Published by Upholstery World Auckland · Reading time: 6 minutes
To get an accurate boat upholstery quote, send us seven photos — the whole seat, the worst damage, the underside, the seams, any matching seats, the whole area for covers or biminis, and one with a tape measure in shot — plus your boat type, where it is kept and when you need it back. With that, we can usually give you a fixed price from photos alone, free, and tell you whether the job is best done at the boat, by pick-up, or by you dropping the squabs in.
This page is about getting the quote right. If you want to know what the work is likely to cost before you send anything, the boat upholstery cost guide has every marine price we publish.
Why do photos matter so much for a boat upholstery quote?
Most of the price of marine upholstery is labour, and labour depends on things a single photo hides: whether the foam is wet, whether the plywood base has rotted, how many seams have gone, and how complicated the shape is. A quote from one blurry picture of a seat has to allow for the worst case. A quote from good photos can be tight and fixed.
Good photos also save you a trip. If we can see the job clearly, we can often tell you straight away that it is a simple restitch rather than a recover, and you avoid paying for more than the boat needs.
What photos should I send for an upholstery quote?
Take these in daylight, with the boat dry if you can. A phone camera is fine.
- The whole seat or squab, straight on. Stand back far enough to get every edge in. This shows us the shape, the panels and how much patterning is involved.
- The worst damage, close up. The split, the open seam, the mouldy patch or the cracked panel. Get close enough that we can see the texture of the vinyl, because that tells us whether it is still supple or has perished.
- The underside or base. Lift the squab or flip the cushion if it comes out. Black spotting, rusted staples or delaminating plywood change the job from a recover to a rebuild, and we would rather know before we quote.
- The seams and piping. Run along the main seams with the camera. Bleached, fluffy or broken thread tells us how far the stitching has gone.
- Every seat that has to match. If you are doing one squab out of a set, photograph the others too. Faded panels next to a new one stand out, and we will tell you honestly whether matching a single piece will look right.
- The whole cockpit or area, for covers, biminis and canvas. For canvas work we need the frame, the fittings, the windscreen line and where the cover attaches. Take it from a few angles, including side on.
- A tape measure in shot. Lay a tape along the longest edge of the squab, or across the cockpit for a cover. It turns a guess into a measurement and is the single most useful photo you can send.
If you only have time for three, send the whole seat, the worst damage and the one with the tape measure.
What should I tell you about the boat?
A few lines of text alongside the photos make the quote faster and more accurate.
- Boat type and length. Runabout, launch, yacht, fishing boat or commercial vessel, and roughly how long. It tells us what kind of seating and canvas to expect.
- Where it is kept. A marina berth, a dry stack, a swing mooring, or on a trailer at home. This decides how we get to the work, and whether we come to the boat or the squabs come to us.
- Whether the foam is wet or soft. Press the middle of the squab. If it squelches, weeps water at the seams or feels flat, say so. New vinyl over waterlogged foam does not last, so the foam goes into the quote.
- What you want done. Repair, recover, or new. If you are not sure, say that too — we will tell you which one the boat actually needs.
- Your deadline. A launch date, a fishing trip, a family holiday or the start of summer. We confirm a timeframe with every quote, so it helps to know what you are working towards.
- Colour and material preferences. If you want to match what is there, a photo of an unfaded area (often under a seat or inside a locker) helps.
On-site, pick-up or drop-off: which suits my job?
We run marine jobs three ways, and the right one depends on what is being done and where the boat lives.
| How the job runs | Best for | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| On-site at the boat | Covers, biminis and canvas that need measuring or fitting in place; fixed seating that is hard to remove; larger vessels | Arrange access to the marina or boat and let us know any berth or launch times |
| We pick up and return | Removable squabs, cushions and helm seat tops when you cannot easily get them to us | Have the pieces off the boat, or tell us how they come out |
| You drop them in | Trailer boats kept at home, a few squabs in the back of the car, owners who want to talk through fabric in person | Bring the pieces in at a time that suits — we are open seven days |
When does on-site work make sense?
Anything that has to be measured or fitted against the boat itself — a new cover, a bimini, a clears panel, or seating built into the hull — is usually best started on-site. It is also the practical choice for bigger boats, where stripping out every cushion and carting it across town is more work than coming to the boat. We have worked at marinas across Auckland, including Westhaven Marina, Viaduct Harbour, Half Moon Bay Marina and the Orams Marine dry stack.
When does pick-up and return make sense?
If the squabs come out easily but you cannot get them to us, we collect them, do the work in the workshop, and bring them back. The workshop is where the finish is best and the turnaround fastest, so for removable seating this is often the quickest route. For a boat in a dry stack, it also means the boat does not have to be launched for the work.
When does drop-off make sense?
For a trailer boat sitting in the driveway, dropping the squabs in yourself is the simplest option of all. It also gives you the chance to see and feel fabric samples before you choose.
What happens after I send the photos?
We look at the photos, ask anything we cannot see, and come back with a fixed price, a recommendation on repair versus recover, and the way we suggest running the job. If the photos leave too much unknown — usually with canvas work or large interiors — we arrange a site visit to measure before we commit to a number.
Once you accept the quote, most marine repairs take about three working days. Larger jobs, such as a full seat set or a new cover, typically take seven to ten working days, confirmed with the quote. If you are not yet sure whether your seats need repair or replacement, run through the five checks in our boat seat repair guide first.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really quote boat upholstery from photos?
Yes, for most seats, squabs and cushions. Good photos with a tape measure in shot let us give a fixed price. Canvas work and large interiors sometimes need a site visit to measure before the final number.
Do I need to take the seats off the boat before getting a quote?
No. Photos with the seats in place are fine for a quote. If you can lift a squab to photograph the base, that helps, but it is not essential.
Is there a charge for the quote?
No. Quotes from photos are free anywhere in Auckland.
My boat is in a dry stack. How does that work?
Tell us where it is kept. For removable squabs we can often collect them, so the boat does not need to come out for the work. For anything that has to be fitted in place, you coordinate launch or access with the facility and we work around it.
How do I send the photos?
WhatsApp is easiest, because you can send them all at once straight from your phone. You can also use the contact form on our website.
Get a boat upholstery quote
Send the photos, the tape-measure shot and a few lines about the boat, and we will come back with a fixed price and the best way to run the job. We cover all of Auckland — Central, East, West, South and the North Shore — and are open seven days, Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and weekends 9am to 6pm.
WhatsApp +64 22 634 3792 or call 022 634 3792, or use our contact page. Quotes from photos are free.
Read more about what boat upholstery costs in New Zealand, telling boat seat repair from replacement, why boat seats fail and what lasts, choosing marine upholstery fabrics, or our full marine upholstery service in Auckland.
About the author. Viraj is the founder and lead upholsterer at Upholstery World Auckland, working across furniture, automotive, marine and commercial upholstery Auckland-wide. Send photos for a free quote on WhatsApp: +64 22 634 3792.
