H&M Austin High Back sofa - am I getting in over my head?

I read through several posts and am starting to lose my optimism, but wanted to ask anyway:

Have an opportunity to buy a <10 year-old Hancock & Moore Austin (I believe high back) sofa in white leather for $100. It looks like it was never cleaned/conditioned and the leather seating cushion surfaces are all cracked and worn with a very large hole in one cover. The remainder of the sofa including the back cushions is dirty, but not stained or damaged and in fact looks like it would clean up to near-new with a little elbow grease. I called a local upholstery shop and got a quote for $70-90 per cushion including materials and labor to recover, depending on the quality of leather I chose. I thought for a total of less than $400, it'd be worth all the effort. Meanwhile I had left a message with another upholstery shop and they later called back and left me a message saying probably clsoe to $1000, though they can't be very accurate without measurements. Yikes! I would love a nice piece like H&M, but am not in a position to buy new right now and I have been dreaming of a white leather sofa, but I don't want to get stuck with a piece of refuse if it's really going to be $1000 to fix. Would this be a mistake to get mixed up with? Any possibility I can just order new cushion covers directly from H&M? Thanks so much!

Addendum: I just called the first upholsterer back and found out that the quote was for "recycled" leather aka bonded leather, but that it would take 1.5 hides which I could buy directly from the processor, who happens to be in my city, for about $150-175 per hide as apposed to the $350/hide he charges + $250-300 in labor - so is it worth the money to fix?

Frankly, I would not touch this "deal." Recovering furniture is expensive when done correctly. What a shame that the prior owner(s) didn't care for the sofa.

That's a losing proposition. Sometimes things are simply 'used up'. You can hack on a repair or do it right, and to make that one right sounds like you would be close to a new sofa price. Don't be tempted by the $ 100 initial cost if you think you are going to make this look like new in all leather.

If you really have to adhere to a budget, have the seat and back cushions all replace in a Microfiber fabric. Will cost far less (probably $ 800 to do it right) and just clean up the rest of the leather. Now you have a sofa that will give you another 10 years of duty. The webbing, frame and spring deck on that sofa will last 30 years + without sagging.

BTW, it takes WAY more than 1 to 1.5 hides to re-do all the cushions on an Austin. More like six or seven. Bonded leather comes off a roll, its not a hide...just so you know.

Sorry I wasn't very clear - the upholster recommended buying hides from the leather processor if I wanted to stick with leather as apposed to the bonded. Wow 6-7 hides! Thanks so much for the heads up - I'd hate to be stuck with something I can't afford to fix, so you saved my bacon. Guess I'll go back to putting pennies in a jar for a new one!