Small-Batch powder coating from a garage

Car, motorcycle and bike enthusiasts, local garages and body shops, and homeowners with metal furniture or railings.

Fixed price per part or per set (for example per wheel), plus extra for stripping, special colours and masking.

• Careful, patient hands-on work
• Eye for a smooth, even finish
• Basic customer service and quoting

• Check municipal zoning and whether you need a home-based business licence
• Check with your insurer, since home policies often exclude business activity; ask about commercial general liability
• Powder dust, solvents and blasting media create fire and breathing risks, so check ventilation, respirators and your local fire code
• Check how to dispose of used blasting media and waste powder in your municipality
• Check electrical requirements for a large oven, and use a licensed electrician
• Winter can make an unheated garage hard to work in

Estimates typically put startup costs around $2,500 to $10,000, depending on your oven, spray and blasting equipment, ventilation and safety gear. Electrical work for a large oven should be done by a licensed electrician.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on how many wheels, bike frames and other parts you coat and the prices you charge. Revenue is not profit, as powder, power and equipment costs come out of it.

Check municipal zoning and any home-based business licence, and ask your insurer, since home policies often exclude business activity. Check ventilation, respirators and local fire code, waste disposal for blasting media and powder, and winter working conditions.