Question 1

How much do alterations cost?

Accepted Answer

Depending what needs to be done, prices may vary.
There is no standard pricing for alterations overall. 
 
Please contact for more info and questions about our pricing/work!

Question 2

Do I have to book an appointment?

Accepted Answer

We do accept walk-ins but it is preferred to schedule an appointment ahead of time.
Especially for events such as guests for wedding, prom, gala etc... It is suggested minimum 1 month to schedule.

Please refer to our Wedding Dress FAQ if you are looking for information on wedding dresses.

Question 3

How fast can I get my order finished?

Accepted Answer

Depending what needs to be done, we can be flexible with timing if you truly need it to be rushed. 
We do not accept one day rush. 
Please contact for more info.

Question 4

What do I need to bring for my fitting?

Accepted Answer

For dresses, please bring the shoes you will be wearing on the day of your event.
If you have your own bra/cup that you prefer to have, please bring them.

For suits, if possible, bring your shoes and dress shirt so you are able to see the length of your pants and your sleeves for the suit jacket.

For casual clothing you do not need to bring anything extra.

Question 5

Can I come in for another fitting before you finish my order?

Accepted Answer

We understand it's a special day to wear your dress and you may be worried to pick at the little details. But we usually do not need another fitting, we always make sure we pin correctly on the first time! 
We will always ask you and double check if everything feels good. 
With loads of orders especially during wedding/prom season, it is not practical for us to keep re-fitting. We are only two people doing all the orders and that is why we always need to pin correctly the first time for yours and our sake!  
 
If truly needed such as, pregnancy; we are understanding and flexible with scheduling for another fitting.

Please refer to our Wedding Dress FAQ if you are looking for information on wedding dresses.

Question 6

Why is there different pricing?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the garment and alterations that needs to be done, the work may differ which means pricing will vary. 
 
For Example: A maxi dress compared to a beaded ball gown that need the same alteration to be done, pricing will vary due to the difference in complexity of these dresses.
For pants there is generally a base price. This base price is subject to change on specialty pants (ex: joggers with an ankle zipper)

Please contact for more info.

Question 7

My dress only cost $20, why is the alterations more expensive than the dress?

Accepted Answer

We have fair pricing for everyone. It doesn't matter if your dress is $20 or $200, if the same amount of work needs to be done, the pricing will be the same.

Question 8

My dress is too tight, is there a way to make it bigger?

Accepted Answer

Yes there is! We always suggest the best solutions. 
Many people think you can just open the seams to make it bigger.
We can take a look if that is do-able but most of the time we take off the zipper and make a corset. 
So you can fit your dress however you like!

Question 9

Do you have cups?  Do you always steam?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we have different sizing of cups and we can suggest the sizing and how many you'd like to put in your dress.
 
Yes, we do stem but not always.
Steaming starts at $10 and up. Many people have steamers or go to dry cleaners, so we do not steam orders, unless requested.

Question 10

Do you accept custom made orders?

Accepted Answer

We usually do not accept custom made orders anymore.
Depending on the time of year and what garment you'd like custom made, we are able to accept during October - February.

Please contact for more info.

Question 11

How do you take payment?

Accepted Answer

We only accept cash or debit.
You can either pay the day of your fitting or when you pick up your order.

For casual clothing you must leave a deposit or pay in full the day of your fitting.

NO credit, e-transfer, cheque

Question 12

Can I cancel my order?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you may cancel your order at any time BUT you will have to pay for a cancellation  fee.  
Evening gowns/wedding dresses: Any deposits or full payments will NOT be returned, cancellation fee will not be added.
Casual clothing: Any deposits will NOT be returned. Any full payments made day of will be returned but cancellation fee will apply.

If you decide to cancel during a period of us working on your order, you will have to pay for the work that has been done, no fees will be added on top of that.

+HST Debit or cash only
Evening gowns: $25.00 
Wedding dress: $45.00
Casual clothing: $10.00

We love doing the work for everybody but it's ultimately your own decision to choose what you would like to do with your garments.
Whether it's evening gowns or casual clothing, we spend our quality time with each person giving our professional advice equally to all.

For all dresses (casual or evening gowns) that we have marked with chalk during your fitting, we cannot clean that off and it will be returned to you with our chalk markings at the bottom. 
So, if you decide to not do alterations, we will take off ALL pins.

If you brought in your dress just for steaming, no fees will be applied.

Please contact if you have more questions

Call Us: (519) 971-7447

Frequently Asked Questions

Please call if you have any more questions!

Updated on January 2024

How much do alterations cost?

Do I have to book an appointment?

How fast can I get my order finished?

What do I need to bring for my fitting?

Can I come in for another fitting before you finish my order?

Why is there different pricing?

My dress only cost $20, why is the alterations more expensive than the dress?

My dress is too tight, is there a way to make it bigger?

Do you have cups? Do you always steam?

Do you accept custom made orders?

How do you take payment?

Can I cancel my order?

Copyright 2026 © Maria Chao Alterations

Frequently Asked Questions

Please call if you have any more questions!

*Updated on January 2024*

How much do alterations cost?

Do I have to book an appointment?

How fast can I get my order finished?

What do I need to bring for my fitting?

Can I come in for another fitting before you finish my order?

Why is there different pricing?

My dress only cost $20, why is the alterations more expensive than the dress?

My dress is too tight, is there a way to make it bigger?

Do you have cups? Do you always steam?

Do you accept custom made orders?

How do you take payment?

Can I cancel my order?

Copyright 2026 © Maria Chao Alterations

Updated on January 2024