What does a sofa fabric change cost? Two sofas of the same size can get very different quotes, because the price is built from five or six separate parts. This guide breaks those parts down, so a quote for sofa upholstery in Hyderabad makes sense line by line and you can see where to save.
We don’t publish rates here. Fabric grades and foam prices move often, and a figure given without seeing your sofa is a guess. What we can do is explain exactly what moves the number. If you’re not yet sure the sofa is worth spending on at all, our sofa upholstery guide for Hyderabad homes starts with the frame checks that decide it.
How is sofa reupholstery priced in Hyderabad?
Sofa reupholstery is usually quoted in two parts: labour per seat and fabric per metre. A 3+1+1 set counts as five seats. An L-shape is counted by seat units, and the corner is often treated as an extra seat. Foam, frame repairs and stitching extras like piping are then added on top as separate lines.
That split matters when you compare quotes. One upholsterer’s per-seat rate may include foam and a fibre wrap; another’s may be labour only, with everything else added at delivery. Ask what the seat rate covers before you compare.
The six things that decide your reupholstery cost
1. How many metres of fabric your sofa needs
Fabric is often the biggest single line. A fully upholstered three-seater with no wood showing needs about 10 metres, according to a furnishing-brand founder quoted by Asian Paints Beautiful Homes, and furnishing fabric in India mostly comes in 48, 54 or 60 inch widths. Narrower fabric means more metres.
Sofas with wooden arms or a wooden frame need less. L-shapes, high backs, skirts and loose back cushions need more. Patterned fabric needs extra still, because the pattern has to line up across the back, seat cushions and arms (stripes that jump at a seam look wrong forever).
2. The grade of fabric you choose
Within one fabric type, price follows weight, weave and durability. Look at the Martindale rub count if the swatch book lists it: everyday home seating should be 20,000 rubs or more, and heavy family use is better at 25,000 or more. A cheap, loosely woven fabric pills and stretches, and then you are paying labour twice. Our guide to the best sofa fabric for Indian homes compares the common options for Hyderabad conditions.
3. Foam: reuse, top up or replace
Press the seat with your palm. If it springs back quickly and the foam hasn’t gone yellow and crumbly, it can often be reused with a fresh polyester fibre wrap. If the seat has a permanent dip, replace it, because new fabric stretched over tired foam wrinkles within months.
Replacement foam is priced by density and volume, so a deep seat cushion costs more than a thin back pad. Daily-use seats should be in the 32 to 40 kg/m³ range. Our sofa foam density guide explains what those numbers mean.
4. Labour for the style
A plain box-cushion sofa is quick work. These push labour up:
- Piping (welt cord) along cushion edges and arms
- Buttoned or tufted backs, and channel stitching
- Skirts, pleats and curved or rounded arms
- Loose back cushions that each need their own zipped cover
- Recliner seats, where the mechanism has to come out and go back in
5. Frame, springs and webbing
This is the part nobody can price perfectly before the old fabric comes off. Elastic webbing loses tension with age, zig-zag springs come loose from their clips, and joints work loose. In older Hyderabad homes, especially ground-floor and independent houses, we also check frames for termite damage. A fair quote states how such finds will be handled: repaired at an agreed extra, or flagged to you before any work continues. If the frame needs serious work, it falls under sofa repair rather than a simple fabric change.
6. Logistics
Removing and refitting a large sofa in a high-rise with a small service lift takes time, as does disposing of old foam and fabric. These are usually small lines, but they should be on the quote rather than appear later.
| Cost driver | What pushes it up | What keeps it in check |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric metres | L-shape, high back, skirt, patterned fabric | Plain or small-repeat fabric, wooden arms |
| Fabric grade | Velvet, premium chenille, imported weaves | Mid-weight poly or poly-cotton weave with a good rub count |
| Foam | Full replacement in high-density HR foam | Reusing sound foam with a new fibre wrap |
| Labour | Piping, tufting, curves, recliners | Simple box cushions, minimal trim |
| Frame and springs | Loose joints, broken webbing, termite damage | Sofa with a sound hardwood frame |
| Logistics | Large sofa, small lift, old material disposal | Doing all pieces in one visit |
How much fabric does a 3-seater sofa need?
Plan on roughly 10 metres for a fully covered three-seater in 54 inch fabric, then adjust for your sofa. Wooden arms bring it down. A high back, deep seats, a skirt or a large pattern repeat push it up, sometimes well past 10.
For your own estimate, measure every fabric-covered panel (outside back, inside back, seat, arms, cushion tops, bottoms and borders), add them up, add 10 to 15% for seams and wastage, and divide by the fabric width. We measure each panel during the home visit before quoting, so you buy once and don’t run short halfway through.
Is reupholstering cheaper than buying a new sofa?
Usually yes, when the frame is worth keeping. Compare like with like: a reupholstered sofa with a solid wood frame and new high-density foam against a new sofa with the same build, not against the cheapest sofa on a sale page. If the frame is particle board, cracked or eaten by termites, new fabric is money on a sofa that won’t last. We go through the full decision in reupholster or buy a new sofa.
How to keep the reupholstery bill down
- Choose plain or small-repeat fabric. Large patterns waste metres in matching.
- Reuse foam that still recovers. A new fibre wrap often restores the shape.
- Skip trims you won’t miss. Piping and buttons add hours.
- Do the whole set together. Fabric from one roll matches, and setup work is shared.
- Fix the frame now, not later. Re-stripping a sofa to fix a spring next year doubles labour.
- Consider fitted covers for a light refresh. If the foam and frame are fine and you just want a new colour, tailored sofa cover stitching costs less than full reupholstery.
What a proper reupholstery quote should include
A quote you can hold someone to lists:
- Fabric name or code, metres required and the rate grade
- Foam work per cushion: reuse, wrap or replace, with density and thickness
- Labour per seat, and which extras (piping, buttons, zips) are included
- How frame, spring or webbing repairs will be priced if found
- Removal, refitting and disposal of old material
- A timeline from fabric confirmation to delivery
- GST and advance payment: whether GST is included or added on top, how much is due upfront, and when the balance is paid
If any of these is missing, ask. Most disputes over sofa work start with a vague quote, not with poor stitching.
Hyderabad conditions that change the job
West-facing living rooms in Gachibowli, Kondapur and the Financial District get strong afternoon sun, which fades dark cotton fabrics quickly; a curtain or blind on that window protects new upholstery. Construction dust in the newer western suburbs settles into open, textured weaves, so tighter weaves are easier to keep clean. And the June to September monsoon makes zipped, removable cushion covers worth the small extra labour, because you can air and wash them.
To get a fixed price for your sofa, book a free home visit: we bring fabric samples, check the foam and frame, measure every panel and give you an itemised quote. Call or WhatsApp +91 98499 17494, any day between 8 AM and 10 PM.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to reupholster a 3-seater sofa in Hyderabad?
The cost to reupholster a 3-seater sofa in Hyderabad depends on four things: how many metres of fabric it needs (around 10 metres for a fully upholstered three-seater with no wood showing), the grade of that fabric, whether the seat foam is reused or replaced, and the labour for its style, such as piping, buttons or loose cushions. Frame, spring or webbing repairs found after the old fabric comes off add to the total. Baaft Decor measures the sofa, shows fabric samples at a free home visit and then gives a fixed, itemised quote.
Is sofa reupholstery priced per seat or per metre of fabric?
Sofa reupholstery in Hyderabad is usually quoted in two parts: labour, which many upholsterers price per seat, and fabric, which is priced per metre of the grade you choose. A 3+1+1 set counts as five seats, and an L-shaped sofa is counted by its seat units, with the corner often treated as an extra seat. Before comparing quotes, check whether a per-seat rate includes fabric, foam and stitching extras or covers labour only, because two quotes that look similar can include very different work.
How many metres of fabric are needed to reupholster a 3-seater sofa?
A fully upholstered three-seater sofa with no exposed wood typically needs about 10 metres of fabric in the common Indian widths of 48 or 54 inches. Sofas with wooden arms or frames need less, while L-shaped sofas, high backs, skirts and loose cushions need more. Patterned fabric needs extra so that the design lines up across the back, seat and arms. The most accurate figure comes from measuring each panel of your actual sofa, which is done during the home visit before any fabric is cut.
Does sofa reupholstery include new foam?
Sofa reupholstery does not automatically include new foam. If the seat foam still springs back when pressed and hasn't crumbled or yellowed, it can often be reused, sometimes with a fresh polyester fibre wrap to restore the shape. If the seat dips, feels hard at the edges or you can feel the frame through it, replacing the foam is worth it, because new fabric over tired foam wrinkles and sags within months. A good quote lists the foam density and thickness for every cushion being replaced.
How long does sofa reupholstery take in Hyderabad?
A straightforward sofa reupholstery job, where the frame is sound and the fabric is available, usually takes a few working days from stripping the old cover to fitting the new one. It takes longer when the chosen fabric has to be ordered in, when foam must be cut to size, or when the frame, springs or webbing need repair once the old fabric is removed. Ask for a written timeline with the quote, and plan the work away from festivals or house functions if you need the sofa back for guests.
Can I buy my own fabric for sofa reupholstery?
Yes, most upholsterers will work with fabric you buy yourself, but check three things before you buy. The fabric should be upholstery grade, ideally with a Martindale rub count of 20,000 or more, not a thin dress or curtain fabric. You need enough metres for your sofa plus extra for pattern matching. And buy it all from one batch, because colour can vary between dye lots. Get the upholsterer to confirm the exact metres after measuring, so you don't run short halfway through the job.
Is it cheaper to reupholster a sofa or buy a new one?
Reupholstering is usually cheaper than buying a new sofa of the same build quality, especially when the sofa has a solid hardwood frame worth keeping. The comparison changes when the frame is weak particle board, termite-damaged or cracked, because then you pay for fabric and labour on a sofa that won't last. It also changes when a basic new sofa is acceptable to you. Compare a reupholstery quote with a new sofa that has a similar frame, foam density and fabric, not with the cheapest option on sale.
Can a leatherette sofa be reupholstered in fabric?
Yes, a leatherette or rexine sofa can be reupholstered in fabric, and it is one of the most common jobs in Hyderabad homes because PU leatherette tends to peel and crack in heat and humidity. The old covering is stripped completely, the foam is checked and usually given a fibre wrap, and the new fabric is cut and fitted to the same shape. Recliner sofas can be converted as well, though the recliner mechanism has to be removed and refitted, which adds labour to the job.
