Upholstery costs depend on three things: the size and condition of your furniture, the fabric you choose, and the labour involved in recovery. A reupholstered sofa keeps its original frame intact, which is why recovering existing furniture costs significantly less than buying new. Herd Upholstery provides a fixed quote within 48 hours, so you know the exact price before work begins.
What actually drives upholstery costs?
Upholstery pricing rests on four measurable factors. First, the size and shape of the piece — a two-seater sofa requires less fabric and labour than a three-seater or corner unit. Second, the condition of the frame underneath: a solid wooden frame in good repair costs less to recover than one needing structural work or rebuild. Third, your fabric choice: natural fabrics like linen or wool cost more per metre than synthetics, and patterned or textured weaves require more careful layout than plains. Fourth, the labour involved in stripping back to the frame, repairing springs or webbing where needed, and re-covering to match the original construction.
Commercial furniture — pub and restaurant booth seating or banquette upholstery — often has different cost drivers. Heavy-use fabrics and fire-safety requirements add to material costs, but batch work on similar pieces (recovering a whole booth run at once, for example) can reduce per-unit labour time. A residential sofa in Barking and a commercial booth in Dagenham follow the same principles, but the end-use specification changes the fabric and durability requirements, and therefore the price.
How much does fabric choice add to the total cost?
Fabric is often the biggest cost variable after labour. A two-seater sofa typically needs 5–7 metres of fabric. A basic synthetic weave might cost £8–15 per metre, while a natural linen can run £20–40 per metre or more. That difference alone is £60–200 across the whole job. Patterned fabrics add cost in two ways: they cost more per metre to buy, and they require skilled layout to match patterns across seams and panels, which increases labour time. Plain or small-scale textures are faster to work with and therefore cheaper in labour terms.
The durability question matters too. A family living room sofa benefits from performance fabrics designed to resist staining and wear — these typically cost more upfront but last longer and age better. A guest bedroom chair that sees light use can use a less robust (and cheaper) natural fabric without risk. Your lifestyle and the furniture’s role in your home should guide the fabric decision, not budget alone. Herd Upholstery works with you to match fabric choice to real use, so you get value that lasts.
Why is getting a written quote essential?
A verbal estimate is a guess. A written quote is a commitment. When Herd Upholstery collects your furniture, the craftsman inspects the frame, tests the springs and webbing, checks what repair work is needed, and measures for fabric accurately. Only then is a fixed quote issued within 48 hours. That quote includes collection, recovery, and return — no hidden charges added at handover. This matters because frame damage, rot, or broken springs cannot be diagnosed from a photo; they only appear once the old upholstery is stripped back.
A fixed quote protects you and the craftsman equally. You know exactly what you’re paying before work starts. The studio knows the scope of work and can plan labour fairly. Quotes without inspection are where surprises happen — a £300 job becomes £500 halfway through because webbing needed replacing, or springs were worse than expected. Transparent pricing means you decide, armed with facts, whether to proceed or look elsewhere.
What’s included in the total cost?
A complete upholstery job includes collection from your home or business in Barking, Dagenham, Ilford or East London, the recovery work itself (stripping, repair, rebuilding, and re-covering), and return delivery. Labour is the largest component — a skilled craftsman takes time to do the work properly, and that time is reflected in the quote. Fabric is the second. Filling materials (if the original padding is worn and needs replacing), webbing, springs, and fixings make up the rest. Discount upholsterers often cut labour time or use cheaper fillings to hit a lower price; quality upholstery doesn’t work that way.
The quiz is simple: does the quote include both collection and delivery? Are repairs to the frame or springs included, or are they extra? Is the fabric price built in, or separate? A studio charging transparently will answer all three clearly before you decide. Many upholstered pieces are worth keeping — they have sentimental value, good proportions, or a solid structure that no new sofa matches — and doing the recovery properly costs less than replacement while preserving what matters.
How do you decide whether recovery or replacement makes sense?
Recovery is cheaper than replacement if (1) the frame is sound, (2) springs and webbing are serviceable or repairable, and (3) the piece still fits your space and life. A twenty-year-old sofa with a solid hardwood frame and good bones recovered with decent fabric often costs £400–800 and lasts another decade. A new sofa of equivalent quality costs £1,500 upwards. The maths favour recovery. But if the frame is structurally rotten, or the piece is too worn and damaged underneath to justify the work, replacement is honest advice. Herd Upholstery’s quote process includes that diagnosis; the craftsman will tell you if the piece is worth recovering or if you’d be better served buying new.
Commercial furniture complicates the question. A pub booth or banquette seating that sees daily use has a finite lifespan, and recovery makes sense only if the underlying structure is solid. A single recovery extends that life cost-effectively; a second recovery on the same piece may not. The studio can advise based on the inspection, but knowing upfront whether you’re recovering a well-built original or nursing a tired frame is essential before you commit to labour.
What should you ask before committing to a quote?
Ask five things. (1) Is the quote fixed, or are there potential add-ons if the frame needs work? (2) Does it include collection and delivery? (3) What fabric options are within your budget, and what do they cost? (4) How long will the work take — when will your furniture be ready? (5) Does the studio offer any guarantee on the finished work? These questions separate transparent studios from those leaving room for surprises. Herd Upholstery operates as a one-person, no-middleman business; you speak directly to the craftsman, not a sales team. That directness means honest answers and no hidden margins inflating the price.
Before you ring or email, gather one piece of information: photographs of the furniture (showing the overall shape, any damage, and the current upholstery condition) and the room where it will go. These help the craftsman scope the job accurately and give you a realistic quote fast. A good studio will also ask about your lifestyle — do you have pets, children, or heavy use — so fabric recommendations match reality. That conversation, backed by a written quote, is how you make an informed decision without guesswork or fear of a bill that doesn’t match the promise.