Custom lighting workshop for shops and restaurants

Restaurant and cafe owners, retailers, office fit-out companies, interior designers and architects, and homeowners doing renovations.

You quote per project or per fitting, covering materials, labour and design time. Repeat work with designers and fit-out firms can fill your calendar.

• Metalwork, woodwork or fabrication
• Reading drawings and working to a brief
• Quoting, project management and client communication
• Electrical safety awareness, working with certified parts

• Fittings generally need certification from an accredited body, and one-off custom pieces may need special inspection or field evaluation. Check what applies in your province before you quote
• Product liability and commercial general liability insurance, plus a written warranty
• Check zoning and any business licence needed for a workshop or light-industrial unit with your municipality
• WCB/WSIB coverage if you hire help, with rules differing by province
• Project work can bring uneven income, and clients may pay late, so ask for deposits
• Winter heating, storage and material costs can affect running costs

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $10,000 to $40,000, depending on workshop rent, tools and materials, and the size of the projects you take on. The estimates assume a small workshop setup.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on project size, how many clients you win and your pricing. Income can be uneven and clients may pay late, so asking for deposits is worth considering.

Fittings generally need certification from an accredited body, and one-off custom pieces may need special inspection or field evaluation, so check what applies in your province before quoting. Also check product liability insurance, zoning and municipal business licence rules.