AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
Price a sewing job by adding the materials you supply, your labour hours at an hourly rate, any outsourced finishing such as embroidery or stoning, and a share of rent and power, then adding a margin. Take a deposit that at least covers the materials you will buy for the job, and give every customer written terms on the receipt covering the balance, fitting dates, changes and uncollected garments.
Many tailors price by what the shop down the road charges. That is a useful check, but it is not a price. Two shops with the same rate can have very different costs: one runs a generator most of the day, the other has steady power; one pays an embroiderer per piece, the other does it in-house. If you price below your own cost, busy months still lose money. Here is how to build a price from the inside, then set deposit terms that protect it.
Step 1: materials you supply
List every item the job uses that you buy: lining, interfacing, thread, zips, buttons, beads, and the main fabric if the customer is not bringing it. Add a wastage allowance for cutting, because a pattern rarely uses every centimetre. Customer-supplied fabric is not part of your materials cost, but measure it before you accept it: if there is not enough, say so in writing before cutting.
Step 2: labour
Time the stages on a few real jobs: cutting, sewing, fitting, alterations after fitting, and pressing. Then set an hourly labour rate that covers what you pay yourself and any staff. If you work with apprentices, include their allowance. Time is the cost most tailors leave out, and it is usually the largest.
Step 3: finishing and outsourced work
Embroidery, stone work, beading, buttonholes done by a specialist, and dry cleaning are often paid per piece to someone else. Add them at the price you pay, plus a small handling margin for the time spent dropping off and collecting.
Step 4: overheads and margin
Overheads are rent, electricity or diesel, machine servicing, phone and data, and transport to buy materials. Add up a typical month and divide by the number of jobs you finish in a month to get an overhead charge per job. Then add a margin for profit and for the jobs that go wrong.
| Cost line | Example amount (₦) |
|---|---|
| Materials supplied | 6,500 |
| Labour | 10,000 |
| Embroidery | 8,000 |
| Overhead share | 4,000 |
| Total cost | 28,500 |
| Margin at 30% of cost | 8,550 |
| Price before rounding | 37,050 |
Rush jobs, especially in the weeks before festive seasons and weddings, deserve a separate rush charge because they push other work back and often mean late nights and more power use. Put the rush charge on the price list so it is not argued case by case.
Deposits: how much and why
A deposit does two jobs: it pays for materials, and it commits the customer. There is no legal standard deposit for tailoring. A sensible floor is the cost of the materials you will buy for that job, so you are never funding a customer's order from your own pocket. Many shops ask for more for wedding and group orders, where several outfits are made at once and a cancellation hurts more. Whatever you choose, apply it to everyone and write it on the receipt.
- Group and aso-ebi orders: take deposits per person, not one deposit for the group, and record each against its own job number.
- Customer's fabric: the deposit can be lower, but still cover your accessories and outsourced finishing.
- Changes after cutting: agree in writing that new styles after cutting are charged as alterations.
Collection terms and receipts
Put these on every receipt or order card: job number, price, deposit paid, balance, promised fitting and collection dates, what counts as a free adjustment, and what happens to garments not collected after a set period. On uncollected items, keep the rule reasonable and tell the customer at the time of order; take advice before selling or disposing of any customer's property. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act gives consumers a right to a written record of each transaction, per a Mondaq summary, and section 123 of the Act prohibits misleading statements about price, so the price you quote should match the price you charge. This is information, not legal advice.
What to check first
- Time three real jobs from cutting to pressing.
- Add up last month's overheads and jobs finished.
- Rebuild your price list from cost, then compare with the market.
- Print order cards with deposit and collection terms.
- Record deposits by job number in your job book.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme Business Account lets you take deposits by bank-transfer checkout, send invoices for group orders, and give customers a verifiable receipt through VerifyDoc.ai via receipts, which helps when there is a dispute about what was paid. For deposit rules in another service business, see deposits and booking rules for salons.
Questions people ask
How much deposit should a tailor collect in Nigeria?
There is no legal standard. At minimum, collect enough to cover the materials you will buy for the job, apply the same rule to every customer, and write it on the receipt.
How do I calculate the price of sewing a dress?
Add materials you supply, your labour hours at an hourly rate, outsourced finishing such as embroidery, and a share of monthly overheads, then add your margin.
What should I do with clothes customers do not collect?
Set a collection period and tell customers when they order, in writing. Take advice before selling or disposing of a customer's property.
Should tailors charge more for rush orders?
Yes, if rush work pushes other jobs back or costs more power and overtime. Put a rush charge on your price list so it is applied consistently.
Sources
- Mondaq (F.E. Fred-Young & Evans): consumer rights under the FCCPA (23 Dec 2019) · accessed Oct 2026
- LawGlobalHub: section 123 FCCPA 2018, false or misleading representations · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.