I am an owner of the Halogen pencil skirt-- I can currently wear it low on the hip, but for a better fit and to wear it at my waist I want to get it altered.

I've never had anything professionally altered before (I have several female family members that are master seamstresses, so I cheat). Unfortunately, my grandmother has had to take a last minute trip and won't be able to do the alterations-- I gave the skirt to my mother (a decent sewer, but not a seamstress) and she is nervous about it, so rather than give her heart palpitations, I've decided to take the skirt to a tailor.

I was just wondering if any of the ladies that have had the skirt altered through the waist and hips (especially alterations where the side seams were opened up--- a more complex alteration than a 1/2 inch nip) would be able to tell me what price they paid for the alterations. Obviously different areas of the country will be different, but I've been quoted all types of prices from $80- to - $5 and I am trying to pick something that is reasonably on par. I don't think some of the lower quotes are reasonable as far as doing it properly (it is going to take way more time then hemming a pair of trousers) but even $50 turns a 60 dollar skirt into a 100-plus dollar POLYESTER skirt. How much did your waist/hip alterations cost?

Also, I am a bit nervous about what happens if he/she mucks up the skirt or does the alterations improperly. What is the etiquette/recourse for this? I know enough about alterations to be dangerous and have issues with a sub-par job-- but not enough to achieve professional results myself. Of course, I'm also having issues getting tailoring recommendations-- maintenance employees and elementary school teachers here apparently don't have much use for tailoring carhart pants and polo shirts.