Mobile piano tuning and repair

Families with a piano at home, music teachers, schools, churches, community halls and small studios.

A fee per tuning visit, plus extra for repairs and parts. Regular yearly tunings from repeat clients and schools give steady work.

• Good ear and patience
• Fine hand skills and mechanical sense
• Friendly, trustworthy with customers in their homes

• Commercial general liability insurance, since you work in other people's homes
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence for your office
• Quality takes years to build, so be honest with customers about what you can repair
• Winter driving and moving tools between visits, plus seasonal humidity changes that affect pianos and your busy periods
• Quebec businesses need to meet French-language rules for signs and materials

Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on your tools, vehicle setup and insurance. These are estimates, so cost out your own kit before you begin. Going mobile avoids the cost of a shop.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many visits you book and whether you add repairs. The work can start from about 10 hours a week and may be busier in some seasons.

Check commercial general liability insurance, since you work in other people's homes. Also check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence, and note that Quebec businesses need to meet French-language rules for signs and materials.