How Much to Charge for Shoe Repair
Price shoe repair per task from a bench rate of $50–$90 an hour — full resoles commonly $60–$175 depending on construction, heel replacement $20–$60, and stitching or welt work by the hour — with materials passed through and a shop minimum of $15–$25. Designer and Goodyear-welted work prices above rubber-soled repairs. ShowTheReceipts keeps each task price saved.
Per-task prices, from a real bench rate
Set a bench rate of $50–$90 an hour and price tasks by the minutes they take at the bench, not by the customer’s shoe.
| Task | Common range |
|---|---|
| Full resole (rubber / composite) | $60–$110 |
| Full resole (leather / welted) | $110–$175+ |
| Half sole or toe tap | $30–$60 |
| Heel replacement | $20–$60 |
| Stitching / welt repair | Hourly |
| Stretching, dyeing, patching | $20–$75 |
| Zipper replacement (boots) | $45–$95 |
Construction sets the price, not the brand
A Goodyear welt takes longer than a cemented sole regardless of the label inside. Price by how the shoe is built and how the repair has to be done.
Materials pass through
Soles, heels, leather, and thread go on the invoice at cost plus a handling margin. On specialist or colour-matched materials, take a deposit before ordering — those are cut to one pair and worthless if nobody collects.
A shelf of uncollected repairs is money you already spent. Deposits and a stated pickup date keep it short.
Minimums, rush, and mail-in
Set a $15–$25 shop minimum, charge a stated uplift for same-day or next-day work, and on mail-in repairs collect payment before the pair ships back — once it’s gone, so is your leverage.
What not to do
- Don’t price by the shoe’s brand instead of its construction
- Don’t take five-minute jobs below a minimum
- Don’t order colour-matched materials without a deposit
- Don’t ship a mail-in repair before it’s paid
Frequently asked questions
What should a full resole cost?
$60–$110 for a standard rubber or composite resole and $110–$175+ for leather soles or Goodyear-welted construction, which takes far more bench time. Price by construction, not by how expensive the shoe looks — the welt determines your hours.
Should I charge more for designer shoes?
Price by the work, with a premium where the materials or construction genuinely demand it — matched leathers, hand-stitching, delicate finishes. The customer's shoe being expensive isn't itself a reason to charge more, but the care those shoes actually require usually is.
What should my shop minimum be?
$15–$25. A glued heel tip takes five minutes at the bench and fifteen minutes at the counter, and counter time is the real cost of small work. A minimum keeps the quick jobs from crowding out the profitable ones.
How should I price mail-in shoe repair?
Repair price plus return shipping charged at cost, with inbound shipping paid by the customer and payment collected before the pair ships back. Mail-in work removes the pickup conversation entirely, which means it also removes your leverage — get paid before it leaves.