Custom Screen Workshop and Shop

Homeowners, landlords, contractors, window installers and property managers.

Charges per screen made or repaired, plus retail sales of mesh and parts. Trade accounts with contractors and property managers add steady volume.

• Cutting and assembling frames accurately
• Customer service at the counter
• Stock buying and pricing
• Basic bookkeeping

• Commercial lease terms and rent, as fixed costs continue through the quiet winter months
• Commercial general liability and contents insurance
• Check zoning and business licence requirements with your municipality
• Collect and remit GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check provincial sales tax rules
• If you hire, check WCB/WSIB requirements in your province

Estimated startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on workshop size, equipment, your opening stock of mesh, spline and frame parts, and lease deposits. Treat this as an estimate and get local quotes before you commit to a unit.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your location, how many customers you attract, your mix of repairs, custom orders and parts sales, and seasonal demand. Fixed costs like rent continue through quiet winter months.

Check zoning and business licence requirements with your municipality, and look into commercial general liability and contents insurance. Also check when to collect GST/HST, how provincial sales tax applies, and WCB/WSIB requirements in your province if you hire staff.