Home-Based furniture repair and touch-up

Households with furniture they want to keep, second-hand furniture buyers, landlords, and local interior stylists or antique sellers.

Quote per job or charge an hourly rate plus materials. Small repairs bring steady work, and larger refinishing jobs bring higher-value orders.

• Basic woodworking and joinery
• Finishing, staining and polishing
• Quoting jobs accurately
• Patience and attention to detail

• Check with your local council whether a home-based business needs approval, especially with noise, dust or customer visits
• Public liability insurance, and check whether your home insurance covers business use and stored customer items
• Finishes, solvents and sanding dust: ensure good ventilation and wear a proper respirator
• Older furniture may have lead-based paint, so check safe handling before sanding
• Agree in writing how you handle damage risk on valuable or antique pieces

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $4,000, depending on the tools, finishing supplies and workshop set-up you already have. Treat this as a guide and price your own equipment list.

Check with your local council whether a home-based business needs approval, especially with noise, dust or customer visits. Also check whether your home insurance covers business use and stored customer items, and look into public liability insurance.

Basic woodworking and joinery, finishing, staining and polishing, and accurate quoting help, along with patience and attention to detail. Estimated time starts from about 8 hours a week, with monthly revenue typically around $600 to $3,000.