Although reupholstering old furniture that has undergone considerable wear and tear is cheaper than buying a new set, it can still be tough on the pocket. The cost is affected by several factors. Check out the article below to get a low down on the same.
To reupholster your furnishings or not. Well, this can be a really difficult question to answer when your furniture has undergone a bit of wear and tear and you are tempted to buy new ones. On one hand it will seem that getting a new set will be a good idea, as then it will give a kind of makeover to the house, though it will be hard on the pocket. On the contrary, reupholstering the furniture seems like a better option as far as saving money is concerned.
Why Reupholster?
Before we move on to the actual cost, some elaboration on why you can give reupholstering a serious thought is warranted. For starters, it is much more cost-effective than buying a new furniture set, especially in cases where the piece is well crafted and is sturdy and replacing the fabric is the only thing which is required. Moreover, if that piece has sentimental value, you will be able to keep it. If not, you can easily get to choose the fabric. So basically these reasons, to begin with, are good enough to think about reupholstering.
How Much Does It Cost?
Are you already wondering about the cost? Allow me to sort out your dilemma. Primarily, the amount of damage on the piece, the material required, whether there will be material required to be transported, and extent of labor; these are the things which will determine the final cost you will need to pay. In addition to that the type of furniture also matters. For instance is it just a chair, a couch, or a sofa? That will dictate the price. The material or fabric in this case, starts from around USD 5 to around USD 30 or a bit less or more for a yard. For material like wool or silk, it can run up to USD 200 per yard. To give you an idea, an armchair can cost around USD 350 to USD 400, that too if there is no other work beyond changing the fabric.
Cost of Reupholstering a Sofa
Fabric and Labor Charges
As mentioned earlier, the cost of the material, labor, and transportation charges if any are the main determinants of the overall cost. To start with, see how the price of fabric is calculated. This is done by multiplying the yardage by the price per yard. According to a couple of upholstery shops, if you consider an average sofa, around 18 to 22 yards of fabric will be required. The number of yards, let’s say 18, multiplied by USD 5, could be your material cost, that is USD 90, to the least for a sofa. Then you will have to pay for the labor charges, which can vary according to the region. However, on an average the labor charges for a sofa run in the range of USD 800 to USD 1,500 or perhaps even more. However, the final estimate is not told and the initial estimate does not include extras, till the sofa is checked for repair.
Transportation Charges
Last, but not the least, you will need to pay for transportation charges for the sofa, if you cannot move it yourself and you do not have a truck. The upholstery shop will charge for hauling the sofa to and from the shop. Generally in a large, urban area, a one way charge is around USD 40 and on the outskirts or lesser populated areas, the cost can be even higher. All in all, you will need to take a careful decision whether to pick up new furniture or get the existing one reupholstered and pay the cost.