One of the most common questions we get at our Tottenham Court Road workshop is straightforward: how much will it cost to reupholster my furniture? The honest answer is that it depends on several factors, but we can give you realistic price ranges based on what we actually charge in 2026.

We have been reupholstering furniture in Central London for years, and the prices below reflect what you should genuinely expect to pay for professional work. These are not the cheapest quotes you will find, and they are not the most expensive. They represent skilled work using quality materials, done properly.

Reupholstery Prices by Furniture Type

Here is what reupholstery typically costs in London in 2026. These prices include labour and standard fabric. Premium fabrics, complex designs, and structural repairs will add to the total.

Dining Chairs

A standard dining chair with a drop-in seat pad starts from around£481. This covers stripping the old fabric, replacing the wadding, and recovering in your chosen material. If the chair has a stuffed back as well as a seat, expect to pay more. A set of six dining chairs is one of the most common jobs we do, and people often find it more economical per chair when done as a batch.

Armchairs

A typical armchair reupholstery starts from £700–£900. The range depends on the style: a simple tub chair sits at the lower end, while a traditional wing chair with deep buttoning and scroll arms will be closer to £900 or above. If the springs, webbing, or padding need replacing (common on older pieces), that adds to the cost but is essential for a result that lasts.

Two-Seater Sofas

A two-seater sofa starts from around £1,348. This includes a full strip-back, re-padding where needed, and recovering in your chosen fabric. Loose cushion covers versus fixed backs affect the price. Loose cushions generally cost a bit more because each one is essentially a separate piece of tailoring.

Three-Seater Sofas

Expect to pay from £1,500–£2,000 for a standard three-seater. Larger sofas, corner units, and Chesterfields with deep buttoning will sit at the higher end of this range or above. A Chesterfield is one of the most labour-intensive pieces to reupholster properly: each button is individually placed and tied through the padding.

What Affects the Cost of Reupholstery?

Those headline figures give you a starting point, but the final quote depends on several real factors. Understanding them helps you budget accurately.

Size and Complexity

Larger pieces use more fabric and take more labour hours. But size alone does not tell the full story. A simple modern sofa with clean lines might be quicker to upholster than a smaller Victorian nursing chair with intricate curves and tufting. Piping, buttoning, scroll arms, and decorative details all add time.

Fabric Choice

Fabric is a significant part of the total cost. Here is a rough guide to what fabrics cost per metre:

Budget range (£20–£40/m): Basic cotton blends, simple weaves. Perfectly serviceable for low-traffic pieces.
Mid-range (£40–£80/m): Good quality linens, durable velvets, performance fabrics. This is where most of our customers land, with good durability without breaking the bank.
Premium (£80–£150/m): Designer fabrics, heavy-weight velvets, premium leather, specialist weaves from houses like Romo or Warwick. Beautiful materials that will last decades.

A three-seater sofa might need 12–16 metres of fabric depending on the design and pattern repeat. At £60/m, that is £720–£960 in fabric alone. At £120/m, it is £1,440–£1,920. The fabric choice can easily double the total cost. For help with choosing the right fabric, we have a separate guide covering durability, fabric types, and what works for different lifestyles.

Condition of the Frame and Internals

If the frame is solid and the springs are in good shape, the job is mainly re-covering. But if we strip back the fabric and find broken springs, collapsed webbing, or a cracked frame, those need fixing first. We always inspect before quoting a final price, and we will be honest about what we find. There is no point putting expensive fabric over a frame that is going to fail in two years.

Structural Repairs

Broken joints, loose dowels, and re-springing are all common on older furniture and add to the total. A re-spring alone can add £150–£300 depending on the piece. Frame repairs vary widely. We would rather tell you upfront than surprise you later.

Collection and Delivery

Our workshop is on Tottenham Court Road in Central London (WC1E 6HP), so collection and delivery within Zones 1–2 is straightforward. See our Central London upholstery services page for the areas we cover. For addresses further out, there is a transport cost to factor in. You can read about our collection and delivery service for details.

Is Reupholstery Worth the Cost?

This is the question behind the question. You are spending real money, so is it worth it?

Yes, if the frame is good quality. A solid hardwood frame (beech, oak, or ash) will outlast most modern furniture by decades. The frame is the most expensive and difficult-to-replace part of any piece. If yours is sound, reupholstery gives you essentially new furniture on a proven base.

Yes, if the piece has sentimental value.We regularly reupholster inherited furniture. No amount of money buys the satisfaction of sitting in your grandmother's armchair, restored to better-than-new condition.

Maybe not, if the frame is cheap softwood or MDF. Budget furniture (most things under £500 new) is built with stapled softwood frames, serpentine springs, and foam that degrades within 5–8 years. Reupholstering one of these costs more than replacing it, and the result will not last as long as reupholstering quality furniture. We will tell you honestly if we think it is not worth it.

For a deeper look at this decision, read our guide on reupholstery vs buying new.

How a Sofa or Armchair Gets Reupholstered

Understanding the process helps explain why professional reupholstery costs what it does. This is not a quick re-covering job. It is a rebuild.

Strip-back: All existing fabric, padding, and worn materials are removed. The frame is inspected for damage.
Repairs: Any frame, spring, or webbing issues are fixed. This is the structural foundation.
Re-padding: New wadding, foam, or traditional stuffing is built up to achieve the correct shape and firmness.
Cutting: Your chosen fabric is cut to templates. Pattern matching (stripes, florals) adds time here.
Upholstering: The fabric is fitted, pulled, tacked, and sewn. This is where the craft shows: clean lines, tight corners, smooth surfaces.
Finishing: Piping, buttons, studs, and trims are applied. The base cloth is fitted underneath.

A typical armchair takes 2–3 days of skilled work. A sofa takes 3–5 days. That is one upholsterer, working by hand, for most of a week.

How to Get an Accurate Quote

The best way to get a realistic price is to request a quote with photos of your furniture. We need to see the piece from several angles to assess the size, style, and likely condition. If you can include measurements and tell us roughly what fabric style you are considering, that helps us give you a tighter estimate.

For pieces where we cannot assess the internals from photos (most things, honestly), we will give you a range and confirm the final price after inspection. We never charge more than the quoted range without discussing it with you first.

You can also browse our fabric collections to get a sense of pricing and styles before you get in touch.

Why London Reupholstery Costs More

London workshop rents, skilled labour costs, and the logistics of collecting and delivering furniture in a congested city all push prices higher than you might find in rural areas. But you are also getting access to a wider range of fabric suppliers, quicker turnaround, and the convenience of a Central London location.

We are on Tottenham Court Road, near Goodge Street station. Some customers bring smaller pieces directly to us (dining chairs, footstools, cushions), which saves the collection cost entirely.

Getting Started

If you have a piece of furniture worth saving, send us photos for a free quote. We will give you an honest assessment of whether reupholstery makes sense, what it will cost, and how long it will take. No pressure, no hard sell. Just straight answers from people who do this every day.

You can also read more about our reupholstery service for details on what is included.