Custom event props and displays from a home workshop
Build props, backdrops and small display pieces for local events and brands from a garage or backyard workshop.
- C$2k-8k
- Side hustle
- From home
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
Designing and building custom props, photo backdrops, signage frames, product display units and small stage elements in a garage or shed workshop, then delivering them to events.
Your first three steps
- Build three sample pieces such as a backdrop, a branded display unit and a prop, and photograph them well
- Introduce yourself to local event planners, stylists and venues with photos and a simple price guide
- Set up a simple quote template that covers materials, labour, delivery and set-up
Who pays
Event planners, wedding and party stylists, local brands running pop-ups, retailers and community festivals.
How it makes money
Fixed quote per project based on materials, your hours and delivery. Some pieces can be rented out again for repeat events.
Skills that help
- Carpentry and general building
- Reading a brief and sketching ideas
- Quoting jobs and managing deadlines
Watch out for
- Check whether your municipality allows a home-based business and workshop noise or dust at your address
- Commercial general liability insurance, since your pieces will be used around the public
- Check fire-retardant material requirements for items used indoors at venues
- Storage space for finished pieces and offcuts
- Check your home insurance covers tools and business stock
Deep research report · Canada
Everything you need to start: custom event props and displays from a home workshop
Researched with live web search for Canada: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an event props business from home?
Startup costs are typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the tools and materials you already have, and your storage and insurance needs. These are estimates, and your costs will depend on the kind of pieces you build.
How much can a home-based event props maker earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on how many jobs you take, the size of your pieces and the clients you win. Storage space for finished pieces can limit how much work you take on.
What rules should I check before building event props at home?
Check whether your municipality allows a home-based business and workshop, including noise or dust at your address. Also check commercial general liability insurance, fire-retardant material requirements for indoor venues, and whether your home insurance covers tools and stock.
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