A clothing alterations side hustle in Canada hems pants, takes in waists, replaces zippers and shortens dresses from home, priced per job. Canadian alteration shops that publish price lists charge about $15 to $28 for a pant hem, $35 to $50 to take in a waist, and $30 to $60 or more per layer to shorten a dress. November and December bring holiday-party dresses and suits, so the season starts now. Prices below were read on each shop’s own page on October 19, 2026.
Related reading: clothing resale pairs well with repairs, holiday gift wrapping is another December service from home, and best winter side hustles lists more.
| Quick fact | Figure (read October 19, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Standard pant hem | $14.99 to $20 starting prices (5 cities) |
| Typical turnaround, basic hem | 2 to 5 days (Sew It Goes) |
| Original jeans hem | $20+ to $28 |
| Dress shortening | $30 to $60 per layer |
| Tailor median wage, Canada | $19.00 an hour (Job Bank, 2023-2024 data) |
| Starter machine | Brother XM2701M, $209.99 |
| GST/HST registration | Once taxable sales pass $30,000 in four calendar quarters |
What do Canadian alteration shops charge?
Canadian alteration shops charge a starting price per job, then confirm the final price after seeing and fitting the garment. These are published starting prices on October 19, 2026:
| Job | Calgary Seamstress | Topology (Vancouver) | Ottawa shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard pant hem | $20 (narrow or wide leg) | $18 | $14.99 + tax |
| Jeans hem, regular | $20 | ||
| Jeans hem, original/Euro | $26 | $28 | Priced separately |
| Stretch hem | $22 | ||
| Re-stitch an undone hem | $15 | ||
| Dress pant take in waist | $35 to $40 | ||
| Jeans take in waist | $50 | ||
| Replace jeans zipper | $30 | ||
| Taper pants | $40 to $45 | ||
| Men’s suit, shorten sleeves | $55 | ||
| Jacket zipper | $55 to $85 | ||
| Shorten winter coat | $60 to $70 | ||
| Dress shortening | $30 to $60 per layer | From $17.99 + tax | |
| Dress take in sides | $35 to $75 | ||
| Curtains, shorten per panel | $25 to $35 |
Sources: Calgary Seamstress price list, Topology Alterations, Drycleaner Alteration Ottawa. A home side hustle usually starts a little under these shop prices and moves up once regulars come back.
What do Ontario shops charge?
Two Toronto shops and one London, Ontario studio publish fuller lists. Sew It Goes also lists turnaround times, which are worth copying as a format:
| Job | Charlotte (Toronto) | Gibson’s (Toronto) | Sew It Goes (London, Ont.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pant hem, basic | $16.99 | $15+ | $15+ (2 to 5 days) |
| Blind hem | $18+ (3 to 7 days) | ||
| Jeans, original/European hem | $27.99 | $20+ (3 to 7 days) | |
| Taper | $29.99 | $25 to $35+ knee down; $35 to $50+ full leg | |
| Take in pant waist | $34.99 | $30 to $45+ | |
| Pant zipper | $24.99 | $28+ | $30 to $40+ |
| Shirt sleeves, shorten | $17.99 | $18 to $25+ | |
| Dress, shorten 1 layer | $29.99+ | $30+ (dress shortening) | $25 to $35+ |
| Dress, 2 to 3 layers | $44.99+ (2), $54.99+ (3) | $40 to $60+ | |
| Coat zipper | $66.50+ | $40 to $70+ (10 to 20 days) | |
| Shorten coat hem | $45 to $75+ | ||
| Blazer lengthen or shorten | $58+ | ||
| Bridal gown hem, 1 to 2 layers | $200 to $300+ (3 to 8 weeks) |
Sources: Charlotte Dry Cleaning & Alterations, Gibson’s Cleaners, Sew It Goes, all read October 19, 2026.
Sew It Goes’ booking policies are a ready-made template for a home business: a $15 non-refundable booking fee applied to the final bill, a 50% deposit at the first fitting for bridal or major work, garments unclaimed after 60 days may be donated, and HST added at checkout. Gibson’s says it can refuse items that are not clean, which is a reasonable rule to put on your own price sheet.
How does an alterations side hustle compare with a tailoring job?
An alterations side hustle pays per job, while a tailoring job pays an hourly wage. Job Bank’s tailor wage page, updated November 19, 2025 from 2023-2024 Labour Force Survey data, gives a useful floor:
| Region | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $15.50 | $19.00 | $26.00 |
| British Columbia | $18.25 | $20.00 | $35.00 |
| Ontario | $17.95 | $20.00 | $28.00 |
| Alberta | $15.00 | $19.00 | $26.00 |
| Quebec | $16.60 | $18.00 | $23.00 |
If a $18 hem takes you 30 minutes including the fitting, that is $36 an hour before costs, nearly double the national median wage. If it takes an hour while you learn, it is $18, below it. Speed is the business.
Which alteration jobs sell in November and December?
The alteration jobs that sell in November and December are the ones tied to holiday parties, gifts and winter clothes. These 15 jobs suit a home sewer, each with why it sells:
- Party dress hems. One date, one dress, a deadline.
- Suit trouser hems for office parties. Quick, repeatable work.
- Suit jacket sleeves. A higher-priced job ($55 starting in Calgary).
- Taking in a dress at the sides. Fitted holiday dresses.
- Winter coat zipper replacements. Coats come out in November and zippers fail.
- Shortening winter coat sleeves. New coats bought in fall sales.
- Jeans hems for gifted jeans. Gifts in the wrong length after December 25.
- Hoodie and jacket zipper inserts. Calgary Seamstress lists hoodie zipper inserts at $40.
- Snow pants and kids’ gear repairs. Rips and broken snaps.
- Curtain shortening before guests arrive. Per panel pricing.
- Tablecloth hems for holiday dinners. Simple straight seams.
- Costume and theatre adjustments. School concerts and pageants.
- Uniform alterations for seasonal staff. Retail and hospitality hires.
- Wedding party fittings for winter weddings. Book weeks ahead.
- Mending for resellers. See clothing resale; repaired items list better.
Illustrative example: one holiday-season week from home
This is an illustrative example. The starting prices come from the shop pages above; the job mix, your times and thread costs are assumptions.
| Job (assumed count) | Your price (assumed, under shop prices) | Revenue | Assumed minutes each |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 pant hems | $16 | $128 | 30 |
| 3 dress hems (one layer) | $28 | $84 | 50 |
| 2 jacket sleeve shortenings | $45 | $90 | 75 |
| 1 coat zipper replacement | $55 | $55 | 90 |
| Total | $357 | 8 × 30 + 3 × 50 + 2 × 75 + 90 = 630 minutes |
- Hours: 630 ÷ 60 = 10.5 hours of sewing, plus an assumed 2 hours of fittings and pickups = 12.5 hours.
- Assumed materials: $2 thread per job (14 jobs = $28) and $15 for the zipper = $43.
- Left before tax: $357 − $43 = $314, or $314 ÷ 12.5 = about $25 an hour.
- The machine: $209.99 ÷ $314 = 0.67, so under one week of this mix covers the Brother XM2701M.
At the same mix, cutting the pant hem from 30 to 20 minutes saves 80 minutes and lifts the hourly figure to about $28. Fitting and pinning accurately the first time is where that time comes from.
What do you need to start?
You need a machine with a blind hem stitch, good scissors, pins, a tape measure, a fitting area, and a written price list. The machine price below was read on Brother Canada’s page on October 19, 2026; price the rest from your own receipts.
Which tools are worth adding after the machine?
A serger (overlocker) finishes seams the way ready-to-wear clothing is finished, which matters for taking in knits and side seams; chalk and a sewing gauge make hems consistent. These were the Amazon.ca prices on October 19, 2026:
| Item | Product | Price (Amazon.ca, Oct 19, 2026) | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serger | Brother 1034D 3/4-thread serger | $613.64 | Second purchase, once side-seam and knit jobs come in |
| Marking | Triangle tailor’s chalk, 10 pieces | $9.85 | Marking pinned hems at the fitting |
| Measuring | SINGER 6-inch sewing gauge | $4.99 | Even hem allowances, inches and centimetres |
Compare the serger price with a local sewing-machine dealer before buying. A beginner can run the first season on the Brother XM2701M alone and add the serger when take-in jobs justify it.
A price sheet you can copy
[Your name] Alterations, [neighbourhood]
Starting prices, final price confirmed at fitting
Pant hem (standard) $[16]
Jeans hem (original hem) $[24]
Dress hem (per layer) $[28]+
Take in waist $[32]+
Jacket sleeves $[45]+
Zipper replacement $[40]+
Rush (48 hours) +$[10]
Fittings by appointment. Pickup within 7 days.
Booking fee $[15], applied to your bill. Formal and bridal: 50% deposit at first fitting.
Garments must be clean. Items left over [60] days may be donated.A fitting checklist
[ ] Client wears the shoes they will wear to the event
[ ] Pin, then mark with chalk; photograph the pinned garment
[ ] Write the job, price and pickup date on a tag pinned to the garment
[ ] Confirm the event date; refuse a deadline you cannot meet
[ ] Check fabric (stretch, lining, beading) before quotingWhat does a first month look like?
A first month starts by sewing for friends to get your times down, then opens a short list of jobs before the holiday rush.
| Week | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Buy or service a machine; hem five pairs of your own or donated pants and time each |
| 2 | Write a price sheet under local shop prices; offer friends a discount for reviews |
| 3 | Post locally with the price sheet and before/after photos; set fitting hours |
| 4 | Take holiday bookings with dates; cap the week so you can meet every deadline |
Which tax rules apply to an alterations side hustle in Canada?
Alterations income is self-employment income reported on Form T2125, with thread, zippers, a share of the machine through capital cost allowance and home-office costs as possible expenses. GST/HST registration is required once taxable sales pass $30,000 in a calendar quarter or four consecutive calendar quarters, under the CRA’s when to register rules. Home workspace claims are explained in the home office expenses guide. This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
What can this guide not confirm?
This guide cannot confirm what alterations sell for in your neighbourhood, whether the Amazon.ca serger price reflects the usual price for that model, whether your municipality allows customers to visit a home business, or what insurance covers damage to a client’s garment. Shop prices are starting prices read on October 19, 2026 (Sew It Goes calls its list an estimate range), and the Job Bank figures are 2023-2024 data. The weekly example uses assumed job counts and times. This is not tax, legal, or insurance advice.
Which guides sit next to clothing alterations?
- Clothing resale: repaired and altered pieces sell better.
- Holiday gift wrapping: another December service from home.
- Etsy shop: if you also sew items to sell.
- Best winter side hustles: other winter work.
What are the common questions?
How much does it cost to hem pants in Canada?
Published starting prices on October 19, 2026 were $14.99 plus tax in Ottawa, $18 for a standard hem at Topology in Vancouver, $20 at Calgary Seamstress, $15+ at Gibson's in Toronto and Sew It Goes in London, Ontario, and $16.99 at Charlotte in Toronto. Original jeans hems were $20+ to $28.
How much do tailors make in Canada?
Job Bank lists tailors at a national median of $19.00 an hour, with a $15.50 low and a $26.00 high, based on 2023-2024 data. The Ontario and B.C. medians are $20.00.
What sewing machine do I need for alterations?
A machine with a blind hem stitch and zipper foot is enough to start. Brother Canada listed the XM2701M, with 27 stitches and 6 feet including blind stitch and zipper, at $209.99 on October 19, 2026.
How much can I make doing alterations from home?
In the illustrative week, 14 jobs bring $357, or about $314 after materials, over about 12.5 hours, roughly $25 an hour before tax. Faster hems raise that figure.
Do I charge GST/HST on alterations?
Once your taxable sales pass $30,000 in a calendar quarter or four consecutive quarters you must register and charge GST/HST. Income goes on Form T2125. This is not tax advice.
Which sources support this guide?
The rules, rates, and platform requirements in this guide are checked against these primary sources. Retail price ranges are labelled as ranges to verify locally, and they are not quotes.
- Price List — Calgary Seamstress
- Pant & Jeans Hemming in Vancouver — Topology Alterations
- Clothing Alterations Service in Ottawa — Drycleaner Alteration Ottawa
- Tailor in Canada: Wages — Job Bank, Government of Canada
- Brother XM2701M 27-Stitch Sewing Machine — Brother Canada
- Alterations & Repairs — Charlotte Dry Cleaning & Alterations
- Toronto Tailor | Alterations & Repairs — Gibson's Cleaners
- Tailoring — Sew It Goes
- Brother 1034D Serger — Amazon.ca
- Triangle Tailor's Chalk (10 pcs) — Amazon.ca
- SINGER 6 inch Sewing Gauge — Amazon.ca
- When to register for and start charging the GST/HST — Canada Revenue Agency
- T2125 Statement of Business or Professional Activities — Canada Revenue Agency