Starting a home based alterations business

I was thinking about starting a home based alterations business, and wanted to get some advice and imput on geting sewing work for a home based sewing business.

Thanks

what state are you in

Custom Tailors in Killeen, Texas said: what state are you in?

Maryland

Mblack in District Heights, Maryland said: Maryland

You can offer alterations for free to build up references.

Mblack in District Heights, Maryland said: I was thinking about starting a home based alterations business, and wanted to get some advice and imput on geting sewing work for a home based sewing business.

Thanks

What is your level of expertise? What is your speciality? What type of alterations can you do? Get something you are proud of and take to local boutique shops with cards and printed prices and see if you can pickup and deliver work to them. Your workroom must be away from the kitchen or your work will smell. Also, bag and label items properly and finish in a timely manner. Be confident in your ablities.

Sharon in Seattle, Washington said: What is your level of expertise? What is your speciality? What type of alterations can you do? Get something you are proud of and take to local boutique shops with cards and printed prices and see if you can pickup and deliver work to them. Your workroom must be away from the kitchen or your work will smell. Also, bag and label items properly and finish in a timely manner. Be confident in your ablities.

P.S. Go to other tailors, dressmakers and people who do the work and see if you can pickup work from them until you build clientele.

Mblack in District Heights, Maryland said: I was thinking about starting a home based alterations business, and wanted to get some advice and imput on geting sewing work for a home based sewing business.

Thanks

Try your local drycleaners. I worked at a drycleaners and they hired a person to do all their alterations. It was unbelievable how many people brought their clothes in to not only get dry cleaned but also altered

Sharon in Seattle, Washington said: P.S. Go to other tailors, dressmakers and people who do the work and see if you can pickup work from them until you build clientele.

Thanks for the advice,

kimberlylhook in corydon, Iowa said: Try your local drycleaners. I worked at a drycleaners and they hired a person to do all their alterations. It was unbelievable how many people brought their clothes in to not only get dry cleaned but also altered

Thanks for the advice.

Sharon in Seattle, Washington said: What is your level of expertise? What is your speciality? What type of alterations can you do? Get something you are proud of and take to local boutique shops with cards and printed prices and see if you can pickup and deliver work to them. Your workroom must be away from the kitchen or your work will smell. Also, bag and label items properly and finish in a timely manner. Be confident in your ablities.

I like the idea about getting work form boutiques, however, I am not sure how that goes, Do people usually just offer the alteration's services, to the boutiques and recieve the entire amount of the alteration's profits, or is it normally split, maybe 50-50 meaning I get 50% if profits and owner get 50% of the profits, or is it 80 - 20 etc?

I know the drycleaners normally splits the profits 50 - 50. Again thanks for you input!

Here's how it works where I'm from. You are enhancing their business with your alteration skills. They need you! You come down, either by appointment to fit the client or teach them simple marking techinques like marking a pant hem. Some don't mind learning, some want you to do it only. The full amount goes to you for your time and labor. Usually I bring the item back and the store pays me; they then turn and charge the customer the amount plus tax. You use a 1099 at tax time for getting paid minus taxes. You can't charge a customer taxes twice. Also, if you can do bridal alterations and some restyling on them you can make good money. Go to bridal stores as well. Depending on what you can do, you can set yourself up to stay busy all year. I don't like dry cleaners cause it's not enough money for the work.

Sharon in Seattle, Washington said: Here's how it works where I'm from. You are enhancing their business with your alteration skills. They need you! You come down, either by appointment to fit the client or teach them simple marking techinques like marking a pant hem. Some don't mind learning, some want you to do it only. The full amount goes to you for your time and labor. Usually I bring the item back and the store pays me; they then turn and charge the customer the amount plus tax. You use a 1099 at tax time for getting paid minus taxes. You can't charge a customer taxes twice. Also, if you can do bridal alterations and some restyling on them you can make good money. Go to bridal stores as well. Depending on what you can do, you can set yourself up to stay busy all year. I don't like dry cleaners cause it's not enough money for the work.

Thank you so much for this information, I worked for many drycleaners and you are exactly right, they don't pay enough money, I have done alterations on bridal dresses, however, I prefer to do alterations only on braidmaid or formal gowns, and other garments. I would think that traing personel to do the fittings would be better, because if the shop was 30 - 1 hour away from my home that wouldn't a good idea to travel that distance everytime someone needed a fitting?

I will check the internet for current alteration prices in my area, sometimes the alteration prices vary depending on the area, because Maryland is close to DC and Virgina. Do you think that it is a good idea to have two different price lists, one for each area, or just set the prices in the middle and have one price list? Working for boutiques will be a new area for me, so I just want to do my homework before I venture out. Thank you in advance for your assistance!

I only deal with high end boutiques, etc... so when I go for an appointment with clients, I pick up a 3-400. project, I was 30 minutes away and it was worth the trip. Usually I'm called cause of special circumstances, odd body shapes; extensive weight loss as I know how to grade a garment down to fit. The bridal shop I use to work with sent me the clientele after they saw my work. Specify bridemaid and formal gowns and you should get plenty of work. I worked only with the brides. Charge in the middle to catch both areas according to the prices in your area and expertise unless the amount is drastic, don't forget to charge by instinct sometimes if a project looks complicated. Good luck!

Sharon in Seattle, Washington said: I only deal with high end boutiques, etc... so when I go for an appointment with clients, I pick up a 3-400. project, I was 30 minutes away and it was worth the trip. Usually I'm called cause of special circumstances, odd body shapes; extensive weight loss as I know how to grade a garment down to fit. The bridal shop I use to work with sent me the clientele after they saw my work. Specify bridemaid and formal gowns and you should get plenty of work. I worked only with the brides. Charge in the middle to catch both areas according to the prices in your area and expertise unless the amount is drastic, don't forget to charge by instinct sometimes if a project looks complicated. Good luck!

Again, thank you for your wisdom in this area, I wish you continued sucess in your business!!