Cost of slipcovers: WTF!!! archived

Just got an estimate today for having a chair-and-a-half and an ottoman slipcovered. Moderately priced fabric $23 bucks a yard, need 20 yards for the job.

Estimate, without tax: almost $1400.

My jaw dropped. I'm pretty sure I can just replace with similar pieces from Room and Board / Crate & Barrel for the same cost.

Based on your experience, is this price in line?

I looked into having a cushion made for a long bench- so not same job but same sort of thing- $800. I figured I was missing something and decided I didn't want to figure out what it was. So yeah, crazily, sounds about right.... But I still don't get it.

Slipcovered or reupholstered?

TigerLilly said:

Slipcovered or reupholstered?

Slipcovered. Two of the cushions would have to be reupholstered. And from a place in Union that has received many recommendations on this board.

Wow...

That's accurate. It's tons of work to make slipcovers.

did you get a bid from Rocco at bit well ? I had two chairs redone for I think around 700

mammabear said:

That's accurate. It's tons of work to make slipcovers.

It's a shame that it's cheaper to toss furniture and buy new after 5 years than to make a slipcover.

I know JCPenney, Walmart & overstock.com have slip covers, I am sure IKEA does too. But they are not custom and may not be to your liking, but affordable.

If they are standard sizes from standard stores (Crate and Barrel, ikea, etc) you might be ale to find someone online who can do them cheaper.

Here's an interesting blog post that might be helpful:
http://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-reupholstering-vintage-pieces/

amie said:

If they are standard sizes from standard stores (Crate and Barrel, ikea, etc) you might be ale to find someone online who can do them cheaper.

Here's an interesting blog post that might be helpful:
http://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-reupholstering-vintage-pieces/

Unfortunately -- or fortunately -- Room and Board, where I got the original chair, is having a sale on upholstered furniture. Looks like I can get a similar chair for half the price of reupholstering.

new207040 said:

did you get a bid from Rocco at bit well ? I had two chairs redone for I think around 700

What is bit well?

LL Bean has some nice fitted slipcovers that are not cheap, but much more affordable. They look nice. Just can't afford them now.

I read that you can stick a length of PVC pipe underneath the cushions and stick it all the way back till it falls behind the base and the main piece won't keep sliding toward the front.

Go to the upholstery store on Valley across from Pathmark
They are reasonable and experts in what they do

News Record used to carry ads for slipcover makers in their classified section.
It's affordable with the right person doing the work

Making well fitted slip covers is a lot of work. They are expensive. I found the place across from Pathmark to be in line with the other usual places. What we get on the original furniture is mass produced. Probably in third world country. There is no way that local labor can compete with that cost. It is mind boggling to pay as much or more for upholstery as for the original piece.

We looked at a chair at Pottery Barn that was SO comfy, and they were selling the floor sample at a huge discount, but it was off-white and had a fair amount of staining and marks on the back, so I asked if we could get a new slipcover... the cost of the new slipcover was going to bring the cost of the chair right back up to its original price. Ridiculous.

I agree. It should not cost way more to slipcover a chair than it does to buy a new one. That's insane, no matter how much work goes into it.

Upholstery and slip covers are a fortune. In fact, I find that slipcovers are often MORE than reupholstery. It's much harder to make them so that they can come on and off and the trims are trickier. I worked for a design form for years and the sticker shock never goes away. It is a lot of work. And on a personal level we never do it for our house. It's just never cost effective. However...You need to really take into consideration the piece of furniture. Take for example my parents vintage Baker wing chairs. They are old, but to get a new Baker piece would be WAY more than the re-upholstering. A new chair from CB or Room/Board would be less, but not nearly the same quality. It's a matter of how much you like the furniture, the condition they are in, and what the investment is worth to you. For heirloom quality pieces it can be worth it. For mass produced Pottery Barn stuff? Not so much. Frankly, we LOVE our Ikea Love Seat that has a large collection of off-the-rack slip covers that we switch out every year. The price is RIGHT! And if the kids spill we can todd it in the wash or run to IKEA for a $99 replacement.

Slipcovers are expensive and that price sounds right...but, with the right fabric and done well you will have a nice new piece of furniture...

... that no one is allowed to sit on. Ever.

Call Charlie at Custom Interiors in Summit. 908-598-7410. He is in Florida until next week.

Don't forget if you decide to go the route of a slip cover you're spending your money locally; if you buy that inexpensive replacement chair, you are sending your dollars overseas. I would advise that if you're doing a slip cover that you look at re-upholstery - likely not that much more expensive - you're just left without your furniture for a while.

Yeah, I'd much rather keep my money locally and NOT toss a piece of furniture, but the economics just don't make sense. Good news is that the product from Room and Board is made in North Carolina, so at least I'm keeping the money in the country.

I just checked R&B's website because I'm looking for counter stools for our breakfast bar... holy mother of pearl! Is all their furniture THAT expensive???

I haven't been there for a few years, but Fabric Warehouse in Belleville has high-quality decorator fabrics for $10 per yard, and remnants for as low as $1 per yard. The selection is not huge, but you could luck into something you like.

I have a feeling it's the labor that costs all the money, not the fabric. Making slipcovers is a very finicky business.

PeggyC said:

I just checked R&B's website because I'm looking for counter stools for our breakfast bar... holy mother of pearl! Is all their furniture THAT expensive???

I actually found them kinda middle-priced. Not IKEA, but not "gonna hand down to my children" stuff. They're in line with Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Ethan Allen and the like. Probably come in below Restoration Hardware and way below the better brands out of North Carolina.

As you noted, furniture is EXPENSIVE.

PeggyC said:

I have a feeling it's the labor that costs all the money, not the fabric. Making slipcovers is a very finicky business.

$500 bucks for the fabric, $800 for the labor, plus tax. I have someone who does slipcovers on the side stopping by today to take a look. She seems to think she'll need far less fabric and her labor costs are lower. Fingers crossed.

Re: new furniture OR slipcovers. What fabrics are good if you have cats. Our cars have done a number on the existing furniture. But they would just wreck new stuff too. Seek guidance from MOL brain trust. Maybe new furniture that comes with kryptonite slipcovers?

You would need fabric impregnated with diamond dust, I'm afraid. Ours have always suffered at the claws of our cats, from microfiber to leather to boucle and tapestry.

I'm guessing canvas might fare well against cats... one of the few fabrics that don't appeal to me much for furniture.

You can buy furniture directly from the maker in NC and have it shipped.

cfa said:

You can buy furniture directly from the maker in NC and have it shipped.

In that scenario, how do you do the "sit test" for couches, chairs and the like?