Home workshop for telescopes, binoculars and microscopes

Hobby astronomers, birdwatchers, hunters, boaters, students, collectors and small clubs who don't want to replace good gear.

Fixed price for common jobs such as a binocular service or telescope collimation, or a quote for bigger repairs. Parts are charged at cost plus a margin. Postage is paid by the customer.

• Fine hand skills and patience
• Basic optics knowledge
• Clear quoting and customer updates

• Check with your local council whether a home-based business needs approval
• Public liability insurance, and cover for customers' items while in your care (check whether your policy includes this)
• Some repairs may void a manufacturer's warranty, so tell customers up front
• Sourcing parts for older or niche instruments can be slow, so set realistic turnaround times
• Keep photos and written condition notes when instruments arrive to avoid disputes

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on the tools you buy, how you set up a clean workspace and how much parts stock you hold. Treat this as an estimate and price your own setup.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $600 to $3,000, depending on how many jobs you take and what you charge. This is revenue before costs, and the estimate assumes at least about 8 hours of work a week.

Check with your local council whether a home-based business needs approval. Also check public liability insurance, including whether your policy covers customers' items in your care, and tell customers up front that some repairs may void a manufacturer's warranty.