Pricing
What it costs, and why.
We don't publish a price list, because any shop that quotes a tattoo without seeing the design, the size and the placement is guessing. What we can do is be completely transparent about how the number is arrived at — so you know what you're paying for before you walk in.
Tattoo pricing
Small work is priced flat — a single quoted figure for the piece. Larger work is billed hourly, because the only honest way to price a twenty-hour project is by the hour.
Four things move the number:
- Size. The most obvious factor, and not linear — doubling the dimensions roughly quadruples the area.
- Detail density. A photorealistic portrait and a bold traditional rose can be the same size and differ by ten hours of chair time.
- Placement. Ribs, sternum, inner arm, knees and feet are slower to work on and harder on you, so they take longer.
- Color. Packing solid color roughly doubles the time versus line and shade alone.
The shop minimum
Every tattoo, no matter how small, requires a fresh set of sterile single-use needles and tubes, new ink caps, barrier film, a clean station setup and a full breakdown afterwards. That's the same cost whether the tattoo takes ten minutes or two hours, and the minimum covers it. Call (586) 949-6200 for the current figure.
Cover-ups and reworks
Cover-ups need roughly 1.5× the chair time of fresh work at the same size, because ink has to be layered over existing pigment and often needs multiple passes. If a few laser fading sessions first would produce a better result, we'll tell you — it usually costs less overall than forcing a heavy cover.
Piercing pricing
Piercings are quoted as a service fee plus jewelry. The service fee covers the piercer's time, the sterile single-use needle, the setup and the aftercare products. Jewelry is separate because it ranges from implant-grade titanium to solid 14k and 18k gold.
You get the full number — service and jewelry together — before anything happens. Nothing gets added partway through, and the downsize appointment afterwards is free.
A note on cheap tattoos
Price shopping a tattoo is the most expensive thing you can do. A piece that costs half as much and needs covering in three years costs you the original price, plus the cover-up, plus possibly a few laser sessions, plus having to live with it in the meantime — and cover-ups constrain what you can have far more than a blank canvas ever would.
The most common thing we hear from people booking a cover-up is some version of “I went with the cheaper option.” It isn't a judgment — it's an extremely common and entirely understandable mistake. But it's worth knowing that the cheapest tattoo in the room is very rarely the cheapest tattoo in the long run.
Pricing FAQ
Money questions, answered plainly.
How much does a tattoo cost?
Small pieces are priced flat starting at our shop minimum; larger work is billed hourly. Cost depends on size, placement, detail and how many sessions it takes. You'll get a real number at your consultation before you commit to anything — we don't do surprise pricing.
Do you have a shop minimum?
Yes. Every tattoo, no matter how small, requires a fresh set of sterile single-use needles, tubes, ink caps and barrier film, plus the artist's setup and breakdown time. The minimum covers that. Call for the current figure.
How much do piercings cost?
Piercing prices are quoted as a service fee plus jewelry, since jewelry ranges from implant-grade titanium to solid gold. We'll give you the full price before anything happens — there are no add-ons revealed halfway through.
What payment methods do you accept?
Cash, credit and debit. Cash is always appreciated, particularly for tips, which go directly to your artist and are never expected but always noticed.
Book a session
Get a real number, free.
Bring the idea in or describe it over the phone. We'll size it, tell you how many sessions it needs, and quote it honestly before you commit to anything.