Water softener dealer with service plans

Homeowners and small businesses in hard water areas, including those on bore water, and sometimes landlords or property managers.

A margin on equipment sales, a coordination fee on installs, then recurring income from service plans, salt and filter supply.

• Sales and clear explanations
• Organising jobs and subcontractors
• Basic online marketing

• Installation must be done by someone with the right state licence, so check who is responsible for the work and any warranty
• Check your council's rules on home-based businesses, especially for storing stock
• Public liability and product liability insurance, and check what your supplier's cover includes
• Be careful with water quality or health claims and check Australian Consumer Law guidance
• Check ABN and GST registration requirements as your sales grow

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on any sample or starter stock, your marketing and insurance, and your supplier's terms. Checking what your supplier's cover includes can help you avoid extra costs.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many units you sell and how many service plans and salt or filter orders you build up. The estimate assumes at least about 8 hours a week.

Check that installation is done by someone with the right state licence, and who is responsible for the work and any warranty. Also check your council's home-based business rules for storing stock, plus ABN and GST registration as sales grow.