reupholstery or chuch the sofa and start again?

[CaptainKarvol]

So the sofa is 10 years old, from Habitat.

It's nice, but looks really wrecked now - saggy cushions, stained and pilled fabric. The frame is OK though.

Has anyone had a sofa reupholstered?

Was it worth it?

Did it look good, and can I bank on getting another 10 years out of it??

It would be new foam/fiber cushions and new covers on the old frame.

We also have 2 Ercol fireside chairs which were my grandads, so not a traditional '3 piece suite', but we could get the whole lot sort of matching or at least not fighting. I'm getting a quote to have the chairs reupholstered (I did them once, and it's not good!), but am dithering about the sofa.

and that should have been 'chuck' the sofa, not 'chuch' it

I am having the same dillema as you, ten year old habitat sofa etc. My main reason for not getting on with it is the hassle factor, most upholsterer's seem to only uplift chairs so I would have to borrow a van as well as making several trips to choose fabric etc.
Or I order cushions online and buy my own fabric and get local loose cover lady to make new covers, (that would be the cheapest).
Must make myself do it, it wouldn't save that much money but it would be greener and it looks a disgrace ATM.

I think reupholstering is quite expensive if done professionally (and obviously depends on the fabric you choose).
However, if the sofa is particularly comfy, I'd seriously think about it... tis not easy to find a perfectly comfy sofa these days!

You're both right!

I don't want to head off to some dodgy sofa warehouse and get a replacement sofa that turns out to be rubbish, but I can't see reupholstery coming in much cheaper than buying a new one (old one was £600 if I remember right). All the fabrics seem to be upwards of £20/meter - it's going to be loads, isn't it?

The reupholstery guy did say that they did a lot of Habitat stuff though - maybe means it is worthwhile...

When I first got a house a then colleague sold me their old sofa - which she had reupholstered some time ago. Some 10 years down the line it was looking really sad - frame had come apart, bottom on the floor one end, saggy etc. Also had ercol arm chairs (wooden frames, 2 cushions) from my parents. When we moved, we had them reupholstered - sofa originally had lose cushions on seat - and plain back/arms - its now buttoned, and back to being a more traditional chesterfield. Two Ercol chairs have removeable cushion covers in a lighter, more up-to-date fabric. Sofa still in fantastic condition 6 years later, despite ds (now 4). And it all probably cost less than a decent new sofa... (if you're Yorkshire, know of good company)

recovering and reupholstering are 2 different things and if you re upholster inc the webbing springs etc etc it costs a fortune esp with a decent fabric.This is only worth doing on a high quality sofa.If you just need covers it will be cheaper.A new habitat sofa is about 1200 for an average size

Mine was definitely recovery - needed to be rebuilt from frame up, new springs etc - 6 yrs ago cost approximately £600...

mistlethrush - I'm in Yorkshire, where did you get yours done, I have a sofa bed that is in need of some loving care!

here They collect and deliver too.

I remembering speaking to a company that did this kind of re-upholstery because I was thinking of doing the same for our knackered old (but quite comfortable) Habitat sofa.... and funnily enough, they said that they would of course do it, but wouldn't recommend the expense of re-covering something of Habitat quality.

I guess it might just become a question of maths. How much will it cost with the fabric that you want, and how much to just start again from scratch?

Hmm, Noddy i think ours is re-covering with new cushions provided, not full re-upholstery as not having the frame etc done. THanks for the Habitat price - gosh, they have gone up then!

Mistlethrush your Ercol armchairs sound just like ours ('fireside chairs', IIRC), and that company is well worth a look - DH works in Leeds, so not a million miles away.

Agree with all who said it is down to the maths in the end - guess I wait for the quote and see - have had a very local company come to have a look.

My parents bought their sofas twenty years ago in the January sales, and got new covers made for them and cushions re-stuffing 5 years ago. They looked like new, except possibly better. 5 years on, they still look perfect, and they've now been passed on to my sister who expects to use them for the next twenty years...

I'm sitting on my lovely sofa now! JB really worth looking into - you wouldn't believe what wonderful things could come out of such a unpreposessing workshop!

We had our 8 year old sofa & chair reupholstered just over a year ago. It was not cheap (£1k) but looks amazing & will last for at least 10 years (have it on guarantee). Our frame is beech & apparently that is strong & will last & we had them reupholstered in excellent quality leather & I love it

Sorry, meant to say £2k not £1k!

I am living in the Birmingham area and I would like to repair and reupholstery a sofa that I love. Would like to know of any recommended upholsterer in this area or nearby areas. Very desperate to get this done. Has anyone any thoughts how much.