Upholstery for Cars Cost

Typical costs:

• Custom seat covers (either from the original vehicle manufacturer or, more typically, from a company specializing in seat voers) are made-to-order to fit a specific seat style in a specific year, make and model of vehicle, and can cost $200-$1,000 or more per row, depending on size, style and material. Installation by an auto upholstery shop (which can include adding batting or foam, or repairing springs if needed) can cost an additional $100-$800 or more, bringing total costs to $200-$1,800 or more per row for professional installation of custom slip covers.
• Having the car seats professionally reupholstered (not just adding slip covers, but completely replacing the old material with a chosen fabric, adding foam or batting where needed, and repairing springs if needed) typically costs $200-$750 per seat, or about $500-$2,000 for two bucket seats and a back bench seat, depending on local rates; the size and style of the seat; the amount of repairs needed to the springs and padding; and whether the seats are reupholstered in standard cloth or vinyl, or with more expensive materials like leather or high-end synthetics.
• For example, Jim's Auto Upholstery^[1] in Nampa, ID has a minimum price of $400 for a truck bench seat, $500 for a pair of bucket seats, $85 for a single motorcycle seat and $250 for a double motorcycle seat; Kathy's Upholstery^[2] in Conway, AR primarily recovers furniture, but advertises a starting price of $300 for reupholstering a truck bench and back (or $150 for only the bench).
• A complete professional reupholstering of a vehicle -- seats, side panels, sail panels (triangular), headliner, carpets and more -- to create a "showroom" interior starts at about $1,000-$4,000 for basic materials but with leather or high-end cloth it can cost $5,000-$10,000 or more, depending on the year, make and model of vehicle, and what is included.

• Reupholstering car seats typically requires removing them from the vehicle; removing the fabric; using it to create a pattern for the new material; checking and repairing the springs and padding as needed; installing the new material; and replacing the reupholstered seat in the vehicle. DetailXperts.net provides an overview of the process.
• Reupholstering the complete interior requires removing the seats and the other items that are being redone. O'Neal & Sons Upholstery in Florida provides a video demonstration of reupholstering a headliner^[3] .

• An auto upholsterer might charge $150-$300 or more for a simple repair, depending on location and the extent of the damage.

• As an alternative, universal seat covers that fit a general size and style of seat typically cost $10-$70 each; they don't look as good as custom covers or reupholstered seats, but they generally covers stains or rips and prevent further damage.
• A do-it-yourself project is also a possibility. DoItYourself.com explains how to reupholster a car seat^[4] for just the cost of the material (and spray paint if parts of the seat frame are corroded). Sunbrite Auto Works in Tampa, FL provides a how-to video^[5] for recovering a vehicle's headliner (60"-wide foam-backed headliner material typically costs $10-$20 a yard).
• If the damage is slight or in a limited area, another way to save money is by repairing the upholstery instead of repairing it. Mobil Oil estimates that do-it-yourself auto upholstery repair^[6] takes about three hours for a typical project and costs $150-$200.

• Car upholstery work is typically done by automotive upholstery, boat repair, sail or furniture upholstery shops; some car audio specialty stores also reupholster car seats.
• Request references from previous customers, and ask to see photos of previous jobs. For example, Wright's Auto Upholstery in North Frankfurt, IN has an online portfolio^[7] .

1.  www.jimsupholstery.com/?page=services
2.  kathysupholstery.com/upholstery-services
3.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxC83SHwCoI
4.  www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-reupholster-car-seats#b
5.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MmT72NDtTs
6.  www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/DIY/Fixing_Leather_or_Vinyl_Car_Sea...
7.  www.wrightsautoupholstery.com/portfolio/

Check Out All Costs for Cars		How Much Does a Limousine Rental Cost?		How Much Does Valet Parking Service Cost?		How Much Do Brakes Cost?

Today's Featured Cost Articles

In case signing up was a resolution, we cover the cost of diet plans. Need help uncovering your driveway? You may need a snow removal service. The CDC recommends it is more important than ever to get a flu shot this year. Be ready if the worst weather hits -- a portable generator means fewer power outages. Garden all winter long with an indoor greenhouse.

About CostHelper

CostHelper is based in Silicon Valley and provides consumers with unbiased price information about thousands of goods and services. Our writers are experienced journalists who adhere to our strict editorial ethics policy.

CostHelper Community

Radiologist Fee Paid: 350.00 Any radiologist reading your mammogram will be at least $350. They have 11-13 years of training after high school before they begin work. If they are not board certified, watch out. Most are and it beats getting cancer... [more] -Lowes Fan Mammogram Cost DIY Ceiling Paid: 50.00 We bought a house with a cheap paint job. The ceilings were sprayed the same color as the walls. During COVID I painted the ceilings and a bathroom. A 120 square foot room took me about 4 hours (2 coats)... [more] -Lowes Fan Painting an Interior Cost DIY vs Installed Small Deck Paid: 3000.00 We paid $1300 for materials and $1700 for labor on a 100 square foot composite deck plus a redwood gate. It took 30 hours, done last year. My husband built a 100 sf heart redwood deck for about $1000 in materials in 2019... [more] -Lowe's Fan Redwood Deck Cost Colposcopy with biopsy Paid: 756.00 This service was wayy to expensive in my opinion. For a 20-25 minute total visit I had to pay out of pocked 756 - 187 to OBGYN, 229 to pathologist, then 340$ for facility fee or the hospital. I don't even know what that charge was for... [more] -D S Colposcopy Cost Bilateral Diagnostic Mammogram and Third Mammogram Paid: 1389.66 My 2021 bill, still in shock! Weill Cornell, in-network provider, billed my insurance $908 for a bilateral diagnostic mammogram, and $712 for a third mammogram one breast... [more] -GinaF Mammogram Cost shoulder mri Paid: 8000.00 Seriously, 8K for an MRI before all the secret insurance kicks in. I was stuck with a 1200 bill and my insurance is pretty good. This is insane for a 20 minute procedure with no nurse assistance... [more] -stevej45 MRI Cost