"Is it worth repairing, or should I just buy new?" We hear this question several times a week. The honest answer: usually yes, sometimes no. Here's the rule of thumb and four real examples from our practice — so you can decide for yourself.

The 30-percent rule

Our simple rule of thumb: if the repair costs less than 30% of the new price of a comparable piece and the rest of the furniture is structurally intact, repair pays off. Over 30%: usually buy new. Over 50%: practically always buy new, except for heirlooms or pieces with emotional value.

But: this rule only applies to simple chipboard and mid-range furniture. For solid wood (real oak, beech, walnut) the maths is different — good solid wood lasts 30+ years, repair pays off even at 60% of new price.

Example 1: IKEA PAX sliding door broken

Damage: The upper roller of a sliding door breaks. Door hangs crooked and won't close.

Repair cost: 1 roller CHF 8 (IKEA spare parts service), assembly 1 hour = CHF 60. Total CHF 68.

New purchase: A new PAX sliding door with the same front costs CHF 180-240.

Verdict: Repair clearly cheaper, takes 24 hours including spare-part delivery. Worth it.

Example 2: Drawer runner broken

Damage: The inner runner of a kitchen drawer is broken — probably from overload.

Repair cost: Standard Blum or Hettich full-extension runner CHF 35-50, fitting about 40 minutes = CHF 40. Total CHF 75-90.

New purchase: If the kitchen is still in production: a complete new drawer about CHF 150-250. If the kitchen is older and no longer in the catalogue: not possible at all, or only via custom build (CHF 400+).

Verdict: Repair almost always pays off. For a 10-year-old kitchen whose model is no longer available, repair is the only option (short of replacing the whole kitchen).

Example 3: Upholstered sofa, broken seat springs

Damage: Several seat springs of a mid-priced upholstered sofa (CHF 1200 new) are broken, the seat feels sunken.

Repair cost: Upholsterer's workshop: replace springs, re-cushion, with original cover = CHF 600-800. With new cover, CHF 1100-1400.

New purchase: A comparable new sofa today costs CHF 1100-1500.

Verdict: Repair only for sofas with emotional value or high-end designer pieces. For a standard sofa, buy new — repair costs almost always cross the 50% threshold. Structural repairs to the wood frame (loose joints, broken slats) are cheap and worth it.

Example 4: Solid wood dining table with deep scratch

Damage: Solid oak dining table (new price CHF 1800), 3 years old, has a deep scratch from a wine corkscrew running across the middle of the top.

Repair cost: Carpenter sands the top, re-oils it = CHF 280-380. More for a very large table.

New purchase: Comparable table CHF 1500-2200.

Verdict: 100% worth repairing. Solid wood actually gets nicer with each sanding — the patina stays, the scratch is gone. A 30-year-old oak table that's been sanded three times is worth more than a new one.

When repair is never worth it

  • Chipboard carcass with water damage: the chipboard swells and the material is structurally destroyed. No glue, no filler will help.
  • Cheap furniture with torn-out joints: not worth spending CHF 80 fixing one weak spot on a CHF 200 wardrobe — the next spot breaks in 6 months.
  • Veneered furniture with large damaged areas: a single peeled veneer section is repairable. Several spots over the whole surface: not.

The honest recommendation

Just send a photo of the damage via WhatsApp — we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth it. If yes, we'll quote a price. If no, we'll say so directly, without charging for the assessment. Our goal isn't to take every repair — it's that you end up with furniture that works again, or that you know where you stand.