Upholster Couch vs Buying New

[Daylily]

Has anyone ever had a couch and recliner upholstered? I'd like to look into it and am wondering a general idea on the price. I know it varies depending on what material is selected.

DH thinks it will costs as much as just buying a new set. I don't want to buy new though.

[PrincessPerky]

Does it have sentimental value? if so that is worth more than some saving by buying new.

I don't have a cost estimate for you, I just know that my mother had a couch that belonged to my grandmother, it was redone once just because it was gmas...Unfortunatly I didn't have room for it when it came time to do again, so I think the couch was tossed .

Also, redoing the covering may not be enough, my MIL recovered her couch, and it well, never sat right..the cushions were all too short for the couch, and they twisted..it was weird, and annoying, while I hate my current couch, I can at least go weeks without readjusting, as opposed to redoing it every day! sometimes twice a day, ugh I hated that one.

[Gruntina]

I had my couch upholstered but I did it all myself. It took a week to do a 7 seats L couch with recliner seats at each end.

Even though I saved money by doing all the labor work and purchasing a powered stapeler and glue and materials, I honestly believe it would be better to buy new than to hire someone to do it. Materials are not cheap. You can buy used but it would be best to buy it from a known source and know the history of the couch.

I am afraid of couches or mattress that are soiled and infestations of bugs inside.

Best deal would be to get a couch on sale or find a shop that is going out of business.

[LuxLiving]

My dad was an upholsterer by trade for years so I once thought nothing of tackling a loveseat project myself because I knew I had dad there to back me up if I went to far awry. I did it in that slick chintz fabric on my standard sewing machine. The fabric was on sale. Any other kind of heaveier material may want for a heavy duty machine to sew with.

I've also had some things done by a lady upholsterer who did it in her garage rather inexpensively, so it depends.


What kind of material are you wanting to use?

Cost of said material?

Will your machine handle it?

Are you crafty? or a decent seamstress to begin with? (The couch part seemed easier than getting the cushion fitted correctly.)

Do you have the time and room to complete it?

Will you get into it and hate yourself if you don't get it perfect?

Would you be able to eat the loss if you screw up the fabric and in the end have to go with a professional?

I'd say if you can find some inexpensive material and have a decent machine give it a whirl. If it sucks, then you've suffered not much more than a creative learning experience if the old one was already on it's last leg. If you'll beat yourself up over that then go w/a pro or buy new.

[scfr]

I had a family heirloom chair reupholstered and it was quite expensive. The sentimental value of the chair is priceless to me (I'm the 4th generation owner) so I did it, but it sure wasn't a money saver.

I looked in to having a love seat reupholstered but decided it was just too expensive.

Some options besides reupholstering or buying new:
- Buy a slipcover [I did this once; it's not a permanent solution but it can extend the life of a piece of furniture by a couple of years.]
- Buy something used but in good shape (check eBay or craigslist or local ads) --- people may sell things that are in perfectly good shape because they are downsizing or moving (I have furniture listed on Ebay myself right now for that very reason)

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

My own sofa would not be worth it to professionally re-upholster. Wish I could find one of those mythical, secondhand, sturdy, old couches in good condition just in need of new uphostery. The difference bewteen a good sofa and a crap one (that is what I have) is huge.

If you are thinking of DIY, I agree that you should go with a lighter material for best results. I did a chair, all hand sewn, yet I have little sewing skills. It was basically just geometry to me. Uh, I also mad use of a power stapler! I was proud of how it turned out. And my sister--the one who has much better taste and higher standards than me-- asked me to do a chair for her, so I must have done pretty good by more objective standards.

[PRICEPLUS]

If you have a quality piece of furniture or an heirloom then it pays to have it reupholstered. The wife and I did a fan back and a sofa in the same material. Both pieces were from the early 40's and we absolutely love them.

We went professional and it was money well spent. Buying something of similar quality today would have been prohibitive for us!

[Aleta]

I had the same dilemma a couple of years back and decided on a sofa cover. It's a light color with a off-white stripe on stripe fabric and really looks good. The original fabric was in good condition and I needed to update the couch to match my new couches in the adjoining family room. It looks so good. You have to be careful of the sofa covers you buy. Some are really not that good looking. I found that to be a good cost offset to buying or reuphostering the couch. I was able to use the solid color wing chair that I had in the living room with no problem.

[Saving in So Cal]

We were grappling with this issue last summer. My husband works next door to an upholstery shop and asked for an estimate so we could do the math. The shop told him that unless the piece is very high end or has sentimental value, reupholstery is not a good option.

[Daylily]

Thanks for the replies. I have no intention of trying to tackle the project myself. I had hoped to have it professionally done.

I like the style of the couch and I just don't find the same style in the furniture stores. It's not a high end piece nor does it have sentimental value.

[nanamom]

It may cost as much as a new set. The key is what you want in your living room. If you ar egoing to spend the same amount, get what you like. If that is the old set with new material then go for it. Just make sure you see examples of the work the person or store has done so you know they are quality.

[puppypal]

I too, think the quality of the piece of furntiure goes miles on depending to re-cover or buy new......I had a old bedroom suite forever it seems and it was tongue and groove havertys suite and the quality was to say the least better than anything I could afford!
But I had it in my teens and well teens tend to not take care of stuff. I kept looking for a bedroom suite and man what you get in quality as far as wood is concerned and price well....YUCK! sums it up. So I bought a used set in the paper for my room and was freaked out enough about my old suites quality to re-stain it and give it to my boy!