Thank goodness I came by this site BEFORE I went out to buy a mattress today. I was about to make all the mistakes that you warn about. Furthermore, I found out why our Sleep Number bed works for my husband but not for me! It has always been uncomfortable but is now causing me major back and neck issues. I am having a hard time finding a local factory direct dealer in the DC area. I did, however, find a small mattress shop (by appointment only) in Falls Church, VA called Mattress Traditions. Do you know anything about them? They seem reputable since they’ve been around since 1980. The owners seem to be the sales force which appeals to me. I do not want to be bamboozled…just need some help finding a mattress that will fit my husband’s and my separate needs. From their site, I can see that they offer custom beds. Do you have any pointers about buying a custom bed? How much should one pay for a mid quality queen custom bed? Thank you for your help and expertise!
Hi NanBat,
Welcome … and I’m glad you found us 
The better options and possibilities I’m aware of in and around the Washington, DC area (subject to the “value” guidelines here) are listed in post #2 here. One of the “possibilities” is Mattress Traditions which is on the list.
The “value” guidelines I linked includes the most important part of the value of any mattress purchase whether it is a custom build or one of the regular mattresses that are made by a manufacturer that can help you make more meaningful comparisons between mattresses but it boils down to making sure to …
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Carefully test the mattress (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial) to make sure it is a suitable “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).
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Find out all the materials inside the mattress to make sure they are good quality and durable materials that won’t soften, break down, or start sagging prematurely.
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Compare your “finalists” for value based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you.
There is no way to know how much you “should” pay for a custom mattress because they can range from much lower budget ranges to much higher budget ranges depending on the type of mattress, the materials and components it uses, and the construction methods used to make it. The biggest factor in the price of a mattress is the type of materials and components inside it because higher quality and more durable materials will generally cost more than lower quality and less durable materials regardless of whether the mattress is a custom build or a regular model that they carry on their floor. In most cases there is no reason to purchase a custom mattress unless you have special circumstances and aren’t able to find a regular model that doesn’t “work” for you.
There is more about the different ways to choose a mattress that is suitable for you (either locally or online) that can help you assess and reduce the risks involved in each of them in post #2 here.
Phoenix