How to Price Tailoring Work So You Actually Make a Profit

Price tailoring work by adding up your real hourly cost, your materials, a share of your overheads and a profit margin, then quoting from that total. Repeat this for each type of job and review it regularly, so rising costs never quietly eat your earnings.

Most tailors who struggle with money are not bad at their craft. They simply price by feel, or by copying the shop down the road. This guide gives you a method you can use this week.

Why do so many tailors undercharge?

Tailoring hides a lot of unpaid time. The sewing is only part of a job. You also spend time on consultations, measuring, fittings, pattern work, phone calls, shopping for trims and chasing payments.

Many tailors also price against what they think customers will accept. That is a fear-based number, not a business-based one. If your price does not cover your costs and a profit, every job you win makes the business weaker.

What should you include in the price of a tailoring job?

Every quote should cover five things. Miss one and you are working for less than you think.

Cost element	What it covers
Labour	Your time at a proper hourly rate, including fittings and pattern work
Materials	Fabric, lining, thread, buttons, zips, interfacing, packaging
Overheads	Rent, utilities, machine servicing, insurance, software, marketing
Admin time	Consultations, messages, invoicing, delivery and returns
Profit	Money left after everything else, kept for growth and a safety buffer

Profit is not your wage. Pay yourself for your labour first, then add profit on top. That margin funds new equipment, quiet months and the day a machine breaks.

How do you work out your hourly rate?

Start with a simple calculation.

1. Decide the yearly income you want to take home.
2. Add your yearly business costs: rent, tools, software, insurance, marketing and tax set-aside.
3. Estimate your billable hours for the year.
4. Divide the total from steps 1 and 2 by the hours in step 3.

The key is step 3. You do not bill for every hour you work. Cutting, fittings, admin and sourcing are real work, but you cannot always charge for them separately. Be honest about how many hours actually produce income.

Fewer billable hours means a higher hourly rate. That surprises many people, but it is simply arithmetic.

How do you time your jobs accurately?

Guessing is where margins vanish. For a few weeks, time every stage of every job, including the small tasks.

Record these stages separately:

• Consultation and measuring
• Pattern drafting or adjustment
• Cutting
• Construction
• Fittings and adjustments
• Finishing and pressing
• Admin, messages and delivery

After ten or so similar jobs, you will have a realistic average for a trouser hem, a suit jacket or a wedding dress bodice. Use that average, plus a buffer for the jobs that go wrong, as the basis for your pricing.

How should you price alterations versus made-to-measure work?

These two kinds of work need different approaches.

Alterations suit a fixed price list. Customers want to know the cost quickly, and the jobs repeat often. Build a menu for hems, zips, taking in sides and replacing linings, using your timed averages. Add a small premium for tricky fabrics such as silk, leather or heavily lined garments.

To sense-check your list, it helps to see what customers expect to pay. This public UK clothing alterations price guide is a useful benchmark. Use it as a reference point, not a rule. Your skill, location and turnaround time all matter.

Made-to-measure and bespoke work needs a custom quote. Use this structure:

1. Estimate total hours, including at least one fitting.
2. Multiply by your hourly rate.
3. Add the cost of fabric and trims, with a small allowance for waste.
4. Add a share of overheads.
5. Add your profit margin.

If a client brings their own fabric, still charge for the risk. A mistake on expensive cloth is costly, so many tailors add a handling fee or a clear disclaimer.

Should you charge deposits and rush fees?

Yes to both, and say so up front.

A deposit protects you from buying fabric for a customer who disappears. It also commits the client. Many tailors take a deposit when the order is confirmed and the balance before or at collection. Whatever split you choose, put it in writing.

Rush fees are fair because a fast job pushes other clients back and often means overtime. Set a clear rule, such as a percentage uplift for work needed inside your normal turnaround. Share it before the client agrees, not after.

Consider adding a charge for extra fittings beyond the number included in the quote. Without one, endless adjustments can turn a profitable job into a loss.

How do you know if your prices are working?

Use this checklist every quarter:

• Have your fabric, thread or rent costs gone up since you last priced?
• Do your timed averages still match how long jobs really take?
• Are you winning every quote? If so, you may be too cheap.
• Do some job types always run over? Raise those prices first.
• Are you getting paid late? Tighten your deposit and payment terms.
• Have you raised prices for existing clients in the last year?

If clients rarely push back on price, that is a signal, not a victory. A small, confident increase usually loses fewer customers than owners fear, and it often attracts better ones.

How can software help you price and get paid properly?

Good pricing depends on good records. You need client details, measurements, order history, deposits and invoices in one place, not scattered across notebooks and chat threads.

ZeDaq.ai includes tools built for tailors and made-to-measure businesses in every subscription. You can keep a client CRM with contact details, delivery address and fit preferences. You can also take orders with deposits, track deadlines on a delivery calendar with automatic reminders, and send invoices with your logo and bank details by email or WhatsApp.

Measurements can be captured by auto-capture, voice-guided posing or manual entry, and clients do not need to install an app. If you still have old paper measurement books, you can photograph a page and it reads the client's details and measurements into a digital profile. It also supports multiple currencies, including NGN, GBP, USD and EUR, which helps if you serve clients in more than one country.

You can see how it works on the ZeDaq.ai page for tailors. There is a free plan and a 3-day free trial with no card required.

FAQs

How much profit margin should a tailor add?

There is no single right figure. Choose a margin that covers slow months, equipment replacement and growth, then test it against your market. Calculate your costs first, so the margin is genuinely profit and not hidden wages.

Should I charge by the hour or by the job?

Use hourly rates to build your costs, then quote by the job. Clients prefer a clear total, and fixed quotes reward you for getting faster. Just make sure your timed averages are accurate.

How do I raise prices without losing clients?

Give notice, explain that costs have risen, and apply the new prices to new orders first. Keep your quality and service visible. Loyal clients usually accept fair, clearly communicated increases.

What if a customer says I am too expensive?

Do not drop the price straight away. Explain what the price includes: fittings, quality materials and your expertise. If needed, offer a simpler option, such as a lighter lining or fewer fittings, rather than discounting your time.

Do I need to show a breakdown of costs on quotes?

Not always, but a short breakdown helps on larger jobs. Showing fabric, labour and fittings builds trust and makes the price feel fair. For alterations, a clear price list is usually enough.