Calculate
Custom upholstery pricing should explain what the customer is paying for and what your workshop needs to recover. Two chairs that look similar in a photograph can require different preparation, cutting and repair work. Instead of publishing a universal sofa price, this 2026 guide shows how to assemble a job cost, choose a margin and check whether the work fits your monthly capacity. It is for small upholstery businesses, independent craftspeople and customers reviewing a detailed quote. The PKR example is fictional and adaptable to another currency. It is not a Lahore supplier price list, a promise of demand or a measurement guide for buying fabric.
Calculate a sustainable hourly rate →
Inspect the item and define the job
Identify the item, quantity, dimensions, existing condition and agreed work. Separate a simple cover replacement from foam replacement, structural repair, spring or webbing work and decorative detailing. Record collection, delivery and any removal or disposal work. If an inspection cannot confirm the condition under the existing covering, identify that uncertainty and agree a review point after removal.
A practical quotation workflow is to photograph the condition with permission, list the agreed finish and specify which parts are retained. Confirm who supplies the fabric and whether the quote includes it. Avoid promising a firm material quantity from a single photograph. Pattern repeat, fabric width, direction, seams and matching can change the cutting layout; obtain a job-specific cutting estimate before purchase.
Build a cost sheet before choosing a margin
List fabric, foam, batting, webbing, fasteners, adhesives, outsourced work and delivery where relevant. Separate quantities from unit prices so a later supplier change is easy to follow. Use the purchased quantity after your actual cutting plan, not a universal percentage described as accurate for every chair.
Estimate preparation, cutting, sewing, fitting, finishing and handling time. In the fictional worksheet below, the direct labour charge is 18 hours at PKR 1,000 per hour. This is a direct-cost allowance, not a verified wage, retail rate or suggested local price. The material line is also a single illustrative allowance; the customer-facing quote should identify the agreed materials and any exclusions.
Keep labour, overhead and fees distinct
Allocate rent, equipment, administration and other fixed workshop costs consistently. For example, PKR 50,000 monthly overhead spread across an assumed ten equivalent jobs gives PKR 5,000 per job. This allocation depends on the workload actually being achieved. Jobs of different duration may need an allocation based on productive hours instead.
Do not use a loaded labour rate containing overhead and then add the same overhead again. Payment processing, marketplace fees and delivery may also have different charging bases. A direct workshop quote does not automatically incur Etsy fees. For an actual marketplace sale, verify the relevant fee schedule, currency and taxes before using the craft pricing tool.
Worked example: an editable quote, not a market rate
This made-up PKR example is a pricing exercise. Direct labour excludes the separately shown overhead. The total cost is PKR 57,000 and the target margin on sales is 25%. Assume no percentage transaction fee in this first calculation.
| Planning item | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|
| Materials allowance | PKR 32,000 |
| Direct labour allowance | 18 h × PKR 1,000 = PKR 18,000 |
| Allocated workshop overhead | PKR 5,000 |
| Delivery allowance | PKR 2,000 |
| Total planned job cost | PKR 57,000 |
| Price at a 25% margin on sales | PKR 76,000 |
| Planned surplus before unlisted costs and tax | PKR 19,000 |
PKR 57,000 ÷ 0.75 gives a selling price of PKR 76,000. The difference is PKR 19,000, or 25% of sales. Adding a 25% markup to cost would give PKR 71,250 and only a 20% margin. If a genuine 3% fee applies to the same selling-price base, maintaining a 25% margin would require 57,000 ÷ (1 − 0.25 − 0.03) = PKR 79,166.67 before separate taxes. Verify the fee basis rather than copying that assumption.
Check the pricing formula
Cost = materials + direct labour + allocated overhead + delivery; Price = cost ÷ (1 − margin)
Margin is surplus divided by selling price; markup is surplus divided by cost. The two percentages are not interchangeable. This example margin includes the overhead already allocated in the cost sheet. A transaction-fee formula is valid only for the stated fee base and while margin plus fee is below 100%.
Use the calculators without counting costs twice
Start with the Freelance Hourly Rate Calculator to explore billable hours, time off, overhead and your income target. It estimates a rate from your assumptions; it does not discover an industry price. Save the assumptions beside your quote. Use the client onboarding planner to record scope and approval steps, and the income tracker for money actually received. A quote, an invoice and a payment are different records.
For an offline upholstery job, begin with the hourly-rate tool and a job-specific material sheet. The craft calculator can help explore its stated fee and margin assumptions for a relevant sale; it does not measure upholstery fabric or identify hidden damage.
- Calculate a sustainable hourly rate
- Client onboarding checklist
- Track project income
- Craft pricing calculator
Review the job after delivery
Check the monthly business separately from the per-job quote. Suppose variable cost per identical job is PKR 52,000 (materials, direct labour and delivery), monthly fixed overhead is PKR 50,000, and price is PKR 76,000 with no percentage fee. Contribution is PKR 24,000 per job; 50,000 ÷ 24,000 = 2.0833, so three whole equivalent jobs cover these assumptions. Do not subtract the PKR 5,000 allocation again in this calculation.
Break-even is not proof that three jobs will arrive or fit your schedule. Confirm productive hours, supplier lead times, workshop space and customer demand. Compare actual hours and purchases against the estimate after each job. If the customer changes the finish or hidden damage is discovered, record an agreed additional scope before proceeding.
Compare estimated and actual hours, bought materials, fees and additional work. A profitable-looking quote can disappoint if preparation and revisions were omitted. Record what changed before estimating the next job. Keep the same currency throughout, use a dated supplier quote, and show any applicable tax separately. These examples are planning exercises, not tax calculations or verified 2026 market benchmarks.
Frequently asked questions
Can I quote upholstery from a photo?
A photo can support an initial discussion. A firm quote needs enough measurements, condition information and material choices; hidden work should have an agreed review process.
Is 25% margin the same as 25% markup?
No. On a cost of PKR 57,000, a 25% margin gives PKR 76,000; a 25% markup gives PKR 71,250.
Can this tell me exactly how much fabric to buy?
No. Obtain a cutting estimate using the item, fabric width, pattern direction, repeat and intended finish.
Does breaking even mean the job is profitable?
It covers the costs included in that model. Omitted labour, repairs, fees or other costs can change the result.
Build a quote you can explain
Write the scope, cost the actual job and make the margin visible in your own worksheet. Then compare the planned hours with workshop capacity before accepting the order. Use the linked tools for transparent assumptions, not a substitute for inspection or supplier quotations.
Start with your own hourly-rate assumptions →
Sources and editorial scope
Reviewed 22 October 2026. The worksheets, figures and scenarios are original editorial examples. The sources below support the general pricing principles; they do not verify the example prices. No search-volume research, field trial or professional client engagement is claimed.