Trades business ideas you can run from home in Australia

39 ideas

These 39 ideas suit people with a trade skill, or a willingness to learn one, who want to work from a garage, shed or spare room rather than a shopfront. Some are hands-on, such as a home workshop sharpening service, clock and watch repair, or a home-based jewellery repair bench.

Swipe through these ideas →

Home leather repair workshop

Fix bags, jackets and shoes from a home workshop, with customers dropping off or posting items.

• A$1.5k-7k
• Side hustle
• From home

Playground equipment reseller (subcontracted install)

Quote and sell play equipment to schools, councils and nurseries, and hire a local crew to install it.

• A$2k-10k
• Part-time
• From home

Home copper studio: homewares and repairs

Hand-make copper homewares and repair cookware and garden pieces from a garage or shed.

• A$1.5k-8k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home-based door and hardware supplier

Quote and order-in doors, frames and hardware for local builders and renovators, with no shopfront needed.

• A$2k-10k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home workshop wheelchair repairs

Repair and service wheelchairs and mobility aids from a garage or small workshop, with drop-off and pick-up.

• A$2.5k-10k
• Side hustle
• From home

Online hose and fittings reseller

Sell hoses, clamps and fittings online to farms and tradies from home, posted from a small stock room.

• A$3k-12k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home gemstone cutting and polishing studio

Cut and polish gemstones on commission for jewellers, collectors and people with a special stone.

• A$3k-12k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home-based jewellery repair bench

Fix clasps, resize rings and repair chains at a home bench for local shops and walk-up customers by appointment.

• A$2k-8k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home workshop clock and watch repair

Repair and service mantel clocks, wall clocks and watches from a tidy workshop at home, taking jobs by post or drop-off.

• A$1.5k-6k
• Side hustle
• From home

Backyard forge: knives, tools and hooks

Hand-forge small items like hooks, fire tools and knives in a home forge and sell them at markets and online.

• A$1.5k-6k
• Side hustle
• From home

Local light bulb and lamp supplier

Stock LED globes and lamps at home and deliver to electricians, shops and property managers.

• A$3k-15k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home workshop instrument repairer

Fix and set up guitars, violins or school band instruments from a workshop at home.

• A$1.5k-7k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home studio goldsmith for repairs and resizing

Repair, resize and remake gold and silver jewellery from a small bench at home for locals and shops.

• A$3k-10k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home workshop welding and fabrication

Make and repair metal items in your own shed for locals, tradies and small businesses.

• A$3k-15k
• Side hustle
• From home

Custom furniture maker from a home workshop

Build tables, shelves and small furniture to order from a garage or backyard workshop.

• A$3k-15k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home jewellery and gift engraver

Engrave names, dates and messages onto rings, pendants and gifts from a small home workspace.

• A$800-6k
• Side hustle
• From home

Supply-and-fit benchtops for homeowners

Measure, make and fit laminate or timber benchtops for homeowners from a small garage or shed workshop.

• A$8k-25k
• Part-time
• From home

Stone supplier without a yard

Sell landscaping stone and slabs from home, with orders delivered straight from the quarry or importer to site.

• A$2k-8k
• Side hustle
• From home

Furniture and door paint stripping workshop

Strip old paint from furniture, doors and metalwork in your garage or workshop for homeowners and restorers.

• A$1.5k-6k
• Side hustle
• From home

Antique furniture restorer (home workshop)

Repair and refinish antique chairs, tables and cabinets in your garage or shed for private owners and dealers.

• A$1.5k-6k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home-based mirror and small glass cutting

Cut mirrors, shelves and small panes to size from your garage for local households and framers.

• A$1.5k-6k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home workshop small engine repairs

Service and repair mowers, whipper snippers and chainsaws from a garage or shed at home.

• A$1.5k-6k
• Side hustle
• From home

Scale repair bench workshop

Repair and service scales from a small workshop, working for customers and for larger scale companies.

• A$3k-12k
• Side hustle
• From home

Home-based ceiling materials supplier

Take trade orders for ceiling boards and tiles, have wholesalers pack them, and deliver to site without a big warehouse.

• A$3k-15k
• Side hustle
• From home

About these ideas

Others are supply or broker models, like a granite slab broker for fabricators and builders, with less equipment but more supplier relationships. Before you choose, think about noise, fumes, storage and customer visits, and whether your home can handle them. Check your local council's rules on home businesses, your insurance needs, and whether the work requires a licence or qualification.

More ideas

• Used forklift reseller
• Online niche electrical trade supplier
• Home-based window supply and ordering service
• Hot water systems trade reseller
• Granite slab broker for fabricators and builders
• Home-based fire protection parts reseller
• Home luggage and bag repair
• Home-based trade lighting supplier
• Home workshop sharpening service
• Fencing materials supplier, delivered to site
• Custom joinery from a home workshop
• Home workshop joiner for custom timber fittings
• Home workshop power tool repairer
• Home workshop furniture upholsterer
• Online garage door parts and spares supplier

Questions