Home studio goldsmith: repairs and custom pieces
Repair, resize and make gold and silver jewellery from a small home bench for local customers and shops.
- C$3k-12k
- Side hustle
- From home
Estimates for a small start in Canada, not guarantees.
What it is
A small workbench set up at home where you resize rings, fix broken chains and clasps, and make custom pieces such as wedding bands or remade heirlooms in gold and silver.
Your first three steps
- Take a jewellery making course, or ask local jewellers about an apprenticeship or bench work, to build your skills
- Set up a ventilated bench with the essential tools, a torch and safe metal storage, and practise on scrap silver
- Visit local jewellery shops and offer to take on their overflow repairs, and post your services locally
Who pays
Individual customers, local jewellery shops and pawn or consignment shops that need bench work, and couples wanting custom rings.
How it makes money
Fixed fees for repairs and resizing, quoted prices for custom commissions (materials plus labour), and bench work done for retailers at agreed rates.
Skills that help
- Soldering, sawing and filing metal
- Fine hand skills and patience
- Measuring, pricing and quoting accurately
- Customer service and trust
Watch out for
- Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and allows workshop use at home
- Check your home insurance: tools, precious metals and customers' items usually need specialist cover, plus commercial general liability
- Torches, gas and chemicals need safe storage, ventilation and fire precautions
- Keep clear records of customers' items and metals, and check any provincial rules on buying scrap gold or secondhand jewellery
- Theft risk: be careful about advertising your address and storing valuables
🔒 Full research report for Canada
Real cost breakdown with current prices, licences and registration checklist, local competition, pricing, break-even and a 30-day launch plan, with sources.
Coming soonQuestions people ask
How much does it cost to set up a home goldsmith studio in Canada?
Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on tools, equipment, safe storage and insurance. Specialist cover for precious metals and customers' items may add to the total.
How much revenue can a home goldsmith make?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many repairs and custom commissions you take on and whether you supply local shops. Treat these figures as estimates only.
What rules should I check before working as a goldsmith from home?
Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and allows workshop use at home. Also check your home insurance and specialist cover, safe storage for torches, gas and chemicals, and any provincial rules on buying scrap gold or secondhand jewellery.
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