PRICE GUIDE · HOME REPAIRS & HANDYMAN · 2026–2027
Antique Restoration cost in the UK
£200–£850 per item. Typically £450.
Restoring an antique costs £200–£850 per item in the UK, with about £450 typical. A localised repair to a scratch, water mark or loose joint is the cheapest; a full restoration of a table or chest, keeping its original finish and value, takes many hours and costs most.
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HOW MUCH IT COSTS
How much does antique restoration cost in the UK?
| Low end | £200 | a spot repair on a small piece |
|---|---|---|
| Typical | £450 | what most people pay |
| High end | £850 | a full workshop restoration of a large antique |
Locufy guide prices for 2026–2027. Updated 2026. A national range, not a quote — enter your town above for real prices from the handymen and repair firms near you.
What moves the price
- Size of the antique — a side chair takes far less work than a dining table or chest
- Original finish — conserving an old surface by hand takes longer than stripping it
- Structural damage — broken legs, loose joints and woodworm need repair before any finishing
- Veneer and marquetry — lifting or missing veneer is matched and relaid by hand, which takes the restorer time
- Value of the piece — high-value antiques call for a specialist conservator and more care
- Workshop or at home — collection and delivery add to the cost of large pieces
Home repair prices in the UK are up 6% over five years (ONS Consumer Price Inflation, Services for maintenance and repair, to 2026 August). Five years ago a typical antique restoration would have cost about £330 — an estimate from today's guide price and that index, not a recorded price. Source: ONS MM23 D7DO →
WHAT YOU GET
What an antique restoration booking includes
Takes: A few days for a small repair; several weeks for a full restoration in a workshop. Not included: Valuation, insurance for the item in transit and full reupholstery are separate — see the related guides below.
WHAT PEOPLE BOOK
Common antique restoration jobs
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Antique Restoration near you, with prices shown
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How to pay less
- Ask for a conservation clean of the antique rather than a full strip, which also protects its value
- Have several antique repairs done together so collection and delivery are paid once
- Get the antique valued first so the restoration spend matches what it is worth
Before you book
- Items made with ivory are covered by the UK ivory ban, so check before restoring or selling them
- Photograph the antique from every side and note any labels or marks before it goes away
- Ask the restorer whether the work will be reversible and how it affects the antique's value
- Check your home insurance covers the antique while it is at the restorer's workshop
Antique Restoration cost: questions people ask
£200–£850 per item, with about £450 typical. A spot repair to a small piece is cheapest; a full restoration of a large table costs most.
A small repair takes a few days. A full restoration can take several weeks, depending on the workshop's queue.
The Ivory Act bans most dealing in items containing elephant ivory, with narrow exemptions that must be registered or certified. Check the government guidance before restoring an item to sell it.
Heavy-handed stripping can. Careful conservation that keeps the original finish usually protects or adds to it.
Valuation, transit insurance and full reupholstery are separate costs. Ask for each of these to be quoted on its own line, so the restoration price stays clear.
They are Locufy guide prices for the UK, set from published UK furniture restoration and polishing cost guides — a national range, not a quote.
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