Pop-up haunted house in a rented space

Teens, young adults, couples and families with older children, plus groups and school or sports teams booking together.

Admission tickets sold online and at the door, with higher-priced fast-pass or group tickets. Some operators add photo spots or merchandise.

• Building scenery and props
• Organizing and managing a cast of actors
• Marketing and ticket sales
• Keeping visitors safe and calm

• Fire code, occupancy limits, emergency exits and inspections, check with your local fire department before building anything
• Zoning and temporary-use permits for the building, check with your municipality
• Commercial general liability insurance, and whether your insurer covers a haunted attraction
• Paid actors may mean WCB/WSIB and employment standards obligations, check your province's rules
• Fog, strobe lights, tight spaces and accessibility, post clear warnings and plan an easy way out for guests
• Playing music publicly may need a licence, and GST/HST may apply to ticket sales, so check both
• Almost all revenue falls in a few weeks, so plan your cash flow carefully

Estimates typically run around $25,000 to $80,000, depending on the size of the rented space, the scenery, lighting and sound you build, and how many costumed actors you plan to use through the Halloween season.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on ticket prices, how many nights you open and group bookings. Almost all revenue falls in a few weeks, so plan your cash flow carefully.

Check fire code, occupancy limits, emergency exits and inspections with your local fire department, and zoning and temporary-use permits with your municipality. Also check insurance coverage for a haunted attraction and any WCB/WSIB duties for paid actors.