Cost re-covering upholstery.

Re-covering upholstered furniture in the UK typically costs £300–£3,500 per piece depending on size, fabric choice and what needs replacing underneath. A simple dining chair seat re-cover starts at £40–£80; a full sofa re-cover with new foam and quality fabric runs into the thousands. The decision tree depends on whether the frame is sound — if it is, re-covering nearly always beats replacement.

Roughly 60-70% of the cost on a re-cover is fabric. The rest is labour, foam (if replaced), and any structural repairs. Choose your fabric first; the labour cost is relatively predictable per piece type.

Typical UK re-covering costs by piece

Fabric — the price-driver

Fabric per metre costs vary enormously. Rough UK price bands (2026):

• Budget £20–£40/m — basic polyester weaves, low-grade cottons. Wears poorly on heavy-use sofas.
• Mid-range £40–£80/m — quality cottons, upholstery polyesters, basic linens. Good for most domestic use.
• Premium £80–£150/m — designer prints, heavy linen unions, performance velvets. The sweet spot for sofas you keep 15+ years.
• Luxury £150–£400/m — Romo, Liberty, Designers Guild, GP & J Baker. Significantly higher labour utilisation matters because waste is more painful.
• Specialist £400+/m — silks, embroidered fabrics, mohair velvet. Generally for restoration of period pieces.

Always factor in pattern repeat — fabrics with large patterns need 10-30% extra metreage to align across cushions and arms.

What's typically included

• Strip down — remove existing fabric, fillings if being replaced, old staples and tacks.
• Frame inspection and repair — fix loose joints, broken springs, sagging webbing while everything is exposed.
• New foam / fillings — usually replaced if more than 8 years old (£60-£140 per cushion).
• Cut and sew — fabric cut following the original pattern, allowing for any new design changes.
• Apply to frame — staples, tacks, careful tensioning to avoid puckering or sagging.
• Cushion covers — new zipped covers fitted to existing or new foam.
• Trims and details — piping, contrast piping, buttons, studs as specified.

What you can change during re-covering

Re-covering is often the right moment to make changes:

• Different fabric, colour, pattern, texture.
• Add or remove buttoning.
• Change cushion firmness (different foam grade) or count (one-cushion to three-cushion configuration).
• Add piping, contrast trim, or remove existing detailing.
• Replace sagging webbing or springs.

What's usually impractical: changing the basic shape of the frame, increasing seat depth significantly, or moving arms.

Things people often miss

• Frame inspection first — before committing to re-cover, have an upholsterer inspect the frame. A creaking or twisting frame is a separate (sometimes uneconomic) repair on top.
• Pattern matching — adds 10-30% fabric requirement and requires more skilled cutting. Worth it for a striking pattern; budget accordingly.
• Fire labels — UK regulations require fire-retardant fillings and (in commercial settings) compliant fabric. Check the label specification with your upholsterer.
• Pet considerations — performance fabrics with stain protection (Crypton, Sunbrella, FibreGuard) cost 20-40% more but pay back with cats and kids. Worth specifying upfront.
• Lead times — busy upholsterers run 6-12 week queues. Order fabric early; some specialist fabrics take 2-4 weeks delivery from the mill.
• Cushion maintenance after — new foam takes 2-4 weeks to settle. Don't expect the cushions to feel exactly right immediately; give them time.

Frequently asked questions

Want a local pro to handle this? A specialist upholsterer will assess your piece, give you accurate fabric requirements, and turn it around in 4-10 weeks. Worth seeing 2-3 quotes — quality varies, and pricing on identical work can differ by 30-40%.