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Sam's Lazy Bears

Dorset / Devon · 11 years

Sam repairs and restores teddy bears from a home workshop in Dorset and Devon, and also buys and sells antique and vintage bears. She publishes a full price list covering cleaning, restuffing, darning, relining, joints, eyes, noses, growlers and moth treatment, and books bears in for set periods of the year.

Getting hold of them

Email is the way in. They do not take cold calls.

If it gets lost

Not stated

This is a blank on their page, not an answer from them. We have never asked anybody in this trade the question. Of the 185 businesses we have read, 4 have written anything down about losing an item: 2 say it is insured, 2 say the risk is yours. The other 181 are silent, and silence is not a policy either way.

If you would rather not have to phrase it

“Before I send it, can I ask what happens if it gets lost or damaged while it’s with you? I’m not trying to catch you out, it just can’t be replaced. Whatever the answer is, could you put it in an email so I’ve got it in writing?”

“No, we don’t cover it” is a fine answer to get. It tells you to insure the post yourself for the full amount, both ways.

They return it by Royal Mail. Naming a tracked service is not the same as accepting liability for it.

Getting it there is on you, and the cover above may not start until it arrives. Send it tracked and insured, whatever it costs.

If it is lost or damaged

Their website does not say what happens if your item is lost or damaged while they have it. Return postage is paid by you.

Ask before you post anything you could not replace. Only four of the businesses we hold publish an answer to this.

What they take on

Full restoration and rebuilds
Mending and seams
Restuffing
Cleaning on its own
Deodorising and allergens
Fur restoration, de-matting and pile lifting
Eyes and noses
Joints

Works in leather pads, modern synthetic plush.

What they won’t do

The part every other directory leaves out. None of this is a criticism. It is how you avoid three wasted weeks.

Won't quote from photos. Needs it in hand first

Their exact words on what they refuse

Quoted from their own pages, unedited, because a paraphrase of a refusal is the kind of thing you find out was wrong three weeks in.

“Once bears have been repaired they are no longer toys they are considered ornaments for safety reasons and should not be given to children to play with.”
“Bears with moth infestations need to be stored for two weeks with a moth killer before work can commence.”

Their published prices

Bear post insured by Royal Mail£15-£25
Cleaning£25-£35
Re attachment of parts - headfrom £35
Re attachment of parts - limbsfrom £25
Stuffing - whole body using polyester fillerfrom £40
Stuffing - body parts using polyester fillerfrom £15
Stuffing - whole body using Kapock or a straw stuffingfrom £75
Stuffing - body parts using Kapock or a straw stuffingfrom £25
Darning - thread bare areas with an under backingfrom £25
Relining of the whole bodyfrom £45
Bear clothes can be repaired or remadefrom £15
Growlers can be replacedfrom £30
Paw padsfrom £15
Patchesfrom £10
Claw/mouth replacementfrom £10
Resewn nosesfrom £25
Plastic replacementsfrom £15
Moth larvae removal£45-£85
Modern squeak replacementfrom £30
Ear repairsfrom £25
Whole ear replacementfrom £45
Glass eyes replacementfrom £30
Plastic eyesfrom £20

Getting it there

Takes work by post
You can bring it in
Comes back standard

Money

Will not quote until it is in their hands, and charges to look

Anything else they say

You will be asked for half of this before work starts (non refundable) And the remaining payment will be payable once work is completed.
I will keep you up to date using photographs of progress being made all the way through.
I work from home in my workshop, where the bears are made welcome and cared for whilst lovingly brought back to life. They are all stored in plastic sealed bags so they remain free of any contaminants.
I shall be making a donation to the Animal Asia Foundation from every bear repair done through the Lazy Bears website towards the rare and beautiful Moon bears of Asia
After Life Bears is a service for those of you that have a special bear collection but no one to pass them on to after your passing
Lazy Bears came about in the summer of 2015, when I came across an old Paddington Bear at a car boot sale.