Start a Wash-and-Fold Laundry Pickup and Delivery Business

Busy families, professionals, students, older people and anyone without easy access to a washer and dryer.

Price per kilogram or pound, or per bag or load, often with a minimum order and extra fees for delivery, rush service or special items. Weekly subscriptions give steadier income.

• Reliable and organized
• Careful with fabric care labels
• Route and time planning
• Friendly customer service

• Commercial general liability insurance, plus cover for customers' items in your care
• Check with your municipality whether you need a business licence and what rules apply to your premises
• Some laundromats restrict commercial use, so ask before you start
• Damaged, lost or mixed-up items, so label bags and photograph special items
• Winter driving and heavy lifting on pickup days

Estimates put startup costs typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on the equipment or laundromat access you use, supplies and how you market the service. Cover for customers' items in your care is worth pricing in too.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $800 to $4,500, depending on how many customers you serve, your pricing and your hours. Time needed starts at around 10 hours a week, and winter driving and heavy lifting are worth planning for.

Check with your municipality whether you need a business licence and what rules apply to your premises. Also check commercial general liability insurance with cover for customers' items, and ask any laundromat you plan to use whether it restricts commercial use.