Alteration Cost Calculator — Know Your True Cost Per Rental After Cleaning and Repairs

Cost Details

Dry Cleaning Cost Per Rental ($)

Hemming/Alteration Cost ($)

Avg. Repair Cost ($)

Rental Price ($)

Rentals Before Major Alteration Needed

How many times can you rent before a hem or repair is needed?

Per-Rental Economics

Total Cost Per Rental

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Profit Margin —

Alteration ROI —

Replace When Cost Exceeds —

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How It Works

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Enter Your Costs

Input your cleaning, hemming, and repair costs per garment, plus your rental price and how many rentals you get between major alterations.

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See True Per-Rental Cost

The calculator amortizes alteration costs across rentals and adds per-rental cleaning to show your real cost per booking.

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Know When to Replace

See the cost threshold where it makes more sense to retire a garment and replace it rather than continuing to alter and repair.

Track Garment Costs with Reservety

Reservety helps clothing rental businesses track per-item costs, manage inventory condition, and automate booking. No commissions, just a flat monthly fee.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to maintain a rental garment?

The typical cost per rental is $15-$30 for dry cleaning plus $3-$10 in amortized alterations and repairs. For high-end designer pieces, cleaning alone can be $25-$50. The key is tracking these costs per garment to know your actual profit margin on each rental.

When should I retire a rental garment instead of altering it?

Retire a garment when per-rental maintenance costs exceed 50% of the rental price. At that point, the profit margin is too thin to justify keeping it in rotation. Also retire garments when the fabric shows visible wear that cleaning cannot fix, or when alterations would change the fit beyond the standard size range.

How many times can a garment be rented before it needs replacement?

A well-made garment can typically be rented 15-30 times before it needs retirement. High-quality fabrics like wool and silk hold up longer than synthetic blends. Structured garments like suits last longer than flowing dresses. Track each item's rental count and condition to know your average lifespan by category.