How Much Does Reupholstery Cost? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $371 - $1,144
The cost to reupholster a piece of furniture can run from $140 to $2,200. You will likely spend more if the furniture needs any structural repairs or requires high-end fabrics such as silk.
If your favorite armchair is looking a little more shabby than chic, you don’t have to toss it out. Reupholstering furniture is a great way to breathe new life into pieces that have always brought joy into your home. But some pieces need a lot of work after the years of love that they’ve received. In some cases, you might find that it’s more affordable to part ways and start fresh. If a sofa requires complete gutting, it’ll probably be less expensive to buy a new one instead. On the flip side, a chair that only has a few cosmetic imperfections—like a stain or a scratch—won’t be costly to save. Use this guide to find out when it’s worth hiring a reupholstery professional and when you’re better off shopping for new furniture.
- Average
- $739
- Low end
- $140
- high end
- $2,200
What Factors Influence Reupholstery Costs?
There are quite a few factors that can influence the cost of furniture reupholstery, including size, fabric, labor, age, and the condition of an item.
Fabric Prices
The average cost for fabric will be between $18 to $35 per yard. Affordable options like cotton and polyester can be as little as $10 per yard, whereas pricier options like leather can reach over $100 per yard. If you have a preference for the material, you can use the table below to get an estimate for the material costs.
| Fabric Type | Average Cost Per Yard |
|---|---|
| Cotton | $8–$12 |
| Leather | $70–$135 |
| Linen | $12–$25 |
| Nylon | $5–$8 |
| Polyester | $6–$10 |
| Silk | $20–$40 |
| Vinyl | $5–$10 |
The best fabric for reupholstery projects will depend on your personal preferences, how much use your piece will get, and the cost, so make sure you choose carefully.
Existing Condition
The current quality of a piece of furniture also has an impact on the overall cost of repairs. The more wear and tear there is on other components, like the legs, armrests, or interior components, the more you’re likely to pay.
Refinishing or cleaning services can also increase your final bill. An upholstery cleaning company near you can help ensure your furniture is in tip-top shape year-round.
Cost to clean upholstery: $125–$225
Cost to refinish furniture: $350–$900
Furniture Transportation
Transporting furniture to and from a reupholstering facility can vary widely, depending on the size of the furniture. If you have access to a truck, it can be far less expensive to move it yourself—though you run the risk of damaging your favorite ottoman again if you don’t pack it properly. Expect to pay between $100 and $300 to have it professionally moved.
In some cases, an expert can complete smaller jobs on-site, so you don’t have to worry about accounting for the transportation cost.
Structural Repairs
If your piece of furniture needs to be reupholstered, there’s a chance it’s also suffering from damage or aging on the inside. As such, you might also be on the hook for repairs to the structural components.
Framing, tufting, and nail heads are among the most expensive items to repair. Here’s how much it will cost for each.
Repairing the frame: $200–$400
Fixing tufting and nailheads: an additional $100–$500 on top of the $715 national average.
Age
The age of the furniture you want to reupholster can sometimes play a role in the cost of the service. As you might guess, older pieces of furniture will tend to need some additional TLC, especially to structural components, which can drive up the cost. However, antique pieces of furniture also demand greater care and attention to transport and preserve, so the labor costs will usually be a bit higher for family heirlooms and antiques.
Size
Of course, the size of the furniture plays a role as well, both in material costs and labor charges. Larger pieces of furniture like sectional couches are always going to be more costly to reupholster than a single dining chair or a love seat that uses the same material.
Labor
Professional reupholstery services cost between $40 and $100 per hour of work. Small items like chairs and outdoor cushions can be finished in as little as a week, whereas larger furniture repairs can take up to a month. For the average chair or couch, you’ll pay between $500 and $1,000 in labor alone.
Location
Furniture reupholstery prices will vary marginally from state to state. Here’s a brief summary of what you can expect to pay a furniture reupholstery company near you.
| State | Average Reupholstery Cost |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $250–$500 |
| Arizona | $390–$1,025 |
| California | $400–$1,520 |
| Colorado | $290–$1,060 |
| Kansas | $395–$825 |
| Michigan | $270–$520 |
| New York | $425–$1,240 |
| North Carolina | $270–$700 |
| Pennsylvania | $355–$1,275 |
| Texas | $425–$830 |
How Much Does It Cost to Reupholster Furniture by Type?
The price for furniture reupholstery will also vary a lot depending on what you’re having fixed. Bigger items like sofas and headboards typically cost more than smaller items like outdoor cushions and chairs.
| Furniture Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Sofa | $600 – $4,000 |
| Chair | $50 – $2,000 |
| Outdoor cushions | $50 – $500 |
| Ottoman | $300 – $700 |
| Chaise | $900 – $1,500 |
| Headboard | $200 – $2,000 |
Cost to Reupholster Couch
Reupholstering a sofa or couch can cost anywhere from $600 to $4,000. Expect to pay between $600 and $2,000 for loveseats and $2,000 to $4,000 or more for sectionals. Prices can be significantly higher for leather couches.
Cost to Reupholster Chair
Chair reupholstery can be as little as $50 and as much as $2,000. Dining room chairs will be on the lower end—between $50 and $250—whereas armchairs will be on the higher end—$1,000 to $2,000.
Outdoor Cushions
Though reupholstering outdoor cushions typically costs far less than other items, it can be expensive depending on what you have. Expect to pay between $50 and $500 for smaller items like the pillow on your favorite outdoor lounge chair. The price to fix a patio with a couch-like set-up will be more in line with the cost to reupholster an inside couch.
Ottoman
An ottoman will cost between $300 and $700 to reupholster. Smaller models will be low-cost to fix, and larger ones will be more expensive.
Chaise Lounge
The price to reupholster a chaise lounge can range from $900 to $1,500. In general, they’re less expensive to fix than couches because they don’t have any backing or loose cushions. But antique models may be pricier to repair.
Headboard
You’ll pay between $200 and $2,000 for most headboard reupholstery. Smaller headboards lined with inexpensive fabric will cost less to fix than ones that are made with more intricate designs and materials.
How Much Does It Cost to Reupholster Furniture Yourself?
It can be a lot less expensive to DIY a project like furniture reupholstery because labor costs and transportation fees make up over half of what you pay. You could even get creative and repurpose your furniture in exciting new ways, like using the fabric from an old couch to make new pillows. Fabric costs can range from under $10 to well over $100 per yard, but you’ll still pay less than you would to have a professional complete the work.
You’ll also need to account for any damaged padding or broken frames that need to be replaced and gather the right tools and materials to fix them. Padding can cost between $5 and $50 per yard. Things like twine and buttons will be relatively affordable—around $20 to $40 altogether.
Tools like pliers, hammers, and screwdrivers, as well as sewing equipment like needles and thread, are also essential for getting the job done. A toolbox with everything you need will cost between $50 to $200, depending on the brand, but you probably have at least a few of these items hanging around your garage.
Though it will be more affordable to do it yourself, it will also be time-consuming, and it can be difficult to achieve a professional look. Make sure this is a project you’re equipped to handle before taking it on. Luckily, there are plenty of guides and tips that will help you through the process of remodeling your furniture. But recruiting the services of a reupholstery company will guarantee no major mistakes occur.
How to Save on Reupholstery Costs
Reupholstering furniture can get quite expensive, sometimes costing up to or more than $6,000. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help keep costs down.
Choose a less expensive material. Leather couches might fit your aesthetic best, but the material alone costs many times what most others would. Consider choosing a more affordable material, like polyester or nylon.
Choose a durable material. In addition to the upfront cost of the material you choose, you should think about the durability. You might save money upfront by going with an affordable material, but striking a balance between price and quality can save money over time.
Get structural repairs done at the same time. You’ll spend more initially getting additional repairs to other components done at the same time, but you’ll save money in the long run over having to call in another professional down the road.
Reupholster all of your pieces at once. Most furniture reupholstery professionals will offer a discount if you choose to have multiple pieces done at the same time. Again, you’ll spend more upfront doing this, but you should save in the long run.
Provide your own transportation. Transporting the furniture to the reupholstery professional’s workshop can be expensive, but you can save a few hundred dollars in some cases if you have access to a truck and are willing to transport it yourself.
See if upholstery cleaning is a viable option. In some cases, having your upholstery professionally cleaned is an option, and it costs significantly less than reupholstering. Speak with a professional to see if cleaning is an option for your piece.
Finally, you should weigh the pros and cons of reupholstering furniture over replacing it entirely. Reupholstering is usually the more affordable option, but that’s not always the case.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The short answer is that it’s generally going to cost less to have something reupholstered than it would to simply buy new furniture.
What you pay will depend on how damaged an item is. If it requires minimal or purely cosmetic repairs, like a fabric swap, you will likely end up saving money. The only exception is a piece that you’ll need to get completely redone. Reupholstering is typically more affordable, and it’s the only option if you’re looking to preserve an antique or family heirloom.
While it can be easy to reupholster small items like outdoor cushions or pillows yourself, bigger projects are better left to the professionals. Hiring a professional reupholstery service is the best way to ensure your furniture is properly fixed, especially if you’re working with larger pieces, like couches, or high-end materials, like leather, where mistakes can be costly.
It is possible to reupholster directly over old material in some cases, and it can save you a bit of money. If you are going to go this route, make sure you use a darker color than you had previously, otherwise you might see the old fabric beneath the new material. You should also keep in mind that reupholstering over old material is only possible with certain materials. For example, reupholstering over leather usually isn’t possible. You can ask your professional to see if this is an option for your piece.