Yes, It’s Possible To Start A Workshopping Business Right In Your Own Garage

Posted on Nov 29 2016 - 6:40pm by Editorial Staff

A lot of people are well aware of the benefits of running a business from home. But a lot of people might think that involves sitting at a desk and on the computer all the day. Not necessarily. If you prefer fixing or making things, working with your hands, you can do that as well. All you need is the right space for it. For a lot of businesses, the garage is a perfect fit for that space.

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Pic by Alvimann

Why use your garage?

The most obvious of the benefits of starting any business from home is the fact that it’s a lot cheaper. Not costly office rent or overheads to deal with. Your energy bills might jump up a bit but that’s still a serious reduction. Since it’s your own property, you have a lot more options with what changes you can make to it, as well. It gives you a space to experiment, too, before you start thinking about the cost effectiveness that larger corporations inevitably have to think about.

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Pic by Louise791

Getting permission

You might not be able to start working just yet, however. Depending on what industry you want to get into, you are going to have to get permits to work from your garage. Before you can even start getting the garage ready, you might just have to get planning permission, too.

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Pic by bobby

Getting it ready

With your legal checklist checked out, it comes to the workspace itself. Start with a blank slate, emptying your garage out entirely. An even floor is important, so make sure that any slants or disruptions in the garage floor are dealt with. Then you will want to go about installing workbenches, storage for your tools and safe space for you to actually get to work. If you’re using electrical tools, have an electrician give your garage a once over. Installing safety equipment like an extinguisher and fire alarms is important as well.

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Pic by dibjo

Know the equipment you need

The tools you use for production and repairs are likely to be a bit more specialized than the kind of kit most people have in their garages. For instance, if you’re working on repairing bikes or tools, you might need something like a tig welder. Make sure you get to know the suppliers in your area. Don’t go cheap or expect one time purchases. You want a long-term relationship with them, as they tend to have more financial perks to them.

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Pic by jzlomek

Be considerate of others

Your family obviously will be aware of your plans. But it’s a good idea to tell any neighbors about what you’re up to in your garage, too. For one, they might be willing to overlook the amount of noise coming from your garage. But you should look into soundproofing it, anyway, and keep your working hours reasonable. You don’t want complaints shutting down your business.

It takes a bit of work to make your garage ready to do business from. Whether it’s getting the space itself prepared, getting the tools you need or making sure you’re considerate to others. But for a lot of home businesses, the benefits are well worth it.

About the Author

Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.