One size does not fit all and we all change size over time. Those two facts of life support the need for clothing alterations. Although you may think of yourself as a perfect size 8 or a 40 regular, your new dress or sport coat may not be quite ready to wear. The gown or the pants that fit you so nicely a year ago may have mysteriously shrunk or, more likely, you may have added a few pounds. Sometimes a minor costume malfunction—a missing button, an open seam, a broken zipper—can be repaired to rescue a favorite or valuable piece of clothing. Another fact of life is that relatively few people in modern society have the time, skills, or equipment to make clothing alterations or repairs.
When you are running the job of alteration, you have to prepare about the challenges and problems. Don’t experiment on jobs that are beyond your skills or experience. As a business, you will be liable for any damage you cause; your agreement with customers should limit the liability to the cost of replacement, excluding claims for sentimental value or loss of use. Even so, you should be very careful about accepting a job to hem a $2,000 wedding dress for a $20 fee; the risk is much greater than the reward. In dealing with your client’s property, seek to limit your liability for damage or loss to the actual replacement value of items in your possession. You should protect yourself against claims for sentimental value or loss of use.