Home-based violin rentals and repairs

Parents of beginner students, music teachers who refer families, school music programs and adult players needing repairs.

Monthly rental fees, per-job repair and set-up charges, and a small markup on strings, rosin and accessories.

• Basic luthier or instrument repair skills
• Knowledge of string instrument sizing for children
• Reliable record keeping for rentals
• Building relationships with teachers

• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and whether customer visits are allowed
• Check your home insurance, as you will likely need separate commercial general liability and cover for rental instruments and tools
• Children outgrow instruments quickly, so plan for exchanges and keep the fleet in good condition
• Repair mistakes on valuable instruments can be costly, so know your limits and refer on
• Register for GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold, and check provincial sales tax rules

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on how many instruments you buy for your rental fleet and what repair tools and bench setup you need. Treat this as an estimate, not a quote.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on fleet size, how many teachers refer families and how much repair work you take on. These are estimates, and revenue is not the same as profit.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and allows customer visits. Check your insurance for commercial general liability and cover for rental instruments and tools. Also check GST/HST registration once you pass the small supplier threshold, and provincial sales tax rules.