Home Workshop Coppersmith

Home and garden shoppers, gift buyers, interior designers, restaurants wanting custom pieces, and people with copper heirlooms to repair.

Selling finished pieces online and at craft markets, taking custom commissions at a set price, and charging for repairs.

• Hand metalworking: cutting, forming, soldering
• Eye for design and finish
• Photographing and describing your work for sale

• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence or has zoning limits on noisy or hot work
• Soldering, torches and metal dust need good ventilation and fire safety; check your home insurance covers a workshop
• Use lead-free solder and food-safe finishes for anything meant for drinks or cooking, and check Health Canada guidance
• Register for GST/HST once revenue passes the small supplier threshold, and check provincial sales tax rules
• Copper prices change, so review your pricing regularly

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the tools you buy, your workshop setup and your materials. Treat this as a guide and build your own budget before you begin.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $800 to $4,000, depending on what you make, your prices and how much you sell or take on as commissions. Treat this as an estimate rather than a promise.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence or limits noisy or hot work. Also check that your home insurance covers a workshop, use lead-free solder and food-safe finishes for items meant for drinks or cooking, and check Health Canada guidance.