--- title: "Reupholstery Cost UK 2026: Real Workshop Prices — Valley Upholstery" url: "https://www.valleyupholstery.co.uk/journal/how-much-does-reupholstery-cost-uk" --- Journal · July 2026 # How much does reupholstery cost in the UK? Real workshop prices for 2026. In 2026, UK reupholstery labour typically costs £35 to £65 for a drop-in dining chair seat, £450 to £650 for a wingback armchair, £700 to £900 for a two-seater sofa and £900 to £1,100 for a three-seater, plus fabric. Fabric runs £20 to £60 per metre for most quality upholstery weaves, and a three-seater needs 12 to 18 metres. These are the live prices from our own Guild of Master Craftsmen accredited workshop in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, not scraped estimates. ## Price ranges by piece These ranges come straight from our current price list and update whenever it does. Every figure is labour including materials like webbing, springs and standard foam where needed; fabric is on top because you choose it and metreage varies by piece. ### Reupholstery and rejuvenation - Two-seater sofa: £700–£900 (plus fabric) - Three-seater sofa: £900–£1100 (plus fabric) - Wingback armchair: £450–£650 (plus fabric) - Dining chair (each): £65–£95 (plus fabric) ### Sofa & suite recovering - Two-seater + chair: £1100+ (plus fabric) - Three-piece suite (3+2+1): £1700+ (plus fabric) - Corner sofa: £1200–£1800 (plus fabric) ### Dining chairs and headboards - Drop-in dining chair seat: £35–£65 (plus fabric) - Fully upholstered dining chair: £95–£145 (plus fabric) - Button-back chair: £145–£220 (plus fabric) - Bespoke headboard (king): £280–£480 (plus fabric) ### Foam replacement and cut to size - Standard seat pad (typical): £18–£45 - Sofa cushion (high-resilience): £35–£85 - Mattress topper (king): £95–£180 - Marine / dryfast foam: £50–£120 (per cushion) ### Caravan cushion replacement - Single caravan cushion recover: £50+ (plus fabric and foam if needed) - Full cushion set: £380+ (priced after photos and cushion count) - Replacement foam section: £35+ (depends on shape and grade) The full list, including headboards, pub and restaurant seating and commercial work, is on our pricing page . ## The five things that move the price - Fabric metreage. A three-seater sofa takes 12 to 18 metres; a chesterfield closer to 22. Patterned fabric needs extra for matching. We calculate metreage before you buy a thing. - Fabric price per metre. Workhorse commercial weaves start around £20 per metre; designer wools and velvets can pass £100. On a sofa, fabric choice alone can swing the total by £1,000. - What is under the cover. Hand-tied springs, hessian and horsehair on older pieces take longer than modern serpentine springs. A good workshop tells you what it found before committing you. - Detail work. Deep buttoning, fluting, piping and contrast panels each add labour hours and should be priced explicitly. - Fire-safety spec. Domestic work uses match-test compliant fabric under the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. Contract work for pubs, hotels and care homes needs BS 5852 Crib 5 fabrics and certification, which costs more. ## Reupholster or buy new? The deciding factor is the frame. A hardwood frame with dowelled or screwed-and-glued joints is worth recovering: reupholstery typically comes in at 40 to 60 percent of an equivalent-quality new piece, and the same frame can be recovered again in 15 years. A stapled softwood or chipboard frame from the budget end of the market is not worth the labour, and we say so when one comes in. Our longer guide, is it worth reupholstering a sofa , walks through the checks. ## How to get an exact price Photos are enough for most pieces: front, side, and any damage, sent by WhatsApp or the quote form . We reply the same working day with a confirmed price and likely finish date. Collection and return across SK and M34 postcodes is £30 + VAT, and usually under £45 + VAT anywhere in Greater Manchester. ## Common questions How much does it cost to reupholster a sofa in the UK? Expect £700 to £900 in labour for a two-seater and £900 to £1,100 for a three-seater, plus fabric. A three-seater typically needs 12 to 18 metres of fabric at roughly £20 to £60 per metre, so an all-in figure of £1,200 to £2,000 is normal for a quality sofa. Is it cheaper to reupholster or buy a new sofa? For budget flat-pack sofas, buying new is cheaper. For quality hardwood-framed sofas, reupholstery usually costs 40 to 60 percent of an equivalent new piece and the restored frame will outlast most new mid-market sofas. Why is fabric priced separately? Metreage varies enormously piece to piece (a dining seat takes half a metre, a chesterfield can take 22) and fabric prices range from about £20 to well over £100 per metre. Pricing it separately means you choose the fabric and see exactly what you are paying for. A good workshop calculates the metreage for you before you buy anything. How much does it cost to reupholster a dining chair? A drop-in dining seat recover costs £35 to £65 per chair plus fabric. Fully upholstered dining chairs run £95 to £145 each plus fabric, and button-back chairs £145 to £220. What is included in a reupholstery price? A proper workshop price includes strip-back to the frame, a frame check, new webbing, springs and foam where needed, hand-stitched seams and piping, and refit. If a quote is dramatically cheaper, ask what is being skipped. Get an exact quote WhatsApp Us Call 0161 303 0769 Related reading - Full indicative price list → - Is it worth reupholstering a sofa? → - How to reupholster a dining chair → - Fabrics we stock and supply → ## Ready for the exact price? Send photos for a home piece, or project details for commercial work. Clear price before work starts. Get an exact quote Call 0161 303 0769