Home jewellery engraving studio

Individuals buying wedding, anniversary, graduation or memorial gifts, plus local jewellers and gift shops that outsource engraving.

A fixed price per item or per line of text, with extra for rush jobs, tricky shapes or custom artwork. Wholesale work for local shops adds steady volume at lower prices.

• Steady hands and attention to detail
• Basic design and lettering sense
• Careful spelling and proofing with customers

• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence or has zoning limits
• Commercial general liability insurance, and cover for customers' valuable items while in your care
• Mistakes on irreplaceable pieces: proof every order in writing before you engrave
• Check your home insurance covers business use and stored customer items
• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check provincial rules

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $800 to $4,000, depending on the engraving machine or hand tools you choose and how you set up your workspace. Treat this as an estimate and price your equipment before committing.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $300 to $1,500, depending on how many orders you take and what you charge. The estimate starts from about 6 hours a week, so many people begin part-time.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence or has zoning limits. Also check commercial general liability insurance, whether your home insurance covers business use and customers' items, and GST/HST registration once you pass the small supplier threshold.