How Much Does It Cost to Tailor Pants?

When it comes to looking your best, having clothes custom-tailored to your body can take an outfit to a whole new level. A talented tailor can alter the style or cut of any garment in your wardrobe to suit you perfectly. But, these alterations come with a price tag – leading many people to wonder, how much does it cost to tailor pants?

The cost to tailor a pair of pants will depend entirely on what changes need to be made. Pants can be altered in many ways, ranging from simple fixes, like replacing a button, to more complicated fixes, like adjusting the rise of the pants. A simple fix may cost you as little as $5-$10, while more complicated fixes could cost you upwards of $30 or more.

Your tailor will be able to tell you for certain what changes need to be made to get the fit that you want when wearing your pants. It’s often the case that several changes need to be made to make your clothes look their best. Keep reading, and we’ll explain the many alterations that can be made to your pants and how much you can expect each to cost.

What Types of Alterations Can Be Made to Pants?

When it comes to choosing clothing to wear, fit is the most important thing you should consider. It doesn’t matter what the clothes look like, how much they cost, or what brand they are. If they don’t fit, there’s no way you could ever wear them.

This is where a skilled tailor can come in handy. A tailor can take a pair of pants you own and make the changes needed to have them fit you better. There are quite a few different changes that a good tailor can do to get you the perfect finishing look.

From the top down, a tailor should be able to alter the pants’ waistband. They can do this by reducing the size of the waist or even possibly letting it out to make it larger. They can also remove belt loops if you do not want or need them.

A tailor will also be able to make general repairs to the pants. Replacing buttons or snaps and repairing zippers are some of the most common issues that tailors see when pants are brought to be mended. They may also be able to sew in patches if you get a hole in a pair of pants you are determined to keep wearing.

Beyond that, much of what a tailor does is fit the pants to your particular body type and style preferences. They can do this by taking in the legs to make a slimmer fit along your calves and knees, tapering the leg openings to make a skinny bottom to the pant legs, or even by hemming the pants to make them shorter. In short, the tailor will have you try on the pants and take them in or let them out wherever needed to make the pants fit their best.

Pants Alteration Price Chart

The price of alterations can vary from place to place and from tailor to tailor. The chart below is a general guide for average prices based on the type of alteration.

How Much Does It Cost to Tailor Pants?

Always remember that the cost to tailor pants will vary based on where you live, who you take the pants to, and how much work is needed. Pants will often need multiple types of alterations to make them fit well. For example, taking the waistband in to be narrower may require you to take in the legs to make them fit along your thighs. This will increase the costs.

1. Waistband Adjustments

One of the places that your pants are most likely to fit incorrectly is at your waist. Pants that fit too loosely or too tightly won’t look good and will probably be uncomfortable to wear. Your tailor should be able to make the waistband smaller by up to several inches and may also be able to make it larger if there is extra fabric available.

Adjusting the waistband is fairly simple and won’t break the bank. Most tailors will do this type of alteration for prices ranging from $10 to $25. The less that has to be done, the lower the cost.

If your pants only need to be taken slightly around the waist, you may want to try shrinking them before you pay for alterations. Learning how to shrink clothes safely is fairly easy to do. Always be sure, however, to check the tags on the pants before you apply heat to make sure that it is safe.

2. Removing Belt Loops

If you have a pair of pants with belt loops that you don’t use, you can have them removed altogether. The same goes for if you have your waistband made smaller, and some of the loops shift to be too close together. Either way, it’s a fairly simple fix for your tailor to remove these pieces of fabric.

Because this is such a simple fix, the cost is pretty low. You should expect to spend somewhere between $5 to $10 to have belt loops removed from your pants by a professional tailor.

3. Replacing Buttons

It’s probably a safe bet to say that everyone has had a button on their clothes catch on something as they go about their daily activities. If the button becomes loose or falls off, a tailor can easily replace it with a new one. The same goes for if you have a button on your pants that you don’t like the look of and would like a different style.

Button replacements are also fairly simple to do and relatively cheap fixes. Many tailors will charge between $5 to $10 for these fixes by themselves, perhaps a bit more if they need to custom order a button for you. For simple buttons, however, some tailors may even throw this repair in for free if you’re paying for a lot of other work to be done to the pants.

4. Zipper Repairs

Zipper repairs can sometimes be tricky since the old zipper will typically have to be removed and a new one is sewn into its place. If the new zipper doesn’t lay right, it can ruin the look of the entire front of your pants. Because of this, you only want to take zipper repairs to skilled and trustworthy tailors who can do this repair well.

A new zipper will run you more than some other repairs on this list. You should expect to spend between $10 to $25, with the cost being a bit higher if your tailor needs to custom order a zipper for your pants.

5. Adjusting the Rise

The rise of your pants affects how high they sit on your hips or waist when you’re wearing them. A tailor can shorten this rise, helping the pants sit higher up on your body. They may also be able to make this rise longer, but only if there’s extra fabric available. Either way, this change won’t be drastic.

Fixing the rise on your pants is one of the most difficult fixes a tailor could do; many try to avoid it if they can. The added difficulty raises the price a bit, but you could still expect to pay between $20 and $40 for this alteration.

6. Taking in the Legs

If your pants are too loose around your thigh, knee, or calf areas, a tailor can take them in to fit a bit slimmer. However, they probably won’t be able to widen this area since most pants will not have extra fabric to work with around these parts. Even then, taking the legs in is a pretty common fix.

Your price tag for this alteration will likely fall between $15 to $25, depending on how much work needs to be done. The price can also vary based on how complicated the pants themselves are, such as whether or not they have a lining or cuffs to contend with at the bottom.

7. Tapering Leg Openings

Speaking of the bottom of the pant legs, your tailor can also taper the openings to be smaller. This gives more of a “skinny leg” look to your pants, which many modern styles have adopted. This is also a fix that varies in price based on how complicated the pants are, especially if they have cuffs.

Still, most tailors will charge you between $10 to $25 to taper the leg openings of your pants. This is often required when you take in the legs, so don’t be surprised if your tailor suggests both steps are needed during your alterations.

8. Hemming Pant Legs

Finally, your tailor should be able to make your pant legs shorter to better fit your height. Hemming pants is fairly easy to do but can cost a bit more if the pants have cuffs or some other decorative finish to contend with.

Even then, hemming is usually pretty affordable. You’ll probably spend between $10 to $25, depending on how complicated the pants are. If you hem the pants too high, don’t be surprised if you also have to taper the openings to keep them from being too wide as you move higher up the pant leg.

How Long Does It Take To Tailor Pants?

Most of the fixes we’ve talked about for pants are fairly quick to do. Replacing a button, removing belt loops, or hemming the bottom of pants could take as little as an hour. Other repairs will take a bit longer, especially since most pants will require multiple types of fixes to fit well.

Don’t be surprised if your tailor quotes you a time frame of three days to over a week to fix your pants, especially if a lot of changes need to be made. You’re not going to be their only client, after all, so a tailor with a busy schedule may not be able to do same-day turnarounds without charging extra fees. Also, keep in mind that your tailor may want you to come in for a second appointment so that you can try on the pants to make sure the alterations fit correctly.

If you’re getting your pants tailored for an event, your best bet is to take them in a couple of weeks ahead of time to ensure they’re finished in time. This will also give you wiggle room if the second round of alterations is needed.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Jeans Tailored?

Whether you’re getting dress pants or jeans tailored, the cost is usually about the same from one pair of pants to another. This is especially true for simpler fixes like waistband adjustments, button repairs, or hemming. Jeans can be hard to fix in the rise, so keep in mind that you may fall into the higher price ranges for these types of repairs.

Even then, you’re probably safe to assume that all of your fixes will cost between $20 to $50 for a pair of jeans. If your jeans require more repairs than that, you should strongly consider just going out and buying a new pair that fits the way you need them to.

How Much Does It Cost to Take Pleats Out of Pants?

If you have an older suit in the back of your closet that has pleats, chances are it might be a bit outdated. If replacing the suit entirely isn’t an option, a skilled tailor may be able to remove the pleats and give the pants a plainer, more modern look. This is a difficult alteration to do, however, and the price tag is going to reflect that.

Getting the pleats taken out of pants can easily cost you anywhere from $50 to $90. This is still cheaper than replacing a suit altogether, but keep in mind that other alterations may need to be made at the same time, which will drive the price up. You’ll also have to find a talented tailor willing to do this since the repair is tricky and can look bad if it isn’t done well.

Can a Tailor Taper Pants?

Yes, a tailor should be easily able to taper your pants – either along the upper parts of your legs or at the bottom near the opening. This helps give the pants an overall slimmer look, which tends to be more modern than wide-legged pants are.

The price for these services will vary based on how much the pants have to be taken in and if the fix will be difficult. Pants with added embellishments or cuffs at the hem will take a bit more work to taper than simpler styles. This will cost you more in the end.

Is It Worth It to Tailor Pants?

It can be worth it to tailor pants to fit you perfectly. A good fit is the most important thing to consider when choosing your clothes since the color, brand, or style of the pants is irrelevant if you can’t even wear them. It’s often cheaper to tailor a pair of pants than buying an entirely new pair, especially for expensive brands or dress suits.

You’ll be glad you chose to tailor your pants the first time you wear them. The fit will be unmatched, you’ll look and feel great, and everyone will think you’re wearing clothes that were custom-made to fit your frame. Any way you look at it, wearing tailored pants is absolutely worth it.

Conclusion

While getting your pants tailored could be intimidating to you and your wallet, the costs are quite affordable once you break them down. After reading this article, we hope you feel a bit better about the idea and recommend keeping this price list handy as you shop around to find a good tailor to fit your needs. Before you know it, you’ll be the most stylish person around.