Commercial Upholsterer Contractor — Manchester

A national commercial furniture services business is looking for a self-employed Commercial Upholsterer to join its contractor network covering Manchester, working on contract and commercial upholstery projects on an ongoing, self-employed basis.

Manchester city centre packs an enormous amount of hospitality seating into a small footprint: hotels around Piccadilly and Deansgate, bars and restaurants in the Northern Quarter and Spinningfields, and office space stretching out to MediaCityUK at Salford Quays. Beyond the core, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Ashton-under-Lyne each have busy town centres full of pubs, cafes and function rooms. The M60 orbital ties the whole patch together, with the M62, M56 and M61 feeding in from every side. For a self-employed upholsterer with a van and machine, that density means short runs between sites and well-filled blocks.

Area covered: Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Ashton-under-Lyne. Work is booked in blocks around Manchester (M2 3GX), with the occasional project further afield where hotel costs and any congestion charges are covered by the client.

This suits an established self-employed upholsterer with their own van, tools and portable sewing machine, who can cut and machine sew on site and wants a regular flow of well-paid commercial work alongside their own customers.

What is on offer

This is not a temporary role. It is ongoing, regular self-employed contract work, and 7 of the 13 contractors we have placed with the client are still working with them today.

• Competitive day rates, with enhanced rates for certain types of work (rates discussed on application, and negotiable)
• All expenses paid on top of your day rate, including materials and parking
• Ongoing, regular work, planned in blocks so you can plan ahead and fit in your own private work (or work more days for the client)
• Flexible days that fit in between your own jobs and contracts
• Invoices paid within 10 days, usually within 5 to 7 working days
• Mostly local work; on the occasional job further afield, your overnight stay, breakfast and evening meal are covered (always with advance notice)

What you'll be doing

• Commercial and contract upholstery on site across Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale and Ashton-under-Lyne: hospitality seating, fixed seating, booths, banquettes and contract furniture
• Re-covering, repairing and restoring upholstered furniture in commercial premises
• Cutting and machine sewing covers on site from your own sewing machine
• Working to a schedule agreed with the client's operations team and reporting on completed work

What you'll need

• Time-served upholstery experience with strong commercial or contract upholstery skills
• Ability to cut and machine sew, this is essential
• Your own van, full tool kit and portable sewing machine
• Public liability insurance (minimum £10 million) or willingness to arrange it
• Full UK driving licence and a professional, reliable approach on client sites
• Based within a realistic travel distance of Manchester

Ready to apply?

If you are a self-employed Commercial Upholsterer around Manchester with your own van, tools and sewing machine, and you would like a dependable stream of ongoing contract work, get in touch today.

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Closing date: 10 December 2026

Updated: 10 November 2026

To apply or find out more, contact The Talent Branch on 07792 797476 or carlos@thetalentbranch.com

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