Garage business – top ideas

Having a garage and the desire to start working for yourself is already a great start. You don’t need to spend money on renting a room, and there are more than enough ideas for a do-it-yourself garage business.

Next, we’ll talk about what kind of business in a garage with minimal investment can be organized, what expenses await a novice entrepreneur, and what needs to be taken into account when starting work.

Choice of direction of activity

Business ideas in the garage are just a huge amount. Actually, this way you can organize any business that does not require a large room and expensive, requiring special storage of equipment and raw materials.

It goes without saying that it is impossible to start baking bakery products or dairy products – no sanitary and epidemiological station will give permission for this, and it will be difficult to achieve excellent product quality, even expensive, since not only the purchase of special equipment will be required, but also a significant restructuring of the garage.

The choice of the direction of activity should be based on the following factors:

• To what the soul lies and there are skills – this is by no means a pathetic phrase, since how the business will develop depends on the desire to work and develop your business. Work, after all, should be fun.
• Starting capital – the smaller it is, the more limited the range of opportunities. For example, it will not be possible to purchase expensive equipment.
• The complexity of the workflow and the ability to adapt it to the garage.

In addition, we should not forget about the legalization of activities. In most cases, a small business in a garage completely manages to register an individual entrepreneur.

How to prepare the room?

Suppose that you have decided which business to open in the garage, now you can get to work. An approximate step-by-step plan for starting the development of your business is as follows:

• Put the room in order, connect the necessary communications – electricity, plumbing, sewerage, if necessary, heating. If there will be work with chemical, paint and varnish substances, then it is necessary to install a good ventilation system. Without it, working in the garage will be dangerous to health.
• Write a detailed business plan.
• Document your business.
• Purchase the necessary equipment, hire personnel if necessary (but if at first you can do without it, then it’s better to do so).
• Establish ways to sell finished products.
• Launch an advertising campaign and start working.

Theoretically, everything is simple. In practice, there will be difficulties, mistakes will be made, but this is quite natural.

A little about the calculations – when drawing up a business plan for a small business in a garage, put in some capital with a margin, since force majeure should not be ruled out. It is best to start your business using personal funds, not a bank loan.

Top Garage Business Ideas

Next, consider the most simple, but at the same time working garage business ideas. All of them have a very real application and have long been bringing their owners a good and stable income.

Making decorative sculptures

To get started you will need the following:

• Raw materials – ready-made mixtures for the manufacture of sculptures are sold.
• Special molds for casting figures.
• A set of tools for kneading, finishing and so on.
• Consumables – gloves, respiratory protection, finishing materials and so on – depending on what kind of products and from what you will sell.

The advantages of such a business are as follows:

• Profitable – on average, it takes up to 600 rubles to make one sculpture.
• The sale of the finished product starts from 1500 rubles and more.
• You can make both something individual and stamped elements to decorate stairs, facades of houses and so on.
• Such products are in demand, so the income will not take long to wait.

In most cases, such projects pay off in an average of 3-4 months.

Manufacture of metal products, parts, processing of materials on machine tools

The essence of such a small business in the garage is to equip a mini-workshop for the manufacture and processing of metal on machine tools. To get started you will need the following:

• Tools and equipment.
• Arrange a ventilation system, good lighting.
• Connection to a 380 Volt transmission line.

The amount of revenue, and, consequently, the payback period, will depend on the cost of production, demand among the population. By the way, you can offer your services not only to individuals, but also to organizations. For example, the manufacture of metal entrance doors, window grilles will also be interesting for construction organizations.

To start, provided that there are no necessary machines and tools, you will need about 100,000 rubles.

Turning services

Turning a part, sharpening an element for a specific mechanism – all this is always in demand not only among individuals, but also among owners of auto repair shops, small private enterprises.

The minimum investment for such a garage business idea is about 50,000 rubles. To get started you will need the following:

• Lathe.
• Special tools.
• Expendable materials.

If you have enough skills and funds, then it is quite possible to install a CNC machine – so the quality of work, the speed and the number of orders made, increases significantly. And that means more income.

The minimum cost of a turner service starts at 100 rubles, so if you have a good workload, you can make pretty good money.

Production of frames for greenhouses

This type of business in the garage can rather be called seasonal, but still it is worth considering as a means of making money. To start such a small business in a garage, you will need about 150,000 rubles. Of the necessary equipment, you will need tools and equipment for working with plastic and polycarbonate, since it is the latter type of material that is increasingly in demand.

The advantages of such a business in the garage are many:

• Low cost of materials.
• Ease of manufacture, no need for special expensive equipment.
• Good profitability and relatively quick payback of the project.

Additionally, you can provide installation services, which will not only increase profits, but also recommend the company as providing comprehensive services.

Repair of household appliances

Almost every day someone breaks something from household appliances, and therefore services for its repair will always be relevant. The initial cost of developing such a garage business from scratch is about 50,000 rubles.

However, please note that the development of such a small business in the garage requires certain qualifications and skills from the master. To get started you will need the following:

• Purchase the necessary tools and diagnostic equipment.
• Organize advertising.
• Set up receiving calls, delivering equipment.

An even better option would be the delivery of equipment from the client’s home to the repair base and back to the address – complex services will definitely be in demand more than just repairs.

Smokehouse equipment

Smoked products – both fish and meat, are in demand among all segments of the population, as it is simply delicious, although not particularly healthy. The initial investment for such a small garage business is, on average, 100,000 rubles.

It will be somewhat more difficult to implement such a business idea in the garage, since you cannot do without special equipment. The basis in this case is an electric or conventional smokehouse in the form of a cabinet, but the following must be taken into account:

• Since we are talking about the manufacture of food products with subsequent sale, permission from special authorities will be required.
• You need to choose a reliable supplier for the purchase of raw materials – meat, fish, additional components for the preparation of the product.
• If the work will be carried out by hired workers, then you need to make sure that all norms and quality standards are strictly observed.

There will be no shortage in the sales market, provided that good products are made. Grocery stores, eating places, fast food kiosks, market outlets are all your potential customers.

As for the calculations, the minimum wholesale margin starts from 100%, and this indicates the complete closure of costs and a profit of about 200,000 rubles per month.

wood carving

This version of a business idea in a garage is perfect for creative individuals, and 50,000 rubles will be enough for start-up capital. At the heart of this garage business idea is the equipment of a workshop for decorating objects through artistic carving.

To get started, you need a good set of carpentry tools and high-quality raw materials. It goes without saying that you need to take care of the influx of customers – there can be not only individuals, but also souvenir shops, home decor salons, photo studios and similar premises.

auto repair shop

A garage auto repair shop is one of the most common garage business ideas for men. About 100,000 rubles will have to be put on the initial costs, and the essence of such an entrepreneurship is the provision of services to car owners, which may well be considered as an alternative to expensive service stations.

However, please note that it will not be possible to implement all auto repair services in a garage, so it is better to choose several highly specialized, but at the same time related areas of work:

• Installation and adjustment of electricians.
• Car repair of varying degrees of complexity.
• Airbrushing, car painting. But, in this case, take care of a good ventilation system, a drying chamber and almost sterile cleanliness. Be sure to think about personal safety, as working with paint is hazardous to health.

Although starting such a business in a garage cannot be called simple, it can bring good income, since the minimum check for painting services, if we take the average market figure, is about 30,000 rubles. So you can pay back the costs in 3-4 months.

Furniture manufacture

Of course, large garnishes of complex shape cannot be made in the garage, but it is quite possible to assemble beds, wardrobes, and so on, as well as make small items for interior decoration.

The starting capital is about 100,000 rubles. To get started, it is not at all necessary to purchase materials and special machines for processing, cutting and assembling structural elements. You can purchase the main elements, and directly in the equipped workshop to carry out the final assembly.

As for promotion, online advertising will work well here: developing your own online store, promoting it in search engines. You can also attract customers through advertising in the media.

Store opening

This type of business in the garage can only be realized if the gate of the premises faces the road. In addition, if food is to be traded, then it will be necessary to obtain permission from the sanitary and epidemiological station.

Initial investment – about 120,000 rubles. The lion’s share of the costs will be for the following:

• Repair and decoration of the premises for the store.
• Purchase and installation of the necessary equipment – refrigerators, scales.
• Purchase of the initial batch of goods.

In addition, you will have to spend money on paperwork and obtaining a license to sell certain products.

With a rational approach to doing business, the average monthly revenue will be 20,000-30,000 rubles, so that you can reach full payback in six months.

Arrangement of a mini-forge

Such a business idea in a garage for men requires significant redevelopment, since it will be necessary to install a chimney, as well as install a furnace and a place for metal processing – an anvil, a work table, a place to store tools.

The main items of expenditure in such a business will be the following:

• Purchase of special equipment. If the initial budget is very limited, then you can rent everything you need.
• Procurement of materials needed for work.
• Registration of all necessary permits.
• Advertising services and promoting your company on the market – both outdoor advertising and online promotion tools will work well here.

It is art forging that will bring good income, but here one cannot do without the services of an artist-designer.

As for the target audience, both individuals and organizations will be among the clients.

A completely non-standard idea – furnishing a residential space for rent

Daily and hourly rent is the service that is always in demand. It would seem, where is the garage and where is the housing, but some private entrepreneurs have thought of this before and such a business is flourishing.

So, to get started you will need:

• Connect all communications in the garage – plumbing, electricity, heating. There must also be a ventilation system.
• Carrying out repairs – the garage needs to be insulated, and finishing work must also be carried out.
• Furnishings – necessary furniture, interior items, household items.

The average check for such services is 300 rubles per hour. Such a garage can be quite squeezed for small parties – bachelor parties, for example.

Renting out premises

Actually, this is the easiest option – it does not require an initial investment (only if the garage is in good condition), and rent is always in demand. You can rent a garage for the following purposes:

• As a small warehouse.
• For storage of vehicles, personal belongings.
• For setting up a small business.

Depending on the condition of the premises, as well as the location of the garage, the average income per month is about 3,000 rubles.

Required documents

It should be noted that the legality of a business in a garage is somewhat ambivalent – there is no direct prohibition in the Code, but there is also no regulation that would clearly describe the legitimacy of developing such entrepreneurship.

In any case, business registration is needed and for this you will need:

• Apply to the Federal Tax Service to register an individual entrepreneur or LLC.
• Choose a tax plan.
• Obtain permission from the fire department and the sanitary and epidemiological station.

When registering the legal form of the enterprise, you will also need to provide title documents for the premises itself.

In fact, there are a lot more garage business ideas than we have listed here. And even if you don’t find something close in spirit on the Internet, it’s quite possible to implement everything from scratch on your own and be a kind of pioneer in the market.

From garage cooperative to millionaire

If you still doubt that a small garage business can be considered a great start to grow your business, then here are some real examples for you:

• The famous Apple company – the first “office” of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak was the simplest garage. By the way, now it is a historical landmark.
• Google – it was in the garage that one of the largest companies in the world began its work in the summer of 1998.
• Amazon – a server, three personal computers and homemade tables. This is how Jeffrey Bezos began to develop his business in 1994.

It goes without saying that these are not all examples of more than a successful start of a business in a garage, and therefore, if you still doubt whether it is worth it, then read the development stories of the above companies and start drawing up a business plan for your business development option.