How much is the price for repair sewing leather per Stitch Per Inch (SPI)?

[RusticLeatherShop]

Hi,

I have a question.

How much is the average Price for sewing leather with the machine per Stitch Per Inch (SPI)? For repair sakes. Only the sewing.

Or any other reference like Per Inch or Yard will help as well for reference.

Example: you receive an belt for sewing an teared thread. The belt is 1 Yard Long and the Client requests to repair 30 centimeters of that since thats the part to repair.

How much to Charge per Inch? Any stitch length and any thread size.

I figured 17 Cents (17/100 US$) per Inch will be a fair Price. Is that to high? Is it to low?

[garypl]

I think you are better off charging by the job rather than by how many inches you sew.  Look at the project and determine how much your time is worth.

[RusticLeatherShop]

well over here it's different.

They ship the items to me ONLY FOR SEWING.

The rest of the work does another guy.

On the other Hand they dont give any orders if it's on a "per Job" Basis.

With fabric tailor here the rule is sewing costs you that much as does 1 meter of fabric.

If 1 (square) meter (or Yard) of fabric costs you 3.4 US$ then thats the Price for 1 Yard (meter) of sewing, that would be in that particular case 8.5 Cents per Inch (US$ Cents).

Edited September 21, 2018 by RusticLeatherShop

[alpha2]

What Gaypl said is true. Not every inch is the same, and not the cost of every thread, or machine, or any of the other variables. Figure out your cost for an hour of labor, and materials. Then, figure your skill level, the going rate in your area, any other considerations of your local area. New York City won't be the same as some backwater shop in the jungle. Only you know what an hour of your time, in your area, with your machines,etc. are worth.

 

Sorry, your post just made it in before mine! I can see that it is totally different where you are. In that case, you would be a better judge of that than I. All I can say, is aim high, you can always come down, but never up!

Edited September 21, 2018 by alpha2

[RusticLeatherShop]

17 US Cents per Inch is already high I would say.

Lets say in 1 hour on average 1 Person can sew 5 Yards Long threads. That would make it 3.4 US$ x 5 = 17 US$ per hour.

I would say thats to high.

Or did I missjudge the 5 Yards per hour work ability?

[RusticLeatherShop]

I wonder if it would be more normal to just Charge 10.6 Cents per Inch sewing leather. Instead of 17 Cents per Inch. Locally that would translate to 250 Pesos per Centimetre.

I believe thats more normal.

Any references are welcome as per SPI (Stitch Per Inch) pricing.

I know thats common pricing in the US as well (at least was once upon a time).

It's an easy measurement and the Client can know easily the approximatelly Price.

[chrisash]

How can you charge by length, its silly as you need the same time to set up for a inch as you do for a yard, its your time that you need to make money on, so charge by time, you want to make $xx per hour and if things are very cheap say minimum charge quarter of a hour or half a hour

It may take you ten minutes to look at a job decide how you do it set up the machine with the right thread and tensions and then start sewing, that's regardless of amount of time sewing  the actual item

[Bolt Vanderhuge]

Your example of 30cm (12") even at 17 cents per inch would only be $2.04 us. That would not be much at all here in the states. If that is a lot where your at then it could be worth it to you, It would not be worth it to me that is for sure. I would be more inclined to mirror chrisash's suggestion above. 

[Rockoboy]

A few years ago, before I started doing any leatherwork and way before I ever bought a sewing machine, I had a belt re-sewn. The length was 12inches and 1 & 1/2inches wide. So for 2feet 3 inches, I was charged $30.00AUD. That was a lot cheaper than buying a new belt for $75.00AUD. I was ok with paying more than $1.00AUD per inch, so I find your question irrelevant, unless you pose your question to people in your country and also within the economic region as most of your customers.

If you charge $1.00 per inch, I am guessing you would get no work. On the other hand, if the repairman in Australia was to charge 17cents per inch ($4.59 for the job I had done), he would not be able to pay his bills. 

[NVLeatherWorx]

There is no value to you taking on work that is based on the length of stitching that you are expected to do and being limited to a "standard" when it comes to what is considered acceptable to charge for your work.  Who is someone else to determine what your time, skills, and machine use is to cost?  The answer to that question is, you, you only; there is no government or industry formula that can work that out because they don't know what your experience is or what goes into doing what you do so you are either in the leather working business to make money, pay your bills, and grow your business you are just in it to fill your time and get walked on by others who are just using you to do the work that they do not want to learn or invest in themselves.  

I would never take on a job where someone else will dictate to me what an acceptable charge/cost is on any aspect of the work I do as I am the one with the skills and know-how that you are looking for so why the hell would I let you tell me how much you will pay?