If a dresser is in poor condition (chipped wood, rusted hinges, stained, damaged handle, wobbly leg, etc.), then repairs can genuinely add to the value of an item. It might go from something that'll be dumped in a year when the owner can afford something better, to a treasured long-term possession. Or it might just be bought by a richer person and get gentrified.

I hate that we live in a society where making something better and more valuable can hurt people. Craftspeople who repair old furniture are good! I want everyone to have well-maintained antique furniture!

I ain't gonna fault the crafter who repaired an old broken thing. 200 bucks for a good repair job is a fair rate. And I'm suspicious of the wording "painted it and whatever". That makes it sound like other stuff went into the job, something less visible to the first owner but maybe more valuable. And even painting something to protect the wood from water damage will increase the longevity of the item. But "fixed it up" is equally vague, if less malicious in appearance. I hope it was a good repair job.

Some people in this thread are using the demand theory of value, which is easy because we can see the numbers for that before us. I want to use the labour theory of value, but there's so little info to gauge it.

Anyway, remember that Facebook isn't the only way to rehome a piece of old furniture. Donate to your local thrift shop!