Why More Are Choosing Furniture Repair Over Buying New

In these tough economic times, furniture repair makes more sense than buying new furniture.  Repair services in all industries saw a dramatic increase in business when the economy crashed.  People were choosing the smaller investment of fixing things rather than making purchases with large sums of cash that they might need later.  The furniture business was no exception.  New furniture sales plummeted during at the outset of the recession as people looked for every way possible to save money.  On the other hand, furniture repairs increased just as dramatically.  With the current economic uncertainty, repairing furniture is still seen by many as a safer alternative to buying new furniture.

When it comes to furniture repair, some people choose to do their own repairs while others would rather use a repair service.  Those who do their own work need access to furniture repair parts.  These parts are best found on line, and can often be shipped free of shipping and handling charges.  When looking for furniture repair parts online, look for sellers with outstanding reputations.  You might also prefer to deal with companies in your own county.  While buying parts from overseas vendors might be significantly cheaper, getting the parts can also take a significantly longer time.  Distributors in your own country can get parts to you in a matter of days, while it can take weeks to get the same parts from overseas.

You can also find parts from furniture stores in your own town.  Some stores offer repair services, and sell parts to do it yourself types as well.  Fixing your own furniture will save you money on labor, but can be frustrating if you cannot locate the parts or tools you need.  Your local furniture shop is certain to have some of the parts you will need. 

If fixing furniture is not your thing, then see if those same local furniture stores offer repair services.  Many stores decided to start offering repair services to help recover some of the sales lost to repair work during the recession.  Using a repair service is a good idea if you lack basic carpentry skills.  These skills can be learned, but the process takes time and patience.  And, any mistakes you make will increase your costs, while any mistake a repair service makes should be covered.  If the local shop does not stand behind their work with a guarantee, then you need to look elsewhere. 

Some people want to repair their furniture because it has sentimental value.  Sentimental furniture pieces eventually need restoration as time and wear take a toll on their overall condition.  Perhaps you have a rocking chair that your grandfather made, or a dining table that came to this country with your ancestors from overseas.  These objects have sentimental value and should be treated accordingly.  In many cases, replacing them is simply not an option, making repair services very valuable.

Furniture repair is a great way to save some money while the economy continues to struggle.  Many people simply do not have the money to invest in new furniture.  And as the banks continue to restructure and reorganize, acquiring financing for a large furniture purchase is getting much more difficult, especially for people whose credit was damaged during the recent financial collapse.  Some people are turning to lightly used furniture from model homes, or to thrift stores.  But with used furniture, your choices are limited.  And, used furniture can be full of problems, let alone infested with bugs.  Yuck.  Maintaining the furniture is part of maintaining a home.  Nobody wants to serve a holiday dinner on a broken table.  Repairing furniture is an economical and smart alternative to buying new.