Art Restoration Project – Frequently Asked Question

How do I bring in an artwork for a proposal and an estimate for the cost of an art restoration treatment?

Call Sarah Murray at 619-261-7813, or send an email to sarahm@jdewers.com.  Consultations to assess art restoration costs in our studio are free of charge. If you are unable to bring your artwork in, we can travel to you and depending on how far you are, a small fee for travel time will be required. We are available for onsite surveys, inspections and estimates of all kinds.

How is the cost of the art restoration treatment estimated? 

The cost of art restoration treatment is estimated on an hourly basis, following a complete examination of the painting or painted object.  Tiny cleaning tests may be made to determine solubility of varnish or overpaint.

The owner’s priorities are always respected, and a Treatment Proposal will keep these in mind.  Sarah will always try and fulfill an owner’s expectations regarding cost and time of completion.

Will I need to leave a deposit?

If you are happy with the Treatment Proposal when you receive it, a deposit of 40% of the total estimate will be required as your authorization to schedule the piece for restoration treatment.

When will the art restoration treatment begin and how long will it take? 

Please discuss the expectations you have regarding the completion date, if you have one.   Sarah will try and accommodate your schedule.  The art restoration treatment will begin as soon as possible, with respect to other projects already committed and completed on average within a couple of months – less if the owner specifically requires, more if the treatment is more complicated.

How do you handle shipping of artworks? 

We work with a very reputable art shipping and packing company to which we can refer you, but we can arrange packing, crating and shipping ourselves also if necessary.

Do you provide appraisals or valuations?

It is a conflict of interest for a professional conservator to carry out appraisals.  Again, we have a number of highly qualified and specialized appraisers to whom we can refer you.

Do you work on works of art on paper, textiles, ethnographic objects, ceramics or photographic materials?

Sarah specializes only in paintings restoration and conservation – that is to say, works of art on canvas, wood and metal.  There are some ‘hybrid’ objects that do not fit into a category, but a paintings conservator does not work on watercolors or photographs for example. We can refer you to equally highly qualified conservators in all these fields.