Renewing upholstery - manufacturerer?

[homa]

Anyone know of a good upholstery manufacturer ?
I have just bought a 20yr old boat and will be replacing all the upholstery at the end of the season.
I'm based in Ipswich and would consider a manufacturer in Norfolk, Suffolk or Essex.


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[davidwf]

You could try the Foam Shop in Kesgrave next to Elmers Hardware. I know they do boat upholstry, they are fairly pricy though, so would be worth getting a couple of quotes. However be careful you are quoted for the same standard of foam inside the cushions, it varies considerably both in price and durability.

Alternative is Jeckells in Wroxham, I have used them in the past for a spray hood however their idea of meeting quoted delivery times is somewhat poor in my experience.

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[david_steward]

Maybe too far for you but I have just had the whole cockpit redone on my 46' sportscruiser. Fantastic job, only £1800.
Quality materials.

Claridge Upholstery, Cliftonville, Kent.



<hr width=100% size=1>We don't want a sports cruiser, totally impractical. Err ok then.

Dave S

 

[eddieperkins]

Why not have a go at it yourself. My wife has just recovered all the interior cushions in our Sealine 305, 20 in all, at a cost of well under £200. Got the material from fabric warehouse (£67) zips, piping chord and self cover buttons from sewing shops & flowers (for the wife) from Tesco's. We also gave them a spray with a scotch guard treatment bought mail order at £3.80 a tin (+ postage) which was well woth it as it works a treat. Also did all the curtains with heavy lining for under £100. All done on a domestic sewing machine and they look great, just got the new carpet to go down tommorow to compleate the job.
It was not a difficult job, carefully unpick the old covers to use as patterns for the new, put a long zip around the end or wherever it wont be seen, zip the foam into the new cover and do the buttoning. Well worth having a go.
Regards,
Eddie

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[mikewilkes]

SWMBO did all ours as well as bimini, rope bags and sail cover. Now you have gone and ruined it by her seeing you bought flowers.
She's a good un really,
Mike

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[homa]

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

The job has to be contracted out as we have 2 very young pre-school boys. If I followed the DIY route as recommended and asked the missus to do the work, recon the marriage would suffer !
Also it's a bit cheeky to then say "I did the work myself". When all I did was choose the fabric !

I know of Jeckells and will probably use them if I can't find someone else. Will try Kesgrave, as they are on my doorstep and right next to my "toy shop" - Elmers Hardware.

Anyone else have other recommendations - re upholstery manufacturers ?


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[terryw]

G.E.M. Upholstery in Grays, Essex. They do loads of boat refits, and are reasonable on price. You can take to them, or they will go to your boat for measure/fit etc.
Tel 01375 - 370600

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[richardandtracy]

Can\'t do it!?

Please don't think you have to stop doing these things just because you've got kids.

I do all the machine sewing at home - but I get my 3 & 6 year old daughters to 'help' by marking out and occasional cutting. The elder one does some pinning for me too. It turns it into a game and, while it takes twice as long as it would otherwise take, they get used to the concept of 'making things' and being careful around potentially dangerous machinery. Their sense of pride in an article they've helped make is wonderful to see, and it has a secondary benefit of keeping them careful near it - saving wear & tear.

I also have my daughters 'help' me with all my aluminium casting except the final pour, the help with pattern making, shaping, ramming of sand in the mould and lighting/ tending the furnace. There is no need to try to pidgeon hole your boys into a sexual stereotype of 'boys don't do sewing', as it's well known girls don't cast aluminium! I confess the lathe & welder are tools I don't let them near, but it's a matter of keeping them reasonably safe without wrapping them in cotton wool.

Regards

Richard.


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[suse]

Try Passmores of Mersea Island - fantastic job, bit pricey, but they measured up very carefully, and delivered when they said they would, and it all fitted. They do stuff for Oysters. £2500 for a 35 footer, all bunks, saloon. Highly recommend them.

Another E Anglian upholsterer mentioned in this thread (no names) didnt come up to scratch, so didnt get the job, and was late delivering for a friend, and it didnt look v good (personal opinion only).

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