Tailoring & clothing repair

Tailoring & clothing repair in Australia

Updated 4 November 2026

In Australia a simple tailoring job usually costs between A$15 and A$50 per item, for example a hem or a side seam taken in, while jeans repairs and zip replacements cost more. Prices depend on the garment and the workshop, so the quickest way to see what a tailor charges in your city today is to post the job as a request on BlaBlaPrice.

Local rules and what to check

The national skill set MSTSS00018, Advanced Clothing Alterations and Repairs, is aimed at people who offer commercial alteration and repair work on more complex garments. Registration or licensing may also apply depending on the business role and the state, so ask whether the seller is registered before you hand over an expensive garment such as a wedding dress.

Season and timing

Summer runs from December to February and winter from June to August, so a November request comes just before the summer season, when formal and summer clothes need their hems and fittings done in time. For a job with a deadline, such as a party or a trip, give the date in your request so the seller can plan the work around it.

How alterations are bought here

Most alterations are priced per item or per fix, not per hour: a hem, a seam or a button has its own price, as the lists above show. Measure in centimetres and say how far a hem should move, for example 3 cm shorter. Ask whether the seller offers drop-off and pick-up in your city. Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide each have their own tailors, and the price for the same hem can differ from one seller to the next.

What to write in your request

Name the garment and what needs doing: trousers, a wedding dress, a wool jumper or a bag. Add the fabric, the change in centimetres, the number of pieces, the deadline, your city and a budget. A photo of the damage, the zip or the button helps a seller tell whether it needs a patch or a full repair.

On BlaBlaPrice buyers pay nothing. You describe the job in your own words in a chat, with a photo if you like. BlaBlaPrice reads the request, asks for anything missing and looks through tailors' websites and price lists in Australia, then shows the prices and businesses it finds. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice reply in the chat with their own price, terms and delivery. Your contact details stay hidden until you choose who to share them with, and you can also send the request link to a local tailor yourself. For a garment that only needs cleaning, see dry cleaning and laundry; to start, create a request.