You may be a bit optimistic on this cost and getting pieces in the sizes you need. But it can happen.
I think what Tom is referring to is: Sweat equity does is free/zero value, if you consider you could be working and earning money. If you can have someone do for it XX hours for your labor working and you doing it in XX+Y hrs then it would be “cheaper” to do farm it out.
He is also saying that the work itself has value to you beyond money saved: knowledge acquired, pride in doing itself … you know Maker type valuing. Not sure how you put a price on that as it varies from person to person.
3 Likes
I suspect you’re taking it more literally than Tom meant. I imagine this
and maybe this
and a dab of this
apply.
This is one of those principles which self-employed folks tend to understand better than those of us who work for others: my time has value. Even time spent “goofing off” at DMS, learning to make things. Like bespoke La-Z-boys. This is a point driven home for me by the guy fixing my garage door on afternoon. He told me he pays a guy to mow his lawn. Which I remarked seemed foolish. He said he could fix 2-3 garage doors for $50 per in the same time it takes his yard guy to do that job, for which he pays $40. So he “nets” $60+ from the exchange. Hadn’t really thought about it that way till then…
Will,
That was a bit of humour - like many that start projects at the Space or at home - they tend to experience “mission creep” where time slips away quicker than planned / or hoped.
“Saving money” by doing it yourself is not realistic - your project is not an isolated case, although I bet it is the first Lazy Boy chair build - is more along what I meant.
David’s & Andrew’s replies are for more for the accountants…yet true
No harm intended !
2 Likes
lol yes exactly. The carousel my mom wants restored was $5. I’ll easily have $50 in it before it’s all done
Yep. We have a housekeeper we pay $60. For two grown ups that’s ridiculous but I made $80 on a ring I built not scrubbing toilets and can usually repeat that. Plus I’m not spending all my free time cleaning our home so I’m less bitchy and avoid divorce costs lol
6 Likes
what is this magic place?
2 Likes
Usually any metal supply or machine shop usually has some sort of scrap that you may be able to purchase from them for a little more than recycle price!
Anyhow, I did contact La-Z-Boy. Their warranty is a little bit of a misnomer!
1: The lifetime warranty only covers the chair frame parts.
2: If a broken chair frame damages the fabric…oh well!!
3: $95 for their tech to come to your home to evaluate broken item.
4: I think they said $125 for them to pick up and deliver your item to their repair facility.
5: Their repair facility does not offer re-upholstery services.
6: $150/hr labor to repair broken furniture structure.
7: You can purchase fabric by the yard direct from La-Z-Boy @ $59-$79/yd with the average rocker recliner requiring 9-11 yds. of material.
With that being said, the La-Z-Boy Rep with whom I spoke stated that it was more economical for me to purchase a new piece of furniture. So…I spend another $500. - $1K for another piece that will fall apart in a few years? I need to do some more research regarding La-Z-Boy fabrics, who their textile mill is and if I can purchase from another source at more reasonable price.
2 Likes
That puts them on par with “everyone else”, in my experience. With rare exceptions, the warranties are hardly worth the paper they’re written on, so to speak, as the shipping costs, inspection costs, etc. et. al. makes them, effectively, DOA.
Sad, but true…
Good to see the inner workings of La-Z-Boy’s “why our warranty is useless” warranty.
1 Like
I gotta say, I would do the same thing & for the same reason.
Ughhh forget that soft butter junk called Al…you…men…ee…um (
) and go heirloom quality with good ole’ American steel man!!,
Of course it might take 4 friends to move it, but then hey!! 
1 Like
I went in to the La-Z-Boy showroom this weekend for a little research.
My chair is very comfortable for me and is the perfect size. The salesperson was very familiar with my chair model, stating that it was a very popular model due to comfort and size. For some unknown reason, La-Z-Boy recently discontinued this model in spite of its popularity. La-Z-Boy does not currently produce a compatible model. The most similar is much larger, starting at $1K.
The fabric on my chair is a camel color suede microfiber. La-Z-Boy sells a compatible Performance I-Clean (black dot) fabric @ $60/yd. They estimated 9-11 yds.
I then went to Bassett Furniture Gallery. They have their Performance Suede Microfiber at @ $30/yd. Many of Bassett’s fabrics are made by Revolution or Sunbrella. They stated that this is not one of those brands.
I also went to JOANN fabrics, which is right around the corner. The gal stated most emphatically that I would be off my rocker to spend that much on fabric. They have a suede microfiber @ $20/yd currently on sale for about $10/yd. She also thought that 9-11 yds would be overkill! She estimated approx. 6-7.
KOVI fabrics has their product on sale for approx. $40/yd rated in excess of 200,000 Wyzenbeek Rubs (Heavy Duty).
So, with all this info I have gathered, is there a Hacker @ the “Space” that can educate me about upholstery fabrics so that I get the best vale for my $$.
I really like the look, feel and texture of these suede microfibers.
Since the existing fabric can be used as a pattern, is there anyone at the “Space” who can teach me about sewing techniques using the “Space’s” equipment…anyone who can help out with this upholstery job?
2 Likes
If this turns into a class for “those new to sewing and patterns” that would be great!
I’ve done some basic upholstery work but not to the extent of what the La-Z-Boy is going to warrant.
1 Like
When life is less busy I could do a simple class on patterns from deconstruction. I have a favorite shirt that’s worn holes and I’m planning to make a new fleet of them. Process would be similar to doing it on a chair
1 Like
You need to check out the fabric places off Harry Hines, just south of Walnut Hill,
One of them carries a lot of uplpohserty fabric, I believe the street is Compostie
You could get some of the on sale Chomium leather that’s at Tandy’s right now. I got an email that they extended the sale.
2 Likes
More realistically, Chinese steel.
You might be surprised about that, because it’s not realistic.
USA does import a lot of steel, would you guess that Canada is the number 1 importer of Steel to the US? Then comes Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Turkey and Japan in that order. China Steel imports are just a blip on the import radar.
What is realistic is that even though the US imports a bunch of steel, US steel accounts for about 30% of steel in the US. Canada is second at about 17%.
So using good ole’ American Steel is very much the easiest choice to find.
1 Like
Just curious if you have the data on whether those “American Steel” companies are actually American owned, China buying up these businesses being a huge trend a decade or two ago…
1 Like
That’s a really good point. A lot of these companies are gettting bought up and joint ownerships with international interests.
NUCOR is the number 1 steel provider in the US.
1 Like