Small owner-run country house inn

Couples and small groups on weekend getaways, cyclists, hikers and touring visitors, plus guests in town for local weddings or family visits.

Nightly room rates, with extras such as dinners, packed lunches, gift packages and seasonal stay-and-dine deals. Income depends heavily on how full the rooms are across the year.

• Welcoming and good with guests
• Cooking breakfast for small groups
• Organised bookings and housekeeping
• Practical upkeep of an older building

• Start-up costs assume you already own a suitable house; buying a property would add far more
• Zoning, short-term accommodation rules and any home-based business licence from your municipality
• Fire code, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and inspections, check with your local fire department
• Public health permit if you serve meals, and a liquor licence from your provincial regulator if you offer alcohol
• Well water or septic testing if you are not on municipal services
• Quebec has its own tourist accommodation classification and French-language rules, check if you are there
• Commercial general liability and property insurance suited to guest stays
• Heritage designation may restrict what changes you can make to the building
• Slow winters and seasonal swings in bookings; plan cash flow around them

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $80,000 to $350,000, depending on the house and the fit-out. These figures assume you already own a suitable house; buying a property would add far more.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on the number of rooms, the season and whether you serve dinners. Winters can be slow and bookings swing seasonally, so plan cash flow around them.

Check zoning, short-term accommodation rules and any home-based business licence with your municipality. Also check fire code and alarms, a public health permit if you serve meals, a liquor licence if you offer alcohol, and water or septic testing. Quebec has its own rules.