How much does it cost to have a suit altered?

If your job requires you to wear corporate attire, you know that suits can be subject to wear and tear. Thankfully, alterations are a cost-effective way to continue wearing them for as long as you want. Men’s suit alterations are relatively inexpensive compared to going out and buying a new suit. And if you want to make your clothing choices more sustainable, alterations are an excellent way of doing so. 

Suit alteration price list

How much do suit alterations cost in the UK? Men’s suit alterations cost £5 to £60, depending on the changes needed. Here are tables containing the price ranges of common suit alterations:

What factors affect the cost of suit alterations?

A tailor or an alterations professional will inspect the suit and take your body measurements. Sometimes the garment is downsized, while in rare times, it must be enlarged. To know the factors affecting suit alterations cost, read on.

1. Alteration job complexity

Some common alterations men request for their suits are sleeve tapering, waist tightening, and trouser resizing. From simple button repairs to remaking, the price for the alteration will mainly depend on the difficulty of the alteration job. Say you want to resize the suit. A centre seam in suit jacket alterations costs less than a side seam. 

Do you also want to make changes to the details of the suits? The intricacy of the alterations will also affect suit jacket alteration costs.

2. Suit type

Are you going to have a blazer, sports coat, or suit jacket altered? The more elaborate the suit, the more expensive it can get to have it altered. Is it a slim-fit suit, giving a form-fitting style narrow at the chest and waist parts? Or is it a classic-fit suit, which is comfortable to wear because of its breathability? The suit type can also affect the cost of alterations, and your tailor can help you change yours according to the style and fit you want.

3. Stitch type

There are different types of stitching, depending on the style of the suit. A blind-stitched (or invisible) hem will most likely cost less than a top-stitched hem. Alterations that need more hand sewing can be more laborious, take longer, and thus cost more. Most formal attires with delicate fabric, intricate designs, or elaborate details might require hand sewing to ensure that the designs are placed accurately. 

4. Fabric

The type, thickness, and machine requirements of the fabric to be altered also contribute to the alteration service’s cost. For instance, shortening and hemming a suit made of denim or other similar fabric will require a tailor to use a sewing machine with heavier-gauge needles and threads. 

Regular alterations can be done by almost any tailor or alteration professional. However, for leather materials, you might need to find a specialist, who costs more. Although leather is a rare material to use in suits, it will usually cost as much as 50% more than altering fabric.

5. Your location

Like for any other project, the location of professional tailors might affect the total costs of suit alterations. This is due to business costs, such as storefront rental and taxes. Naturally, expect suit alterations in major cities to cost more than in other areas.

6. Tailor skill level

Finally, the experience or skill level of your tailor can also affect the cost of suit alterations. More often than not, professional tailors with decades of experience charge more than newer ones.

Post a task for suit alteration

Overall, a well-fitted suit makes a man attractive. If you have old suits with sentimental value, you can have them altered instead of throwing them away. You now know how much it costs to alter suit jackets, but a Tasker can provide a more accurate quotation once you provide the details of your project requirements. Airtasker can help you save time and make sure that your well-loved suit is in good hands.