# Tailoring Costs



## ryall12 (Mar 29, 2011)

It is difficult to find any pricing online for tailoring costs so I figure this is the best repository of information and sources of data on the subject.

First does anyone know the average tailoring costs to alter OTR or pre-owned suits? Or to have a suit made? Excluding material of course...
This may be too difficult so maybe it is better if we compile costs paid to come up with our own averages. And yes I know location and quality of work come in to play as well. So please note location and judgement of level of quality from acceptable/good to excellent or anything in between.

I am having some work done now which I have not picked up yet but think the cost may have been high. I will need more done and wanted some opinions before going back, though I will check the level of work first of course.
That said if anyone knows a good tailor on Long Island, NY or an acceptable tailor with great prices (both have their uses no?) please share 


Oh and unless free, and maybe even if, never let Syms tailor your clothing...


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## Scotch&Cigars (Dec 27, 2009)

I haven't used him (though I have heard good things), but this tailor's website has rates listed that I find to be relatively representative of the prices of tailors I've used in Chicago:

https://www.chicagotailor.com/rates.html


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## shonuf323 (Jan 7, 2011)

What specific alterations are you talking about?

If an OTR suit is otherwise well fitting I would expect to spend approximately $50-150 to make it fit as best it can which may include (Pant Hem - $20 / Pant Waist - $20 / Pant Taper - $50 / Jacket Taper - $50 / Jacket Sleeves (Both) - $50 / Shorten the Collar - $50 / Lower/Raise the collar - $30)

If an OTR suit is poorly fitting, but seems worth saving I would expect to spend $250-400+ which may include the above PLUS (Adjusting Shoulders - $100 / Jacket Length - $100 / Reduce Jacket Chest - $50)

The next question on how much it costs to have a suit made is a broad range from maybe $400 for budget MTM to many thousands of dollars for high end bespoke.

The prices are for Manhattan, NYC.


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## dwebber18 (Jun 5, 2008)

In Knoxville, the Tailor I use is quite good. Don't remember exactly but here it is roughly, to hem pants he charges $12, take in or let out side of a coat its about $30. To take in a waist its $12, I think he charges $60 to change the lining of a suit. So knock a couple bucks off the Chicago tailor and you're right in line with the guy here. I used another top quality tailor here to alter my OTR wedding tux and it cost me almost $100, to take in the waist, seat, hem the pants, adjust the sleeves and take in the sides. I'll just say it fits spectacularly though.


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## Leighton (Nov 16, 2009)

https://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=231801


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## hucksterling (Aug 2, 2011)

Who, if you don't mind me asking, is your tailor in Knoxville? I need one myself. Many thanks.


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## omanae (Aug 19, 2008)

It really depends on the quality of the work. For a good tailor expect to hem at $20, sides of a jacket at $80 (if the armhole is involved on the top of the side seam), sleeves at $60, lowering collar at $70 (it's a big job to do right), Waist and seat at $40, and up from there.


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

ryall12 said:


> It is difficult to find any pricing online for tailoring costs so I figure this is the best repository of information and sources of data on the subject.
> 
> First does anyone know the average tailoring costs to alter OTR or pre-owned suits? Or to have a suit made? Excluding material of course...
> This may be too difficult so maybe it is better if we compile costs paid to come up with our own averages. And yes I know location and quality of work come in to play as well. So please note location and judgement of level of quality from acceptable/good to excellent or anything in between.
> ...


It is going to depend a bit on the local demographics, but I typically spend between $40 and $80 to hem by pants, shorten the jacket sleeves and take in the flanks of a jacket when buying off-the-rack.


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## hockeyinsider (May 8, 2006)

omanae said:


> It really depends on the quality of the work. For a good tailor ...


I share the sentiment expressed by the gentleman from Boston. Not all alteration shops are tailors and can actually do a serviceable job with men's clothing. I've had some horrible experiences with lady seamstresses who profess to do men's alternations. Call me sexist, but I want a man altering my suit just as I would want a woman altering a dress.


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## AscotWithShortSleeves (Apr 12, 2009)

Thought I'd ask my question in this existing thread rather than start a new one. I just dropped off three pairs of wool pants for alteration: Two pairs hemmed (no cuffs), two pairs taken in at the waist plus taken in at the seat. (One pair just needed the hems done, and one of the other two didn't need the hems.) The total: $100. This is in Alexandria, Virginia.

Does that sound fair to you guys?

In particular, I wasn't sure if the seat alteration should be considered a separate thing from taking the waist in.

Thanks for any answers.


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## momsdoc (Sep 19, 2013)

shonuf323 said:


> What specific alterations are you talking about?
> 
> If an OTR suit is otherwise well fitting I would expect to spend approximately $50-150 to make it fit as best it can which may include (Pant Hem - $20 / Pant Waist - $20 / Pant Taper - $50 / Jacket Taper - $50 / Jacket Sleeves (Both) - $50 / Shorten the Collar - $50 / Lower/Raise the collar - $30).


If a suit needed that much work, I wouldn't consider it " otherwise well fitting". I would consider it unpurchasable. Hems, sleeves, waist and seat are normal, maybe a bit of letting in or out the jacket waist. That's it, anything more is a suit that is not for you.

Never even consider a jacket that would need to have the shoulders adjusted, or length shortened.

What are we, living on the moon? Are there so few choices available? Even for free there comes a point where it's better to just keep looking.


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## cellochris (Dec 14, 2015)

omanae said:


> It really depends on the quality of the work. For a good tailor expect to hem at $20, sides of a jacket at $80 (if the armhole is involved on the top of the side seam), sleeves at $60, lowering collar at $70 (it's a big job to do right), Waist and seat at $40, and up from there.


Agreed. Those are about the rates I've been able to find here in Atlanta.


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## AscotWithShortSleeves (Apr 12, 2009)

cellochris said:


> Agreed. Those are about the rates I've been able to find here in Atlanta.


Thanks. What threw me was waist and seat being separate. I didn't recall that from previous alterations, but it's been a while.


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## Underachiever (Jan 27, 2016)

Did someone in here say $80 to have the jacket's waist taken in? I would die before I paid that much.
For $20 my seamstress does as good a job as anyone, for something that simple.

Anyway, I think my last bill was $44 to have the jacket waist taken in, pants hemmed (no cuffs), pants taken in, and a button replaced. Simple stuff and not an exotic suit (Brooks Brothers 1818 Fitzgerald), so I just used a good seamstress. I think it was $20 for the jacket's waist, $12 for the hems, $12 for the pants waist, the button replacement was free, and no tax because I pay in cash.

When I get around to having the arms let out on my Brioni with surgeon's cuffs, or having the pants and arms on another suit I like tapered, I'll go to a real tailor, but for simple stuff on a non-exotic suit, a good seamstress is fine.


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