Cost to Reupholster a Sofa
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How Much Does It Cost to Reupholster a Couch?

Last Updated on April 15, 2023
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by Certified CFA CFA Alexander Popinker

Whether you’ve found a very interesting couch that needs a fabric change or one that has been eaten by moths, or you have an old couch yourself that needs some retouches, you could always look to get it reupholstered to make it look almost like a new one.

This brings us to this article’s most important question: How much does it cost to reupholster a couch? If instead, you want to reupholster a chair, be sure to read this article: Cost to reupholster a chair.

How Much Does It Cost to Reupholster a Couch?

The average couch will cost anywhere between $600 to $4,000 to have reupholstered, with a national average price of around $1,800 for this service. Of course, the exact bill you will get will depend on several factors, including the size and type of the sofa. This article should work as an upholstery price guide so you know all of the potential costs that are associated with the recovery of a couch.

  • National Average: $1,750
  • Typical Range: $600 to $4,000

Don’t expect the price to be a low one, because depending on who you employ and what type of couch you need to reupholster, in the end, it could cost you a lot.

One important aspect is the size of your couch.

You need to figure out how many yards of your desired material you’ll need for the job. If you don’t know how to do this, you could always get it to a professional in re-upholstery and get it appraised. They could give you an exact final cost or just an approximation of the material you’ll need for the job.

You can get a general idea of how much material you’ll need by using our basic guidelines below: 

  • A very large couch – nearly 27 yards of fabric/$300 plus labor
  • An average couch – approximately 23 yards of fabric/$260 plus labor
  • A small sofa – around 19 yards of fabric/$210 plus labor
  • A small loveseat – about 12 yards of fabric/$150 plus labor

The final cost of reupholstering a couch depends on exactly how complex the couch really is because the harder someone will have to work for it, the higher the labor cost will get. You will be charged in any of the two ways, depending on who you employ. You can either pay by the hour, or you can be charged a fixed price for the whole job and expect calls only if something goes wrong or problems start to pop up.

If You’re Looking To Reupholster Your Car, Here’s How Much It Will Cost You.

Another thing to prepare for, although it rarely happens, is when the expert notices that your couch is very damaged below the visible material so they have to replace most of the cushioning or even its structure. sofa reupholstering

Usually, a professional re-upholsterer will charge you at least $300 if not more, for the labor, but if you know an individual for this job and you want to get an exact price, just ask him for an appraisal of your couch.

For a couch of average size, expect to pay close to $700. While figuring an approximate final cost, don’t neglect the type of material you want to use. As an example, silk or velvet will cost significantly more than linen. Also, have in mind that cheaper isn’t always better when it comes to the reupholstery professional you choose to work with.

Smaller couches could cost you close to $450 each to get then reupholstered, while larger ones can cost $1,000, or more. Don’t rely on these numbers and get your couch appraised before you employ someone to get it fixed, so you know exactly how much you’ll have to pay when the job is done.

Factors in Calculating the Cost to Reupholster a Couch

So, as said above, the cost to reupholster a sofa will ultimately depend on several important factors like the type of fabric, the amount of fabric needed, as well as the type of sofa you have. Having a grasp on these factors and some others like your location and the price list of the upholsterer you’re working with, will help you get a better estimation of the cost of sofa upholstery even before contacting the expert.

Couch Type

Among the most important factors to affect the cost of recovering a couch will be the type of couch you have. So for example, the average cost to reupholster a sectional sofa would be somewhere between $2,000 and $4,000, while a smaller love seat reupholstering will only cost between $600 and $2,000.

With more detailed and intricate styles and types of sofas, the re-upholstering process will also require the hands of an expert and will take longer to complete. A chaise lounge, for example, should cost somewhere between $1,000 to $1,600 to have fixed.

This is more toward the lower end of the price range, as leather sofas can reach prices of $4,000. If you need to reupholster a loose sofa cushion, this shouldn’t cost more than $200 to $500.

Fabric Amount

The overall project will cost more the more fabric you will need to reupholster the surface of your sofa. This factor will usually be connected with the size of the sofa, as smaller ones, like love seats, will cost $600 to $2,000, while bigger models, like sectionals, can cost between $2,000 and $4,000 to have reupholstered.

Fabric Type

Another very important cost factor is the fabric type you will use for furniture reupholstery. The fabric will range between $15 and $300 per yard. You can pick between a lot of different qualities, textures, and colors for the fabric, each having its own price range. Among the less expensive types of sofa fabrics are olefin, polyester, nylon, linen-cotton blend, linen, and cotton, with prices between $15 and $60 per yard.

If you’re going for leather, you should expect a price of around $75 per yard, while twill will cost between $40 and $70 per yard. If you opt for rayon, you are likely to spend between $60 and $100 per yard, while velvet will cost between $65 and $90 per yard.

Labor

When it comes to couch reupholstering, labor will usually be charged between $50 and $120 per hour. You should consider this hourly price per hour to be included in the final bill even if it comes as a single cost.

Also, find out the cost of boat upholstery repair.

A professional re-upholsterer should have years of experience and a great number of positive reviews, so be careful who you choose to work with.

Another way to check their skills is to ask for a portfolio of pictures of their previous projects. Don’t be shy because asking for pictures of their previous work isn’t rude.

Could the average Joe afford to reupholster a couch?

We say they could, it’s just a matter of whether they want to go into such expenses or not. If the couch is very important to you, get it reupholstered. If not, there’s always the possibility to save money and buy a new one in a couple of months.

Alec Pow
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