reupholstery job. Sometimes it is cheaper to reupholster than it is to buy new. Compare quotes from your local upholsterer with new couch prices to determine if this is the case for you.
How much should it cost to reupholster a sofa?
To reupholster an entire sofa should cost anywhere from $600 to $4,000, depending on the furniture’s size, type, and materials.
Is reupholstering cost-effective?
Reupholstering is cost-effective if your couch frame is in good condition, and buying a new sofa would be more expensive.
Key Takeaways
- The decision to reupholster a couch is a personal one. It depends on the condition of your couch, the sentimental and monetary value of the couch, and your home decor taste.
- It’s best to hire a professional to reupholster your couch, as doing it yourself can lead to further damage and destruction.
- The cost to reupholster a couch is anywhere from $50 to $4,000. This depends on factors such as new fabric costs, labor costs, and repair costs, as well as whether you intend to reupholster the entire couch or only the couch cushions.
Interested in upgrading your home’s outdoor experience? SuperMoney has guides to walk you through the costs of building an outdoor patio, a kitchen, a pergola, a tennis court, and even a riding arena.
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