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Prime Buyers Guide Upholstery Repair & Upholstery Cleaning

With The Prime Buyer’s Report, Find the Best San Francisco Upholstery Specialist

Fabrics, whether furniture upholstery, boat upholstery or car interior's upholstery, are susceptible to sun damage, tears, stains, or looking outdated. The best San Francisco upholstery repair shops can perform upholstery repairs, upholstery restorations, and updates to bring your upholstery back to great condition. Use the information and advice we've compiled here to guide you through the process of locating, researching, and choosing the best San Francisco upholstery cleaner or repair specialist. more »

Updated November 29, 2007

Top 8 Upholstery Repair & Upholstery Cleaning in San Francisco

Papillon Rug Cleaning
(415) 876-7847
900 Cabrillo St.
San Francisco, CA 94118

Areas Served: San Francisco, North Beach, Noe Valley, Sunset District, Mission District

Metzel Auto Upholstery
(415) 431-5571
42 12th St
San Francisco, CA 94103

Areas Served: San Francisco incl. Nob Hill, Russian Hill, North Beach, Sea Cliff, Pacific Heights

Allied Engine & Auto Repair Inc
(415) 474-7323
751 Ellis St
San Francisco, CA 94109

Areas Served: San Francisco, incl. Mission District, North Beach, Laurel Heights, The Presidio

U & I Auto Safety Center
(415) 255-7337
205 Franklin St
San Francisco, CA 94102

Areas Served: San Francisco incl. Sunset District, Pacific Heights, Sea Cliff, Noe Valley

Quality Tune-Up Shops
(415) 431-6550
490 S Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, CA 94103

Areas Served: San Francisco incl. North Beach, Sunset District, Laurel Heights, Noe Valley

Portola Auto Service
(415) 468-5175
2780 San Bruno Ave
San Francisco, CA 94134

Areas Served: San Francisco & Bay Area, incl. Noe Valley, The Marina, Sunset District

San Francisco Auto Repair Center
(415) 285-8588
611 Florida St
San Francisco, CA 94110

Areas Served: San Francisco, incl. North Beach, Noe Valley, Russian Hill, Twin Peaks, Sea Cliff

Steelcase Inc
(415) 344-6700
475 Brannan St
San Francisco, CA 94107

Areas Served: San Francisco, incl. North Beach, Noe Valley, Mission District, The Presidio

With The Prime Buyer’s Report, Find the Best San Francisco Upholstery Specialist 

After years of faithful devotion to Grandma's hand-embroidered throw pillow, it seems you've loved it to pieces. But you needn't mourn its loss. Upholstery repair specialists in your area have restored many precious antiques to their original state, so amateur stitching such as that on Grandma's pillow is no problem for these seasoned professionals. In San Francisco , there are several upholstery restoration services from which to choose. The Prime Buyer's Report has found some great local upholstery service companies with years of experience and sterling reputations. Read the following articles for some help finding one for your particular upholstery work.

What San Francisco Upholsterers Can Do For You
Professional upholsterers will vary in their level of experience, but some of them offer special services that might add to their appeal. Many offer free pick-up and delivery of chairs, sofas, or other upholstered furniture in need of repairs or cleaning. They might also provide mobile upholstery repair service that comes with a free, in-home estimate. And professional upholsterers can repair a number of fabrics, such as silk, wool, linen, cotton, vinyl, or leather. Upholstery repair companies might lend their advanced abilities to drapery repair, high-end upholstery cleaning, antique restoration, or re-covers for a multitude of fabrics. Often, their upholstery expertise isn't limited to simple maintenance of prefabricated items. A lot of local upholsterers apply their creative skills to the design and fabrication of custom-built furniture, custom window coverings, custom-designed slip covers, and advice on interior detailing. Some of San Francisco upholsterers reserve their services for auto upholstery. They'll re-line, restore or replace the foam in many vehicles. Planes, boats, RVs, camper trailers, airplanes, and of course, cars, trucks, vans, SUVs, and all other autos all have interiors with vulnerable upholstery in them. Many local upholstery repair and cleaning shops sell related materials as well, often keeping a well-stocked showroom of fabric. The upholstery repair industry requires proficiency to be successful, and that's why many upholsterers keep a certified master cleaner on staff or partner with reputable agencies like ASID (American Society of Interior Designers).

Upholsterers in San Francisco Regularly Stock Project Materials
Often, upholsterers store repair and restoration materials on site for faster resolution to your fabric projects. Local upholsterers keep a large stock of replacement foam, vinyl, fabrics, drapery, auto head liners, and auto upholstery supplies. Upholstery restoration shops that keep a showroom often carry large selections of sample materials as well.

There Are a Number of Skilled Upholsterers in San Francisco
Hiring a merely adequate upholsterer is a waste of time. If they can't return your damaged fabrics to their original or a better state, why bother at all? Because the upholstery repair field is not nearly as populous as some other businesses and you may not even have a word-of-mouth judgment to start with, The Prime Buyer's Report has sought and found the best upholstery cleaning and repair specialists in San Francisco . The top 10 are Papillon Rug Cleaning, Metzel Auto Upholstery, Allied Engine & Auto Repair Inc, U & I Auto Safety Center, Quality Tune-Up Shops, Portola Auto Service, San Francisco Auto Repair Center, Steelcase Inc. The upholstery cleaning and repair shops that follow are .

Use Industry Information to Gauge Potential Upholsterers
In order to find an upholsterer you truly feel comfortable entrusting your valuables to, you have to do some research. Industry affiliations often list information about member businesses, and affiliation itself is a sign of certain significance. Related Web sites and magazines are also useful resources for locating the top upholstery repair and cleaning shops in San Francisco , as well as providing general knowledge about upholstery damage and repair. For a collection of these and other resources, see The Prime Buyer's Report article, "Key Resources for Upholstery Cleaning and Repair in San Francisco ."

Updated November 29, 2007
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Choosing an Upholsterer in San Francisco 

Step 1: The Estimate
The damage to your fabric may look horrific to you, but it may turn out to be a simple repair. Bring the item to several San Francisco upholsterers to get their input and cost estimates. The numbers you're given are undoubtedly important, but so are your impressions on this first visit to the shop. Look around at works in progress and you can get a rough idea of the upholsterer's ability.

Step 2: The Interview
Before you hire an upholsterer, a brief discussion will help you determine their suitability. Ask questions about past projects and job specifics to gauge whether or not an upholstery cleaning and repair specialist is properly experienced, fairly priced, and a just business person. You can use the list below to mold your own questions.

How long have you been in this business?
Can you return my damaged item to its original state (if applicable)?
Do you have references or before-and-after photographs I may see?
Can you match older materials?
Are your estimates free?
Will you pick up and deliver the item to be worked on (particularly with pieces of furniture)?
Can you custom re-style an item?
How do you determine pricing?
How long will repair or replacement take?
Can you clean fabrics as well?

Step 3: Consider the Results of Each Interview

Based on each interviewee's answers, you'll now be a little more equipped to judge their candidacy. Consider their answers, as well as visual evidence of their restorative abilities. If an upholsterer was not able to show you any current work, don't hire them. Once you've found the individual who seems the most capable, there's just one more obstacle before you hire them.

Step 4: Background Check
Before you make the final decision, check that all applicable credentials are in place. To further aide your decision, you can also look at quality measurements such as Diamond Certification and Better Business Bureau feedback.

Step 5: Make it Official
Now that you are comfortable with an upholstery repair and cleaning expert's abilities and qualifications, make arrangements to utilize his services. Make sure he provides an agreement that outlines pricing and guarantee information as well as a projected timeline.

Updated November 29, 2007
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San Francisco Upholstery Cleaning & Repair Resources 

Associations & Licensing
AOR Association of Restorers (www.assoc-restorers.com)
ASG American Sewing Guild (www.asg.org)
BBB Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.gov)
DCA California Department of Consumer Affairs (www.dca.ca.gov)
Diamond Certified (www.diamondcertified.org)
IFAI Industrial Fabrics Association International (www.ifai.com)
IFDA International Furnishings and Design Association (www.ifda.com)
IFI International Fabricare Institute (www.ifi.org)
NTA National Textile Association (www.nationaltextile.org)
PCUCA Professional Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners Association (www.pcuca.org)

Media & Web Publications
Fabricare Magazine
Piecework Magazine
The Technical Center Magazine
Textile Intelligence Magazine
Textile World Magazine

www.cleaning101.com
www.cleaningtalk.com
www.cleanlink.com
www.fabriclink.com

If you are in need of upholstery repair or cleaning The Prime Buyer's Report provides information for the top 10 upholstery repair and cleaning specialists in San Francisco within the following zip codes.

94101, 94102, 94103, 94104, 94105, 94107, 94108, 94109, 94110, 94111, 94112, 94114, 94115, 94116, 94117, 94118, 94119, 94120, 94121, 94122, 94123, 94124, 94125, 94126, 94127, 94129, 94130, 94131, 94132, 94133, 94134, 94140, 94141, 94142, 94146, 94147, 94157, 94158, 94159, 94164, 94165, 94166, 94167, 94168, 94169, 94170, 94172 and 94188

The Prime Buyer's Report provides information for the top 10 upholstery repair and cleaning specialists in San Francisco within the following cities.

Bernal Heights, Cow Hollow, Diamond Heights, Duboce Triangle, Eureka Valley, Fisherman's Wharf, Haight-Ashbury, Hayes Valley, Inner Sunset, Japantown, Laurel Heights, Marina District, Mission District, Nob Hill, Noe Valley, North Beach, Outer Sunset, Pacific Heights, Presidio, Rincon Hill, Russian Hill, San Francisco, Sea Cliff, Sunset District, Telegraph Hill, Treasure Island, Twin Peaks and Western Addition

Updated November 29, 2007
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6 Great Upholsterer Tips 

Be Selective.
Satisfactory upholstery repair requires extensive experience and a degree of talent. Otherwise, you would just do it yourself. So look at several prospective upholstery repair shops to find the one that does the finest work. You should never entrust your prized possessions to a craftsman of questionable ability.

Learn About the Article.
You should find whatever information is available on the damaged or dirty article. If it was purchased, find out where and when, and try to track down the name of the print. If it's a homemade heirloom, try to find out how old it is. Pay attention to stitching, color, and embroidery materials, if any. This information will make it easier for your upholsterer to locate closely matched or identical replacement materials.

Take A "Before" Picture
Take a photograph of the object before any work is done. This way you'll be able to compare the finished work to the original state. If need be, you'll be able to produce it for any disputes.

Ask To See Examples of Other Work.
You don't really know what to expect from an upholsterer that can't produce some projects for viewing. That's why it is so important to see an example of completed fabric repairs or works in progress. If there's nothing to show you, professional bravado isn't enough.

Check in With Your Upholsterer.
Keep in touch regularly to monitor progress. If there's a hitch in the work, you won't have to wait until the entire undertaking is performed poorly to find out.

Check The Finished Work.
Examine the product after the upholsterer completes the work. If you had a fabric cleaning, look for any spotting that was overlooked and make sure there is no new damage. If you had repairs, ensure that colors, stitching and any other materials match the original. If your upholsterer disagrees with your assessment, you have the "before" picture you took for this express purpose.
Updated November 29, 2007
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Diamond Certified