Backyard party marquee hire

Hire a few pop-up and frame marquees with tables and chairs for local birthdays, christenings and garden parties.

Rented tables and chairs arranged inside a marquee ready for a wedding reception.
Startup costA$3k to A$12k
Monthly revenueA$600 to A$3.5k
Time needed6+ h/week
First incomeWeeks
  • A$3k-12k
  • Side hustle
  • From home

Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.

What it is

A small stock of marquees, trestle tables and chairs stored at home and hired out for backyard parties, school fairs and community events. You deliver, set up and pack down.

Your first three steps

  1. Check local hire prices and decide on two or three simple packages to offer
  2. Buy or lease a small starter stock and arrange safe, dry storage
  3. Set up a simple booking page and post in local community groups to get your first bookings
Who pays

Families hosting birthdays, engagements and christenings, plus schools, sporting clubs and community groups.

How it makes money

Flat hire fee per marquee or package, with extra charges for tables, chairs, delivery, setup and weekend bookings, plus a refundable bond.

Skills that help
  • Practical setup and pack-down
  • Organising bookings and stock
  • Friendly customer service
Watch out for
  • Public liability insurance and cover for hired equipment, ask your insurer
  • Council approval for running a business from home and storing equipment there, check with your local council
  • Wind and weather safety: set clear rules on anchoring and when marquees must come down
  • Damage and missing items, use a hire agreement and a bond
  • A ute, van or trailer is usually needed for deliveries, and heavy lifting risks injury

Deep research report · Australia

Everything you need to start: backyard party marquee hire

Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.

  • Startup costs with real prices
  • Licences, registration and rules
  • Pricing: what others charge
  • Break-even example
  • Finding your first customers
  • 30-day launch plan
  • Risks and how to reduce them
Ready in about 2 minutes · one-off payment, tax included

See a full sample report

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start a backyard marquee hire business?

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on how many marquees, tables and chairs you buy and what you need to deliver them. A ute, van or trailer is usually needed for deliveries.

What rules should I check before hiring out marquees from home?

Check public liability insurance and cover for hired equipment with your insurer, plus council approval for running a business from home and storing equipment there. Also set clear rules on anchoring and wind safety, and use a hire agreement and a bond.

How much can a small marquee hire business earn?

Estimates suggest monthly revenue typically around $600 to $3,500, depending on how many bookings you take and how much stock you own. Damage and missing items can cut into earnings, so a hire agreement helps. Time needed starts at around 6 hours a week.

Other ways to run this business

Similar events ideas

Photo: galatent on Pixabay

More ideas →