Custom LED neon-style signs from home

Private customers wanting names, quotes or logos for bedrooms, weddings and home bars, plus small cafés, salons and event hosts.

A set price per sign by size and complexity, with extras for rush orders, dimmers and wall-mounting kits. Repeat business comes from small businesses.

• Basic graphic design or lettering
• Careful hands-on assembly and simple low-voltage wiring
• Online selling and photography
• Customer communication

• This is not glass neon, so be clear with customers about what they are buying
• Check whether electrical products you sell need CSA or similar certification in your province
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence
• Product liability and commercial general liability insurance
• Shipping damage and cross-border costs, so price packaging and shipping carefully
• Competition from imported ready-made signs, so focus on custom work and quick service

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the materials, tools and packaging you buy and how you set up your online selling. Price shipping and packaging carefully so damage does not eat into your margin.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $4,000, depending on how many custom orders you win and what you charge. Focusing on custom work and quick service may help set you apart from imported ready-made signs.

Check whether the electrical products you sell need CSA or similar certification in your province. Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence, and arrange product liability and commercial general liability insurance. Be clear with customers that these are not glass neon.