Furniture wears out over time, and must eventually either be repaired or replaced. Many people who have nice pieces of furniture would prefer to get their furniture reupholstered rather than replace it. Upholstery businesses offer to reupholster furniture when it wears out.
According to IBISWorld, the United States’ furniture repair and upholstery industry has an annual revenue of $2 billion and is growing at a rate of 1.7 percent. Moreover, there are no businesses with a dominant market share. Thus, there’s plenty of opportunity for small business owners who want to start their own upholstery business.
Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the process with hands-on support.
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Start an upholstery business by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Upholstery Business
- Form your Upholstery Business into a Legal Entity
- Register your Upholstery Business for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Upholstery Business
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Upholstery Business
- Get Upholstery Business Insurance
- Define your Upholstery Business Brand
- Create your Upholstery Business Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your upholstery business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Upholstery Business Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening an upholstery business?
The startup expenses for an upholstery business are fairly minimal. Business owners need a workspace and tools, and many have a vehicle for transporting furniture to and from client’s sites.
Many business owners keep their upfront costs low by using a workspace in their home, and a van or SUV they already have for transporting furniture. When setting up a workspace, it’s important to keep the space on the ground level (i.e. not in a basement or attic) so that items don’t have to be carried up or down stairs. When choosing a vehicle, it’s important to have a large and covered vehicle (i.e. not an open pickup truck) so items can be safely transported even if it’s raining or snowing.
The tools that are required include:
- general tools (e.g. screwdrivers, hex wrenches, a hammer and a cordless drill)
- commonly available tools (e.g. an electric carver’s knife for cutting foam)
- specialized tools (e.g. a gooseneck webbing stretcher, upholstery shears, upholsterer’s pins and marking chalk)
Business owners may already have a number of the tools they need, and additional tools typically cost only a few hundred dollars. For example, Upholster.com offers kits of specialized tools for between $78.80 and $145.80.
Finally, business owners also will need samples of fabric to show customers. These can be obtained from a fabric representative for free, though.
What are the ongoing expenses for an upholstery business?
As long as business owners have a workspace in their home, the ongoing expenses for an upholstery business are low. Business owners must cover their vehicle’s fuel and maintenance costs, and they may occasionally need to replace a broken tool.
Business owners must also need to purchase any fabric and cushioning that jobs require. These costs, however, are paid for by customers.
Who is the target market?
An upholstery business’ ideal customer is someone who has high-quality, expensive furniture.
People who buy low-priced furniture will frequently buy new furniture when their current chairs and sofas wear out. Since reupholstering pieces frequently costs about the same as new budget-friendly furniture, they’re less likely to have worn-out pieces reupholstered.
People who have expensive furniture, however, are often willing to pay to have their pieces reupholstered when the upholstery wears out. Reupholstering is often much cheaper than purchasing a new high-end piece of furniture.
How does an upholstery business make money?
An upholstery business charges customers for reupholstering their worn-out furniture. Work may be charged on a per-piece basis or according to an hourly wage.
How much can you charge customers?
According to HomeAdvisor, the average furniture upholstery job costs $648, but how much a job actually costs can vary a lot. Reupholstering a single dining room chair may be just $40, while reupholstering a big sofa can run $1,200.
How much profit can an upholstery business make?
How much upholsterers make varies depending on their location and level of expertise. One 30-year veteran of the industry reports charging customers $44 per hour of “bench time” (hour of labor).
Running an upholstery business involves a lot more than reupholstering furniture, though. Another upholsterer reports that only one-third to one-half of his time is spent working at his bench. Based on these two figures, an upholstery business owner might expect to earn between $586 and $880 per 40-hour week.
How can you make your business more profitable?
An upholstery business can increase its profitability by upcycling used furniture. Worn-out furniture can sometimes be found for free, reupholstered and then sold at a significant profit.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your upholstery business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your upholstery business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?
Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our How to Start a Business guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best Business Formation Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an upholstery business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
For information about local licenses and permits:
- Check with your town, city or county clerk’s office
- Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Service Agreement
Upholstery businesses should consider requiring clients to sign a service agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership. Here is an example service agreement.
Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your upholstery business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.
Certificate of Occupancy
An upholstery business can be run out of a storefront. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease office space:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to an upholstery business.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build office space:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for you business’ location to ensure your upholstery business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Upholstery Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Upholstery Business.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market an upholstery business
Because upholstery businesses generally serve a defined geographic area, all marketing efforts should be focused on the city or region that a business serves. Business owners can advertise their upholstery business to area residents and businesses by:
- running locally targeted online ad campaigns
- posting business cards on community bulletin boards
- placing advertisements in local newspapers and magazines
How to keep customers coming back
An upholstery business can set itself apart from other businesses in the area by specializing in a specific type of upholstery. In commercial upholstery, the health care, sports and hospitality niches represent growing opportunities. Businesses that want to specialize but work in the residential upholstery space can focus on automotive or marine upholstery.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
Anyone who enjoys working with their hands may enjoy running an upholstery business. Reupholstering furniture is hands-on work that results in a tangible finished product.
Business owners don’t need to leave their current occupation to start an upholstery business. Furniture can be reupholstered and repaired during the evenings and weekends, which lets business owners start an upholstery business part-time while working another job.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at an upholstery business?
Upholstery business owners spend a lot of their time reupholstering furniture. This may involve:
- removing cushioning and fabric from existing furniture
- cutting and installing new cushioning and fabric
- making minor repairs as needed
When not working directly on furniture, business owners spend time:
- providing estimates for prospective clients
- picking up and delivering clients’ furniture
- ordering supplies
- paying bills
- marketing their business
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful upholstery business?
In order to run an upholstery business, business owners must know how to upholster furniture. There are several ways to learn these skills.
First, many local community groups and vocational schools offer on-site classes and workshops. For example, The Elliott School in Massachusetts and National Upholstery Association both offer courses.
Second, several online upholstery courses are available. Kim’s Upholstery offers a variety of classes for members, and bestaccreditedcolleges.org has a list of several websites that provide free courses or lessons.
Finally, there are a number of books on upholstery. Spruce: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upholstery and Design, and Upholstery: A Complete Course are a couple to begin with.
What is the growth potential for an upholstery business?
Most upholstery businesses serve a single geographic area. This may be a city or a larger region depending on the area’s population density. However, if your business grows a large enough, there is the possibility to serve multiple locations.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting an upholstery business?
While business owners must know how to upholster furniture to start an upholstery business, they don’t need to be masters of the trade. Because reupholstering is usually done in a workshop, customers don’t see pieces mid-project. Thus, upholsterers can fix mistakes they might make without customers ever knowing.
Additionally, some customers may be interested in hiring an upholsterer who’s still learning the trade if they can save money. New upholsterers may be able to learn while working by underbidding their competitors.
How and when to build a team
Many upholsterers never hire an employee, instead running their business themselves. Those who want to grow their business beyond what a single person can manage may hire an assistant once their incoming revenue supports an employee’s salary.