Is It Cheaper to Recover a Couch or Buy a New One?

Ever looked at your battered couch and wondered if it’s smarter to breathe new life into it or just start fresh with a brand-new one? If you’ve got pets like my cat Luna and dog Milo, your sofa might have seen better days—scratches, fur, and “oops” moments included. But here’s the thing most folks miss: the choice isn’t just about sticker price. It’s about what you get for your money, how long you want your sofa to last, and whether you can handle a few days (or weeks!) without somewhere comfy to crash.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Sometimes it actually costs more to recover a couch, especially if you pick premium fabrics, extra padding, or need big repairs. Other times, you can snag a new budget-friendly couch for less than a reupholstery job—if you’re okay with a cookie-cutter look and lower-quality materials. If you’ve ever window-shopped online, you’ll know the prices for both options are all over the place. But before you whip out your wallet, you’ll want to check the details: what reupholstery really involves, why some folks regret buying cheap new couches, and what hidden expenses can trip you up. Let’s break it all down so you don’t end up overpaying or regretting your pick.

• What Reupholstering a Couch Really Costs
• When Does Buying New Make More Sense?
• Quality vs. Price: What Are You Actually Getting?
• How Personal Style Affects Your Choice
• Hidden Factors: Delivery, Environmental Impact, and Hassles
• Real-Life Scenarios: What Do People Regret More?

What Reupholstering a Couch Really Costs

So, what are you really looking at if you want to recover a couch instead of springing for a new one? On average, getting a standard sofa reupholstered in the US lands somewhere between $800 and $2,500. Pretty wild range, right? It comes down to a few main things—the size of your couch, the type of fabric you pick, the kind of work needed, and where you live (big cities tend to mean bigger bills).

Let’s get specific. Labor is the biggest chunk of the price—usually $40 to $100 an hour. If your couch has fancy arms, tufting, or lots of curves, that means more work and more hours. Materials aren’t cheap either; quality upholstery fabric commonly costs anywhere from $25 to $70 a yard, and a basic sofa might need 14 to 20 yards! If you want leather or custom patterns, prices go up fast.

• Simple two-cushion couch: $900–$1,400
• Large sectional: $1,800–$4,000+
• Extra repairs (springs, frame, padding): add $100–$500+

Some shops charge extra to pick up and deliver your furniture, and you’ll be waiting at least a week or two, sometimes longer if they’re busy. And don’t forget, you can’t use your sofa during that time—something to think about if you love lounging or have pets like Luna and Milo who treat the couch like their own personal kingdom.

Here’s a tip: Ask the upholsterer for an itemized quote so there are no surprises. If your couch is high quality or sentimental, reupholstering might still make more sense than buying something new and flimsy. But now you know, the costs add up fast—and sometimes faster than folks expect.

When Does Buying New Make More Sense?

If your couch is totally broken, sagging, or the frame is shaky, pouring money into repairs doesn't always add up. Especially if you spent less than $500 on it in the first place. Recovering a cheap couch might cost more than it’s worth. For lower-end sofas, reupholstering can easily run between $700 and $2,500, but you can buy a totally new one for about the same or even less. Big stores like IKEA, Wayfair, or Costco regularly sell decent sofas between $300 and $900.

Here's where buy new couch is generally the smarter move:

• The structure is shot: If your couch creaks, the arms are wobbly, or you can feel every spring in your back, a new sofa is usually cheaper than trying to fix the guts and recover it.
• You need a quicker solution: Reupholstery shops can take anywhere from two weeks to two months — and that’s if they’re not busy. Buying new often means immediate pickup or delivery within days.
• You want a style change: Styles shift fast, and reupholstering won’t fix things like outdated arms or backs. Buying new lets you match your current taste or room upgrades.
• You have allergies: Old foam and deep fabrics can trap dust, dander, and smells, especially if you’ve had pets like Luna and Milo. A new couch starts you off with a clean slate.
• Warranty matters: You get a manufacturer warranty with a new couch, usually covering defects for one to five years. Reupholstery doesn’t give you that kind of safety net.

Still feeling torn? Check out this simple side-by-side:

It’s clear that if your sofa’s foundations are worn or you just want a quick change, buying new is usually the way to go. Take a good look at your actual situation and budget to decide—don’t get stuck paying more just for the sake of being sentimental about the old couch.

Quality vs. Price: What Are You Actually Getting?

You’d think the newer the couch, the better the quality, right? Not so fast. Old couches, especially ones made before 2010, often have solid wood frames and metal springs inside. These parts hold up for years. Most affordable new sofas today use softer woods or pressed boards—think plywood or particle board—which can crack or sag faster. If your current couch weighs a ton and sounds solid when you knock on the frame, it’s probably built better than many big-box alternatives.

When you recover a couch, you get to keep that sturdy frame and improve everything else. Quality upholstery fabric can last 10-15 years (sometimes more if you keep Luna’s claws in check). Padding and foam replacements mean you’re not sitting on that sunken spot anymore. Plus, you pick the color and style, so your couch fits your vibe.

This all comes at a price. Reupholstery usually runs $700-$1,800, and custom jobs can go higher. High-end fabric and extra repairs pump up the cost. On the other hand, you’ll find plenty of new couches online for $400-$1,000, but you might notice the difference in quality pretty fast once you live with it for a few months. Sofas under $500 almost always use foam that sags within a year or two, and most mass-market couch warranties max out at one to five years.

Here’s what really matters: Are you okay with the couch feeling flimsy just to save cash upfront? Or do you want something that can take years of Netflix marathons, Milo’s jumping, and the occasional spill without falling apart?

• If your current couch frame is strong, reupholstery often means you get way more years out of it than almost anything new in the same price range.
• If you’re just moving out, barely use your couch, or love swapping styles, a cheaper new sofa might be fine. Just don’t expect it to survive more than a move or two.

Think about how rough you (and your pets) are on furniture. Paying more upfront can save you repeat spending—and headaches—down the road.

How Personal Style Affects Your Choice

Personal taste can make or break your couch decision. If you like bold patterns, wild colors, or a vintage vibe, recover a couch is basically your chance to go custom. You pick the fabric, trims, buttons—sometimes even the filling. Some upholstery shops carry hundreds of fabrics, so your options get way bigger than what’s on the retail showroom floor. According to data from the American Home Furnishings Alliance, nearly 43% of people who reupholster furniture do so just to get a look retail stores don’t offer.

On the flip side, buying a new couch locks you into whatever styles and colors are ‘trending’ this season. Sure, there are always basics—gray, beige, navy—but if you want something unique, you might be stuck. Often, when you want a custom option from a furniture store, the wait times shoot up and costs get closer to reupholstery anyway.

“A lot of people underestimate how personal their living room is. When folks choose their own fabrics or upgrade the feel of their sofa, it almost always feels more like ‘home’ than picking out a box-store couch just for convenience.” — Jackie Morse, Interior Designer at Fresh House Projects

If you’re not sure where you land, try this quick decision chart:

• If you have a sturdy, comfy frame you already love, but hate the look—reupholstering is a good bet.
• If you want something totally different, with zero patience for a project, browsing new couches can be less hassle.
• Trendy details (tufting, velvet, funky legs) on new stores’ models aren’t always available on your old couch shape—unless you do heavy custom work.

Check out a side-by-side style choice breakdown below:

Your style is your space’s signature. So if your taste changes often or you crave something nobody else has, it pays to dig into your options instead of settling. Pick the path that fits your personality and how you actually use your couch, not just what’s easy to order online.

Hidden Factors: Delivery, Environmental Impact, and Hassles

Most people get hung up on the price tag, but that’s just one part of the real cost. Delivery fees, environmental impact, and the hassle factor are where the choices around recover a couch vs. buying new get tricky.

If you buy a new sofa, almost every store tacks on a delivery charge. Stores like IKEA or Wayfair might offer “free” doorstep delivery, but want it carried up a flight of stairs? That can run another $40 to $100 depending on where you live and how tricky your space is. Some companies even charge to take your old couch away, and those fees add up—think $50 to $150 for basic haul-away.

Reupholstering? You probably have to hire someone to haul your couch to the workshop and bring it back. Not all upholsterers offer pick-up and drop-off. Local movers or specialty companies can charge $75 or more each way, especially if stairs are involved.

There’s also the green angle. Tossing a couch means shipping hundreds of pounds to a landfill or, if you’re lucky, a recycler—though less than 10% of sofas in the U.S. actually get recycled. That’s a huge environmental hit. Recovering your old couch keeps one more bulky item out of the dump and cuts back on the energy and resources needed to make a whole new one. Fabric choices matter too: synthetic fabrics use more plastic, while natural materials like cotton or wool are better for the planet.

Now for the hassle. New couches might have lead times of 2-10 weeks—some custom ones take a few months. If you’re getting something delivered, scheduling drop-off, dealing with delays, and rearranging your room can be a headache. Reupholstery shops usually need your couch for at least a week, and sometimes up to a month. If you have just one main sofa, that could leave you sitting on the floor—unless you have a backup like a futon or, in my case, you squeeze in next to your pets.

• Add up all costs—not just the sticker price—before you decide.
• Ask about delivery, removal, and pickup fees upfront.
• If the planet matters to you, reupholstery keeps waste down, but pick your fabric wisely.
• Have a plan for where you’ll sit while your couch is away. A pile of cushions works, but it’s not glamourous.

Ignoring these hidden factors can leave you with surprise bills or weeks without a comfy place to relax. Spend a little extra time checking the fine print, and you’ll dodge most of the headaches that trip folks up.

Real-Life Scenarios: What Do People Regret More?

Let’s get real—people love sharing their couch stories online, and not all of them have happy endings. Plenty of folks on home forums and Reddit threads say their biggest regret is cheaping out on a new couch. Stats show that sofas under $500 often start sagging or creaking within just two years. Meanwhile, those who spent a chunk on reupholstering sometimes feel frustrated when the frame wasn’t as solid as they hoped, especially if it’s an older or lower-end model.

A quick check of popular furniture review sites reveals something interesting. Most dissatisfaction with new couches boils down to comfort, weak frames, or poor fabric choices. With reupholstered sofas, complaints usually center on unexpected costs or turns out the couch was never that comfy to start.

Families with pets or kids (like mine—Luna and Milo are always testing furniture durability!) usually regret not going with tougher, stain-resistant fabrics, whether buying new or recovering. Another common headache? Underestimating just how long custom reupholstery takes—it’s usually several weeks, sometimes stretching to months, while new couch delivery is rarely quick either.

If you want fewer regrets, here are some quick tips:

• Check your current couch’s frame by lifting one end—if it feels wobbly or creaks a lot, reupholstering might not save it.
• Always ask for a timeline in writing whether you’re buying new or going custom.
• For new budget sofas, search for independent reviews on durability, not just the star rating on the site.
• With reupholstery, get every detail priced—fabric, labor, pick-up, and delivery fees—before committing.

The bottom line? Regrets usually come from skipping research or underestimating hidden costs. Whether you’re looking to recover a couch or go for a shiny new one, taking a few extra minutes to check the details can save a lot of frustration later.