Instrument repair shop with school contracts

School boards and band programs, music teachers, students' families, local musicians and music stores without their own repairer.

Labour charged per job or per hour, plus parts. Busy periods such as back-to-school bring bulk repairs, and accessory sales add a little extra.

• Solid repair skills across several instrument types
• Quoting jobs and managing a queue of repairs
• Dealing with schools and parents

• Commercial lease terms, and the cost of rent against slow months such as summer
• Commercial general liability and property insurance, including cover for customers' instruments held at the shop
• Check municipal business licence and zoning rules for your premises
• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check provincial sales tax rules on parts and accessories
• School work can be seasonal and payment can be slow, so keep cash in reserve

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $10,000 to $40,000, depending on your premises, the bench equipment you need and any accessories you stock. These are estimates, so check them against actual lease terms.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on walk-in volume, how much school band work you win and what you sell alongside repairs. School work can be seasonal, so keep cash in reserve.

Check commercial lease terms against slow months such as summer, plus liability and property insurance including customers' instruments. Also check municipal business licence and zoning rules, GST/HST registration, provincial sales tax on parts and accessories, and slow school payments.