Home bench printer repair and refurbishing

Households, home-based businesses, students and small offices that want a cheaper alternative to buying a new printer.

A flat fee for diagnosis or servicing, plus parts and labour. You can also earn by reselling refurbished printers and selling ink or toner.

• Patience for step-by-step fault-finding
• Hands-on repair and cleaning skills
• Listing and selling items online

• Council rules on customers visiting a home-based business
• Public liability and product liability insurance, especially if you resell refurbished units
• Consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law apply to your repairs and sales, so check what you must cover
• Responsible disposal of old printers, toner and ink, check local e-waste options
• Customer data may remain on printers with memory, so wipe or protect it

Startup costs are typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on your tools, workbench setup and the parts you stock. These are estimates, so you can begin with the basics and add equipment as work grows.

Monthly revenue is typically around $300 to $1,800, depending on how many hours you put in and how many repairs or refurbished printers you sell. This is an estimate of revenue, not profit.

Check council rules on customers visiting a home-based business, and public liability and product liability insurance if you resell refurbished units. Consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law apply to repairs and sales. Also check e-waste disposal options and how to wipe customer data.