So last week my boss and I went to fix a customer's window treatments that had sporadically grown 1/8" to 2/8" of an inch (fabric does some weird things depending on the weaving structure of it; when fabric grows it literally gets longer because it eases as it hangs). It took us 2 hours to undo previous work and fix it. And I'm sure I learned this stuff the 3rd time I took accounting or micro-economics or whatever that soul-sucking, money-vacuuming, major-questioning class was back in '07, but it really wasn't on the this-will-one-day-be-relevant-radar.
How many times did you make a thing only to realize something's on backwards and you have to take the seam ripper to it? Or maybe you ate yourBaconator a little too close to that sateen gown and now there's a big fat grease stain on it. Did you just cringe? And get a little hungry? Oh yeah. #memories
Mistakes: How much do they cost? Hint: it's threefold; ouch! https://t.co/Y36skrRuwC #SmallBusiness #sewing #custom pic.twitter.com/QYoqp9ueMe
— Lidz (@sexyDEATHparty) November 26, 2015
- THE INITIAL COST
- This is the cost associated with what the client initially gets charged for. For you it would includes cost of materials + labor + overhead + profit. (Thaaaaank you Mr. Marcus Lemonis!)
- THE FIX-IT COST
- If something goes wonky either during the construction process or after the construction is finished, chances are you have to fix it.
- Reasons for fixing something include
- visible errors,
- additional tailoring (some fabrics stretch and some shrink, knowing what to anticipate can save time and $),
- something breaks or doesn't hold up to wear,
- damaged in transit
- etc.? The unicorns were so taken with it they had to mark their territory?
- visible errors,
- Sometimes this can include additional shipping & handling fees that you will likely have to eat if you're concerned with customer service.
- Depending on the industry, charging the client for additional labor due to the above errors is accepted. This is a shady area I don't know much about. If there are additional materials then that should definitely incur an extra charge. It depends. Ask what others in your industry do and take the best advice.
- THE OPPORTUNITY COST
- This is the money lost because you could have been using your time for another profitable job.
Damn. That's a lot of loss for a mistake. But if it happens, what else can you do?