Upolstery pricing

[Gmcfolife]

I just came back from a local upolstery shop and was quoted $450 to uploster my bench seat. I've already purchased the seat cover material. So there price includes the foam and labor. Is this an average price? I figured it's a good deal since for me to purchase the foam alone would run me $400. The material is highlander blue in the center and leather look alike around the edges.

[flashed]

Sounds a little high to me but then again its been a few years since I had mine done .

[Gmcfolife]

Forgot to mention that all I have is the fabric and there price includes them stitching the cover.

[67ctener]

That's a steal. I got quoted 1200 to reshape the lower foams on my buddy buckets and cover them if I supplied the covers. So I'd be looking about 1700+ after having the frame powdercoated and a quality cover. I wanted to ask what kind of drugs he was on. Didn't help he knew nothing about the seats

[flashed]

I had my BuddyBuckets done for $350 with me furnishing the seat cover material (cloth only) and he stiched them up nice and worked the original foam with a little extra padding ,sounds like I got a good deal.

[Nitis]

It's not getting any cheaper for sure. Used to be a nice inexpensive way to freshen up your ride

Got me thinking bout tackling mine myself currently evaluating my foam and springs

[leddzepp]

Originally Posted by Gmcfolife

I just came back from a local upolstery shop and was quoted $450 to uploster my bench seat. I've already purchased the seat cover material. So there price includes the foam and labor. Is this an average price? I figured it's a good deal since for me to purchase the foam alone would run me $400. The material is highlander blue in the center and leather look alike around the edges.

For $450 he is rebuilding your existing foam, not replacing it with new. What kind of shape is your foam in now? $450 is a decent price in my book if that includes everything. If you are supplying the material I think it is a little on the high side.

[Gmcfolife]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

For $450 he is rebuilding your existing foam, not replacing it with new. What kind of shape is your foam in now? $450 is a decent price in my book if that includes everything. If you are supplying the material I think it is a little on the high side.

My old foam was trashed so I dumped it. That price is including all new foam.

[67ctener]

Honestly it is so cheap I would question the quality. Seat covers are about 300 (pui) to 400+ (truck world) not sure about bench foam prices but can't imagine there much cheaper. I'd say around a thousand wouldn't be out of line for a high quality seat restoration

[Gmcfolife]

Originally Posted by 67ctener

Honestly it is so cheap I would question the quality. Seat covers are about 300 (pui) to 400+ (truck world) not sure about bench foam prices but can't imagine there much cheaper. I'd say around a thousand wouldn't be out of line for a high quality seat restoration

They have been in business since 1945. I checked there yelp reviews and there all great. When I went by they had some nice classic cars in there shop. Pics of there last builds look pretty nice. Looks like I'll go with them.

[Sammy]

A local guy working in my area that has 30 years of experence that specializes in "Old School" work charges about $150 plus his material costs for a bench or $150 each for a bucket. To simply pull a bench seat cover with minor foam repair runs about $75 for a bench seat. I have watched him do several seats and interiors plus has done work for me. In thinking 6-8 hours to do a bench seat.
$450 / = $56 sounds just a bit high to me. But look at your area also. I have found when looking for this type of work best to check with local car clubs for references and also to see what kind of work they do and if they would recommend them or use them again. Cruisers are always eager to share that type of info.

[ho70]

did you get the highlander inserts from SMS and how fast did they get them to you?

[Grumpy old man]

I have been building interiors for 35 + years and just to share a few things to be considered ,

The costs of automotive grade materials has skyrocketed in the last few years thanks to crude oil prices(all vinyls are petroleum based )and Tiawanese /chinese vinyls in no way are the same grade as US vinyls, The expanded powers of the EPA also shipping costs and let's not even mention the cost of experienced help the average for experienced trimmers (upholsters) runs $25.00 an hr and up add in employer contributions and you get the idea .it takes about 3 years to teach a "willing " employee how to sew seat covers and you can't teach them everything because once they know enough to be dangerous they quit and become the guy with the back street shop sewing seat covers for 1/2 price with crooked lines and destroying the local market .

Drive thru most any large city and you will find 100 mechanic shops 50 body shops and 1-2 upholstery shops that are worth going to . It is labor intensive hand work and you can't do it sitting down save the actual sewing part .the young guys of today don't want to invest the time it actually takes to become proficient and skilled and the equipment required is all that a mechanic has along with welding ,bodyshop and fiberglass repair tools then add the upholstery specific tools and again you get the picture .

There are very few schools teaching auto upholstery and I believe Wyotech does but they require taking the auto body course first before they allow the students take the auto upholstery course so the only local way to learn is find someone to teach you while you would get paid a low wage for the first few years again you get the picture

upholstery sew foam I used to buy for $69.00 is now $189.00

correct high grade thread was $22.00 now $48.00 and up and you need to stock multiple colors as the many suppliers that used to be in most larger towns have all closed and replaced by the mega suppliers in larger cities There was 1 local complete supplier here in Knoxville for 35 years they closed and anything other than basic cheap vinyls have to be shipped from Atlanta or Nashville both of which are 150 + miles away so you have add shipping costs to any project .

Correct contact glue was $36.00 for 5 gallons and now $142.00

Automotive grade vinyl used to be $4.95 a yard 54x36 wholesale now $10.95 for basic and over $17.95 yard for correct grain factory color matched materials

And there's always the guys who drop off their work and then disappear when the work is done and the shop has their money invested in some losers job ,I have had to inside store cars for months to get paid so many shops request a deposit just so they don't tie up their operating funds .

When you add all these things up along with high rent for a decent location you can see why prices have escalated considerably in just the last few years

Location location location , A seat repair in 1 state may be 3 times the cost in another state for the same exact work ! So it would be impossible to generalize the cost from one state to the other on any forum .

[Bigdav160]

I agree with you about the cost of materials. This extends to paint finishing (made from petroleum also)

Just an FYI, Wyoming Tech in the news - As of July 2014, Corinthian schools (parent company of Wyoming Tech) has agreed they will close or sell all their schools in the next few months.

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by Bigdav160

I agree with you about the cost of materials. This extends to paint finishing (made from petroleum also)

Just an FYI, Wyoming Tech in the news - As of July 2014, Corinthian schools (parent company of Wyoming Tech) has agreed they will close or sell all their schools in the next few months.

I'm sure that is because of the lack of students wanting to go in tuition debt to work as mechanics / body men/ or upholsters when they can sit behind a computer screen in the air conditioning and get paid to text/tweet/you tube/facebook with their friends all day on some companies dime and still get paid a living wage .

[bhc41051]

I can only speak for the shop I do business with but, guys don't drop their work off and "disappear" they die of old age waiting on the job to be completed.

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by bhc41051

I can only speak for the shop I do business with but, guys don't drop their work off and "disappear" they die of old age waiting on the job to be completed.

Yep ! I've had dozens of custom show cars delivered in boxes and pieces and parts lost on the back of a flatbed truck from a shop that under quoted a job or got in over their head and couldn't deliver .Just like body shops they quote a low price to get the big jobs and then don't have the money or help to finish it ! It happens everyday ,Sad but true . Send a car or truck to a well staffed experienced and respected shop and see how fast it gets VERY EXPENSIVE to have someone else do all the work while the customer just keeps writing checks ...

[Bowed]

The last Chevy bench seat I had upholstered was 12 years ago . The shop ( a lone guy ) did a nice job in vinyl with cloth inserts . He had a pretty good range of colors and materials to pick from too . I carried the seat in to his shop , so he charged me a grand total of one hundred dollars + tax for the complete job . I wish my pay was going up as fast as what I buy is going up in price .

[Gmcfolife]

Originally Posted by ho70

did you get the highlander inserts from SMS and how fast did they get them to you?

Yes I purchased it from SMS and took around a week to get.