Sewers: How much would you charge for this?

suzymarie · March 2009

An aquantance asked me to do some mending for her:

1. Turn a pair of khaki pants into khaki shorts

2. Patch 2 knee holes in a pair of khakis

3. Rethread a drawstring that was lost inside a pair of pants (so I had to fish it out of the seam) and fix it so it wouldn't happen again.

I told her I would charge 5$ for each of those so 15$ total. She thought that was too expensive but paid it anyway. It took me an hour total to do all 3 (including set up, clean up, winding a bobbin of the right color thread, etc).

I think that is perfectly fair. What would you charge?

lauraandlee · March 2009

When costing my work, I charge $12-$18/hour depending on the complexity of the work I'm doing. For friends, I charge from $10-$12/hour. But it is my job, so I'm charging what I need to be paid in order to keep this my job.

I'd say what you charged was more than fair. If she wanted to gripe, she should have figured out how to do it herself.

bumpuser794640 · March 2009

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me!

Happy_Mrs_K · March 2009

I think $15 sounds cheap for all of that! If she took that to a seamstress, I'm sure it'd be atleast triple that!!!

lar1203 · March 2009

i'd say that was fair. she was probably expecting a better "deal" since she knows you.

Temp76535187505890 · March 2009

I dont do mending or sewing for that matter but I think that price is totally fair. What did she expect, like $5 total? That's ridiculous.

GladToBeMrs.SRS · March 2009

Happy_Mrs_K:
I think $15 sounds cheap for all of that! If she took that to a seamstress, I'm sure it'd be atleast triple that!!!

Ditto!! Your friend needs a reality check.

mrs.a.butler · March 2009

lauraandlee:
I'd say what you charged was more than fair. If she wanted to gripe, she should have figured out how to do it herself.

Ditto!

suzymarie · March 2009

Thanks for reassuring me. I know her through a local mom's group, so it isn't like we are really friends. I would have done it for free for a friend probably

janice74 · March 2009

A seamstress would have charged $15 just for the hem (I used to do bridal alterations). She got a good deal, so don't let her make you feel bad.

?

lytedark · March 2009

Happy_Mrs_K:
I think $15 sounds cheap for all of that! If she took that to a seamstress, I'm sure it'd be atleast triple that!!!

i agree with this. i think that most alterations are often 10-15 for just a hem so... i think she needs to chill.. maybe she thought she'd get it for free since she 'knew' you.... but don't let her make you feel bad about it - you were definitely fair and she ought to value your time more!

bancbev · March 2009

My mother was a professional seamstress and she would have charged at least $15 just for turning the pants into shorts.

SapphyrEyes · March 2009

Ditto pps. I would have been charged at least triple that for those three things if I had gone to a tailor. I thankfully know how to do those things myself so I don't have to worry about it. Your friend got an excellent deal.