How much should I expect to pay to have a sofa and sleeper loveseat
reupholstered (fabric & labor)?  I'm in Los Angeles and I've been told
that I will need 25 yards of fabric.

Hi googlenut-ga,

Let’s break your project down into its components and take a look at
it. We will look first and the number of yards you require. Then we
will consider fabric cost, and lastly, labor costs.

YARDAGE ESTIMATES

First of all, 25 yards sounds just about right for upholstering a
sleeper sofa and a loveseat. Take a look at this website, which has a
chart with pictures of various furniture pieces and estimates of the
yardage needed for each. I have used this chart in figuring yardage
for making custom slipcovers, and have found it to give a good
approximation of the fabric needed.

Nishida Company
http://www.nishidacompany.com/New_or_reupholster.html

Take a look at the seventh sofa in the first row. It estimates 14
yards of fabric will be needed to do this piece. Now take a look at
the second or third loveseats in the second row. Ten yards should do
one of those. So 25 total yards would seem to be a good estimate for
your two pieces. Note that patterned fabrics, requiring either a
vertical and/or horizontal match, may require more yardage


FABRIC.

You do not say if you are supplying the fabric, or if the shop will
supply it. If you choose from fabric supplied by the shop, there will
most likely be a markup on it. Many upholsterers will permit
customer-supplied fabric. Some charge higher labor rates or a cutting
charge for customer supplied fabric. You will have to check this with
the upholsterer giving you the estimate. If the shop does not charge
higher labor for customer-supplied fabric, here is where you can save
some money. Shop around for a good price, and a fabric that you love.

Upholstery fabric should be sturdy and substantial, while being
beautiful and comfortable. A tapestry or chenille is ideal, as they
are beautiful, dimensional, and will wear well. A lightweight cotton,
while lovely, will not hold up on a piece that gets a lot of use.

Take a look at your local fabric stores. JoAnn Fabric, for example,
provides samples that you can take home for several days by leaving a
small (returnable) deposit. They also have frequent sales. You should
expect to pay probably in the $15 to $25 range per yard.  Here is a
link to the Store Locator on their website to find the closest:

JoAnn Fabric: Store Locator
http://www.joann.com/store_locator/locator_main.jhtml;$sessionid$O540WPQAADM00P4SY5FBIHR50LD2WEPO

Calico Corners also has a wide selection of upholstery fabric, and
many stores throughout the country. Their price range will likely be
higher--$15 to $60 or $70 per yard. Here is a link to their Store
Locator:

Calico Corners
http://www.calicocorners.com/


There will be many other fabric stores in Los Angeles, and probably
discount stores specializing in upholstery fabric. Look in the Yellow
Pages under “Fabric”. The ad will probably specify “upholstery” or
“home decorating” fabric.

There are also a couple of online sources from which I have bought
drapery and upholstery fabric. (No association, just a happy
customer.) From an online source, you could find a real bargain in a
beautiful, upholstery-weight fabric. You could easily find something
for less than $10.  Here are a couple of sources:

Fabric.com
http://store.yahoo.com/phoenixtextiles/
has beautiful, good-quality fabric and great prices. Click on “Drapery
and Upholstery Fabrics”, on the left side. Samples can be enlarged by
clicking on them, so that you can see every thread.

Fabricland Interiors
http://www.fabricland.com/
Good selection, good prices.

A source that I have not yet ordered from, but the prices are very
good:
BargainFabric.com
http://www.bargainfabric.com/


LABOR

I’ve given a range of labor costs, from three different sources:

(1)
ChairGallery.com
http://www.chairgallery.com/costofupholstery.htm

A basic sofa (three seat): $395-$450.
A basic loveseat (two seat): $295-$350.


(2)
Reginald’s Originals
http://www.reginaldsoriginals.com/yardage_chart.htm

This website lists a labor cost based on yardage to upholster your
pieces:
$45 per yard using their fabric
$55 per yard using customer-supplied fabric


(3)
TJ Upholstery
http://www.tjupholstery.com/prcsofas.htm

Sofa (pictures 10/12):  $600
Loveseat (picture 2): $450


I realize that this is a lot of information, but let’s look at a
couple of examples—the low end of what you might expect to pay, and
the high end.

If you were to purchase your own material for $10 per yard, the
following might apply:

Fabric: (25 x $10)  $250
Labor: (From #1)   $800 ($450 for sofa + $350 for loveseat)
TOTAL: $1050


If you purchased fabric from the upholsterer, and that fabric was $25
per yard:

Fabric: (25 x $25)  $625
Labor: (From #2) $1125 ($45 per yard x 25 yards)
TOTAL: $1750

You can do additional calculations, based on your own actual
variables, but this will give you a basis to figure out what your
upholstery project should cost. As you can see the fabric that you
choose will make a big difference in the final cost.

Again, googlenut-ga, I realize that this is a lot of information. If
you should need any clarification on any of the above, or if you would
like me to calculate using actual numbers that you may have, please do
not hesitate to ask.

Regards,

Beth   



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Thanks for the helpful information.