Bridal Alterations Price Spreadsheet for Seamstresses
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- Опубліковано 14 лис 2022
- docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
link above goes to the spreadsheet so you can download it to save and customize for yourself! Your area, skill set and times will vary so feel free to type in your own rates and add and delete things to suit your shops needs.
I hope this is helpful! I am always happy to hear feedback to improve my work ❤️
Thank you so much for being so transparent with your business processes.
I hope you find it helpful! It's so important to talk about since most of us are individuals working alone.
This list is so helpful and I’m glad the community at large is becoming less shy about talking about rates so we can all be paid what we’re worth.
It's definitely still a hard conversation to have but it's so important. Obviously there's regional and skill level differences but that shouldn't prevent us from talking and learning 🥰
Thanks for the great info Andrea. Such a helpful starting point. I note your point on hardware and fittings to be accounted for - too true & often forgotten!
This is so helpful! Thank you so much for being so generous to put this together!
I think we feel similarly about doing anything we can to help foster the growth of our industry 🥰
I have been doing alterations and sewing custom bridal gowns though not on a very large scale for the last 20 years. I would generally jot things down on my notebook as I am not tech savvy but am learning. This spread sheet really helped me get organized. The prices though would not work for my clientele as they are a little on the pricier end. Thank you so much!
I'm glad it helps! And yes you can plug in numbers that work better for your area/skill level. The formulas will adjust as you type in new numbers.
Yes! This is amazing
Thank you for your guide sheet information. I realize, I was not charging enough. Thanks again ❤
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!
For 2023, I've decided to order price packages for basic alterations. This spreadsheet gives me a starting place to price everything that's not included in that package
I've toyed with that idea in the past... haven't been able to really work through it. I can't wait to see how it goes for you!
@@adriennegonzales2636 I added up my highest charge for non-lace sides, hem, bustle, cups, straps/shoulders, steaming, and fitting fees. I added in a little extra, in case they need small adjustments to princess seams, bust darts, or boning. And that's the package price. Lace is extra.
I also have a cheaper package for brides who just need sides OR hem, not both. And a bigger one that's basically all-inclusive, except for custom work
Thank you for sharing this Adrienne!
I hope you find it to be helpful!
Oh you are amazing! And really encouraging me to up my prices! I do not alter wedding dresses (just bridesmaid/ homecoming/ prom) but I am going to use this to re-evaluate what I’m charging for things ❤😅
Absolutely! Your time is valuable. 🥰
Thank you so much for your generosity 🤍
Will it be too forward to say that I love you!! Okay, I'll change it to how much I appreciate you. The hardest thing I do is try to figure out what to charge. I've been told I don't charge enough. This is so, so, so helpful.
Good morning Adrienne, this is amazing and appreciate your time to do this spreadsheet. Could you please send me a copy. Thank you
One thing that would be helpful is a guide for a bride who would like to save money on her alterations, but still wants to make sure her seamstress is remunerated for their time. Ie is there a 'simpler' version of an alteration that could work. (This is from a bride who after getting a quote for alterations felt she couldn't afford the dress anymore. I would like to ask if there is a simpler way to do the alterations so that they don't come out to hundreds of dollars, nearly doubling the cost of the dress, but who still wants to be respectful of the seamstress just adjusting what I am asking her to do. I hope that makes sense.
I see what you're saying. I have had brides in the past ask for a certain budget and then I can show them what alterations are possible for that price. Getting a dress safe and wearable vs a fully sculpted fit are definitely different ends of the spectrum but with good communication, generally, a good middle ground can be found.
I'm so impressed with how much work you put into this! I have been charging a fraction of this and getting mad at myself when I take longer than I think I should. Seeing your time estimate column has been wonderful.
Would you be able to email me a copy of this? I would be so grateful.
Time is truly the key... there's so many things we do that we just don't think of in order to charge for them AND schedule ourselves properly. I'd be happy to email you a copy!
What's a good email for you?
I can’t believe I just saw this now. Fantastic. When your charging fir a booty scoop 2 seams. Are you including the lining seams too. Can I pm you to get a copy of these charges Adrienne?
Yes I charge that rate including lining as well. Yes! You can message me.
💜
My last two gowns that I sent with with in 2 weeks. They were my highest priced alterations ever. $900 /$930.
The dresses are getting more complicated with sheer panels and details that we just didn't have 10 years ago. Isn't it wild!?
Thank you .
Of course! If you have questions on anything feel free to reach out 🥰
We definetely should not underprice ourselves. All the work and time that goes into this work!
Absolutely. Sometimes we do it by accident by not really realizing how many hours things take us... and sometimes our tender hearts make us want to give away the house.
This is awesome. How can we access this. Those rates are certainly in line with other comparable experienced professionals. Computer guys, graphic designers, cabinet makers, etc
I can email it over 🥰
Thank you for sharing. What program do you use? Thank you
This is just in excel!
I’m getting ready to shorten a fit n flair bagged hem with 6” HH it will be a taper to the train. This will involve lifting front hemline 6”. A huge difference and taper to sides and train. Where would you start pricing for this ?? $600. It’s a poly satin gown. Heavy fabric
I think you're in the right range. Bagged hems mean you're turning it and wrestling the skirt and trying to keep it clean while working on it. That effort all adds up. I'd start at 500 if it goes 12" behind the side seam and consider more if it's getting much further behind that side seam.
I’d you don’t mind me asking , where are you based out of? I’ve been considering increasing my rates slightly due to high cost of living in the PNW. Also do you charge a “rush” fee?
I'm based in Arizona. I do charge rush fees based on a case to case basis. I don't take emergency rush anymore and helps a lot. Several local shops do a flat $500 rush fee and some other do %50 of the ticket as a rush charge for 4 week turn around.
Thank you for this list! I just wanted to clarify- when you write "Hem all the way around , plain, and extra wide" do you mean hemming a full ballgown or that the width of the hem is wide ? (like 2" )
Hem all the way around is like for a train removal otherwise a hem is side seam side seam. Extra wide is the distance from side seam to side seam being wider than 90" or whatever feels comfortable. Some chiffon hems are so wide... you're hemming for miles! Plain means no accents to reinstall on the edge.
Gotcha and one more question- that would be the price per layer correct? @@adriennegonzales2636
Thank you ! And that is the price per layer correct? @@adriennegonzales2636
If you are doing an alteration that you've never done before and it is kind of "trial and error", how do you determine what to charge for that? The combination bustle I'm working on has been a learning process, using ideas from experienced bridal seamstresses such as yourself. This gown has three layers of organza with graduated assymetrical hemlines, edged with wide horsehair braid. I'm on my third attempt at making thread loops for an overbustle that lifts the two outer layers of the skirt as one. (The longest layer will have a French bustle hidden under the two shorter layers, and the satin lining will have a ballroom bustle.) I don't feel comfortable charging by the hour for all this fussing and fiddling involved with my "experiments".
I understand completely! You want to pay yourself fairly and not be charging the client for learning... but you are willing and able to do the learning so that's deserving of payment. Using your experience can you guess how long it might take if you were proficient at it? Or can you use some of the lowest values to price till you learn. That hem sounds like it might be in a 2-3 hr range for a proficient seamstress.... it'll take you longer but you can use the guideline of 200 for the hem... then then just take your time knowing that that price is capped. If you exceed profit for yourself you'll learn.
Thank you for the advice. This dress will probably be one-of-a-kind for me, since I plan to retire next year. I'm going to make sure the maid of honor takes a video of the bustling process at the final fitting, just in case it might prove helpful for someone else.@@adriennegonzales2636
The dress is finally finished and the bride was very pleased. Her Mom is an accomplished seamstress, but did not want to tackle the wedding gown, since she was already doing the bridesmaids and flower girl dresses. What I thought would be the final fitting a few weeks ago ended up with a request to let out the side seams of the bodice and 6-layer skirt, due to the bride gaining some weight that she didn't think would drop off before the wedding. It looked and felt much better after being let out. Her grandmother came along to video tape the process of bustling each layer, so it was a real family affair! @@adriennegonzales2636
Found this video!
When it says in a spreadsheet "hem with trum to replace" donyou mean Horse hairbraid?
Thank you for sharing this spreadsheet❤
Also,
Hem tulle multilayer. How many layers do you mean?
Hem with trim is when there's a lace or embroidered trim to remove and replace. Could be for Horse hair as well... just denotes different difficulty levels.
@@adriennegonzales2636 oh, I see. Thank you🌹
Can I please have you email me your price sheet ? It is amazing.
How did you learn to do bridal alterations?
You truly do learn more every day as the styles change. I was gifted a lot of knowledge in standard and formal alterations from a wonderful master seamstress. I also went to school for an architectural based degree which informs a lot of my experimentation and solutions for construction... just on a different scale 🥰
Please can I have it mailed to me too?! I really could use!!! Bothe please!
I can! What's a good email for you?
Lol are these really your rates? Yep! 😅👍🏻👍🏻
Hahaha some gals seemed to be shook!