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What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner

Posted By: fireeng

What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/12/12 08:41 PM

Im in southern CT and the guy doing my car subs out the seat covers and headliner. I already purchased the covers and headliner from Dante/Legendary. Can someone tell me about how long it takes an experienced tradesman to replace the covers and hang the (5 bow) headliner in a 71 challenger. The guys labor charges are 650 to do the seats and 350 for the headliner. Are these numbers in the ballpark? The entire interior is out of the car. The seats consists of two front buckets and the rear. The seats are in excellent original condition with just one small rip in the driver seat. Am I right to expect the foam will be fine?? Thanks for any info.
Posted By: 70440+6bbl

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/12/12 09:42 PM

The seats if in truly good shape, foam and spring wise, are not too hard to install yourself. $650 does seem kind of high if they don't need a full rebuild...
Posted By: Steve340

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/12/12 10:43 PM

$650 to just install the seat covers seems way too high. I have a guy that does them for $200. I take the bare seats and new seat covers to him and he has them done the next day.
Posted By: scatcity

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/12/12 10:45 PM

Quote:

Am I right to expect the foam will be fine?? Thanks for any info.


After 40 plus years, probably not. If you're going this far, you may as well remove the old foam, paint the skeleton of the seats, and install new foam on all the seats. Another 200.00 for bucket foam is very reasonable. The rears can be formed by a reputable shop. If all the aforementioned is done, THEN 650.00 is reasonable. This would include all new burlap, muslin, and cotton. I understand the re-upholstery guy has to eat too but, 650.00 just to install covers is steep.
Posted By: Black_Bee

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/13/12 03:17 AM

Quote:

Im in southern CT and the guy doing my car subs out the seat covers and headliner. I already purchased the covers and headliner from Dante/Legendary. Can someone tell me about how long it takes an experienced tradesman to replace the covers and hang the (5 bow) headliner in a 71 challenger. The guys labor charges are 650 to do the seats and 350 for the headliner. Are these numbers in the ballpark? The entire interior is out of the car. The seats consists of two front buckets and the rear. The seats are in excellent original condition with just one small rip in the driver seat. Am I right to expect the foam will be fine?? Thanks for any info.



I paid $400 for front and rear covers installed on my '69 Bee. I provided the covers and front foam, and they did everything else. Headliner was $200 to install.

Labour costs are usually very high in my area and I thought these costs were very reasonable.

Posted By: 69440

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/13/12 09:39 AM

$650.00 is way too much just to install the seat covers. At my shop, the cost for the seat covers would be $200.00 - $250.00, and the headliner would be more in the $250.00 range.
Posted By: JohnRR

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/13/12 04:05 PM

Quote:

$650.00 is way too much just to install the seat covers. At my shop, the cost for the seat covers would be $200.00 - $250.00, and the headliner would be more in the $250.00 range.



what's your hourly rate ?

I'm guessing the shop he uses is tacking on to the charge the place he is subing out to is charging .
Posted By: fireeng

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 01:34 AM

Quote:

Quote:



I'm guessing the shop he uses is tacking on to the charge the place he is subing out to is charging .




not likely, I believe those numbers were quoted directly from the upholstery guy.
Scott

Thanks to everyone else for the input. There are some other shops around here but I am afraid to go to someone without a recommendation. Anyone know of someone local to New Haven CT??
Posted By: BigMoneyLewis

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 02:02 AM

Installing seat covers and headliner are both something the average car enthusiest can do himself, and I recomend it if you want to keep your total dollar investment down . It would be a good learning experience , but will take a full weekend or several evenings of your spare time. I have done both on several occasions and have been very satisfied with the results .

Greg
Posted By: lahatte

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 02:48 AM

Where are good instructions on doing recovering of these kinds of seats?
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 02:55 AM

This article is a good start:
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/howto/mopp_9904_how_to_install_front_and_rear_seats/viewall.html
I've done a couple sets of '70 Challenger seats, and it wasn't too bad a job. On both sets the foam was in decent shape so I didn't have to replace any foam. Just get a good set of cutters, a good set of hog ring pliers, do one front bucket at a time leaving the second intact for reference, and take your time, and you'll end up with some nice new seats you can take pride in every time you get in your car.
Posted By: lahatte

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 03:06 AM

Thanks for that. Also, where can one get the burlap?
Posted By: Mastershake340

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 03:30 AM

I don't know for sure, but I would guess any fabric store would sell burlap.
Posted By: A12

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 03:40 AM

Quote:

I don't know for sure, but I would guess any fabric store would sell burlap.



Yep, and don't know if this is good or bad but most of the burlap you'll find at the fabric stores is of a much better quality than what they put in the seats of several hundred thousand cars back then and even now (if they still even use burlap?) Oh and you'll have to pay the price.. but it's really not that expensive
Posted By: Silver70

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/14/12 06:31 PM

On the headliner, with everything removed it doesn't take me much more than an hour to install one. Installing all the trim and such may add another hour if that... I'd say 350 is way too high and 650 for seat covers is rediculous too.
Posted By: pinkduster

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/17/12 01:53 PM

I have done some seat covers and one headliner in the past. Bench seats are easy, but bucket seats can be a pain in the butt, especially if you are working by yourself. So when I was working on my 69 Charger the other year, I just did the back seat myself and sent the buckets out because I knew the driver's side was going to need a little "extra" work. Turns out there was a broken spring. Guy charged me $180 but I just gave him an even $200 because that was money well spent in my opinion. My frames and foam were all in decent shape because this was always a "clean" driver type car, not something drug out of a junkyard.
Posted By: Ronnman

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/17/12 02:47 PM

Those prices are high, shop around. Legendary Interiors has some guides for installation on their website.
Ron

http://www.legendaryautointeriors.com/page/9/InstallationGuides.aspx
Posted By: biginchmotor

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/17/12 06:27 PM

If you need another estimate call A1 upholstery in Stratford, great work and Walt is the owner/installer. John.
Posted By: fireeng

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/17/12 11:21 PM

Quote:

If you need another estimate call A1 upholstery in Stratford, great work and Walt is the owner/installer. John.



Thanks John. I have already spoken to Walt. He came highly recommended from a couple of guys I work with. His numbers came in a couple of hundred less.

Thanks again for the hook up with the drive shaft. I'll come see you after we get it in.
Scott
Posted By: biginchmotor

Re: What is fair labor cost to install seat cover/headliner - 03/18/12 12:32 AM

Glad to help out, John.
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