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Reupholstering Existing Furniture

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If you have a favorite old sofa, chair, or ottoman, don’t discard it! Reupholster it! There are many local companies that can tackle this task for you. Most will pick up and deliver the completed project to your home for a small fee, or you can deliver and pick it up yourself to save that charge.

Reupholstering offers even more choices in fabrics, leathers, tapestries and suede’s than a new purchase can offer. You’re never limited to the fabrics available through the reupholsters. You may also choose to purchase your fabric on your own and provide it to the company handling the work for you. The other benefit of having a reupholsters complete the project for you is that they can also provide new foam for cushions, repair any breaks or other defects in the original piece, and can even make minor changes to the style of the piece, such as removing wings from a wingback chair. Minor style changes to an otherwise sturdy chair can give your room a whole new look for a fraction of the price of new furniture.

When contracting with an upholstery company, it is important to get references from previous customers and to check those references before the project begins. Talk to friends and relatives who may have used an upholstery company, and ask for their recommendations. After you have checked the references for the companies you are thinking of hiring, also check with the better business bureau or other local agency that can help you select a reputable company.

Once you’ve chosen the company with which you’ll entrust your furniture, discuss what types of fabric they have available, what types of repairs are needed and how long the project will take. Ask for written estimates and don’t pay for the entire project until it is completed to your satisfaction. It may be customary in your area to pay a deposit or a percentage of the materials which will be needed to complete the project, but most businesses will not expect any payment until the project is complete. If you, or someone in your family, have allergies, discuss these with the reupholsters before leaving your furniture with them. Having your refurbished sofa delivered only to find that the workmen smoked near your sofa is not only disappointing, but can cause severe allergies and even asthma attacks. Even though it seems unlikely, if you are hiring a local company or family friend to do the work for you, discuss allergies to smoke and pet dander before the project begins to avoid an unhealthy outcome after the work is complete.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, there are many web sites, books, magazines, and manuals available to help you with your project. Most home improvement stores and fabric stores will offer patterns, instruction manuals and other helps for every step of the project. But do not be fooled into thinking this is an easy, one day project unless you are an experienced upholsterer. Television shows make it look as though one person can reupholster a sofa in an afternoon, but most of us would find that is not the case.

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