Just finished my last job today,( retired at 61) Self employed, took over from Dad up here in Canada. We started in Scotland. Darn I was too cheap. Great too watch tonight. Cheers Kevin.

Thank you for sharing .Have a Merry Christmas.

Wow I love this! I have an upholstery business that I started in my garage but now I want to go to a more remote location to gain more customers and also residential jobs. U really helped me because this was always a challenge in sprucing my jobs

Very informative information I have been doing upholstery for quite a few years know and was trained in it but I think I haven’t been charging enough from listening to you thank you for this information might call upon you in the future great work by the way

Thank you for sharing your informative video. And offering your knowledge to the world. BLESSINGS.

Kevin, Ken Pittsburgh Pa. I really enjoy your videos and I have just a few more classes on your French Settee which has increased my knowledge on a similar settee I' am doing I wished I lived closer I would be taking your classes in person. Thank You Very Much for sharing your expert knowledge Love It.

Thanks for the great information!

Fantastic information, thank you. You are so generous with your knowledge. I can’t believe you are giving this valuable information away for free. Your online classes are amazing and incredible value and I’d encourage everyone to consider trying one. I did and then bought a yearly subscription. You are a great teacher and mentor and certainly the best on KZread. No I’m not being paid for this, it’s a genuine comment 😄. I have a question about when you said you add 50% more for time if you are taking the piece down from just the top fabric (the basis of all your time frames today) to the frame. My concern is that might be ok if it was a slip seat dining chair but for an 8 way hand tied sprung wingchair surely it would take much longer to strip, remove staples and spring etc than just 50% more. Can you run down the list and estimate time to fully reupholster each style or is this too variable and detailed a question?

I started in the upholstery business a few decades ago. I have worked on aircraft, autos (antique and contemporary), boats, and furniture (custom built, antique and contemporary). I have always felt that everyone involved in the transaction should understand that what is being offered is a luxury item. We aren't a furniture factory; what we do is provide the customer with a one of kind item. If a customer calls me and wants to know prices within 2-3 minutes, they invariably are not my customer, and the conversation usually ends shortly after that, in a polite manner. The real customer generally does not talk about price, but may come into look at fabric samples, which I highly encourage them to do. Then I insist that they take samples home and view them in their home. I want to get them involved in the process and get excited about their project, makes it a lot easier to close the sale. A friend, who is an upholsterer that specializes in just pillows and cushions called bemoaning an interaction with customer. The customer was telling her that her prices were to high. She took it personally. So, I explained to her that not many people can do what she does and because of that she has great value. If you ever bought a new car, you know that a sales person will do everything to not discuss price at the beginning of the interview. Build value and close with the numbers. And if the sales person is afflicted with fear of losing the sale, they stand a chance of doing just that. Thats why there are sales managers to prevent the sales person from giving away the store. Anyhow, the prices presented in the video, are pretty much spot on. However, not all rural areas are alike. I live in a rural area with the nearest metropolitan area a 100 miles away. My market, however, is high end as it is a resort/retirement community. Most of my fabric sales exceed $100/yd. Recent sale was $396/yd. Current labor price is $82.00/hr One other thing, currently, about a rural market, is that there are less and less of us doing this, which increases demand, and, of course price. When I first started taking credit cards it was complicated and expensive. But with the advent of credit card processors such as the Square, the costs and effort are minimal and the amount charged is in your bank account usually within 48 hrs. All you need is a smart phone and a card reader which fits in your pocket. So, when a customer asks how they can pay, I usually respond by saying cash, check, or credit card, but I prefer cash or check. They usually write a check. But if the cash or check aren't available, I will take a credit card, but this is seldom the case. I want to make it as easy as possible for them to give me what is owed.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank you!!

Amazing.. i wonder why this video doesn't have million ticks on it.. thank you once again.

Great video! I am wondering how you account for shop supplies? Staples, thread, etc. that you use a small amount of on every project?

Thanks so much. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you for doing this I just started doing it professionally and I undercut myself horribly. I live in a lower economic area I've been doing wingbacks for 350.00 not a total teardown.

Great video thank s

gracias, gracias, gracias!!!!

Wow I am lowest of low pricing here. Live 1 hour above Pittsburgh. Every year I say I'm raising my prices . Last year had no customers. Who am I ? I have been working at this since 1993 . I did governers mansion furniture when in New York, Extreme home makeover Episode 224 .When I lived in New York I got about 300.00 labor on wing chair. My business was fantastic there , Got divorced since i relocated my business 2007. I can only get about 290. 00 plus 45.00 for new foam seat. I do all to survive, boats, auto, drapery , slipcovers.When I first started I didn't even charge full price for fabrics but 10 years ago I started charging full retail. I have some beebackesr who love me and are always finding things to re-do . I charge what there willing to pay on the high end. 63 year old women with health issues but keep going along. Lucky to have home business with no overhead otherwise I would have been finished before I started

your good upholstery work I like 👍 because I am also sofamaker upholsterer

Wow. When you said business has slowed down since the pandemic, I was shocked. The phone will not stop ringing. Thank you for the information. I always like to see peoples different perspective of the upholstery world.