Home services business ideas with a startup cost over £20,000
21 ideas
These 21 home services ideas need serious capital, usually for premises, vehicles, stock, equipment or skilled staff. They suit people with trade experience, savings or backing who want to build something larger than a one-person van operation.
Kitchen design and fit company
Offer a full kitchen service from design to fitting, using trusted tradespeople for plumbing and electrics.
- £5k-25k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Small carpet warehouse with trade counter
Hold popular carpet rolls and underlay in a small unit and supply local fitters and flooring shops quickly.
- £30k-70k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Shoe repair shop
Resole, reheel and restore shoes and bags from a small high street unit, with key cutting as an extra.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Tool hire shop or trade counter
Open a small unit hiring tools and equipment to builders, tradespeople and homeowners.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Electrical repair shop on the high street
Open a small local shop repairing household appliances and electronics, with walk-in trade and business customers.
- £15k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local patio enclosure supply-and-fit firm
Run a small unit with a display area, selling and fitting patio covers, conservatories and garden enclosures.
- £15k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Home cinema design and install business
Design, supply and fit full home cinema rooms, with a small team and a showroom or demo space.
- £8k-35k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Fire and smoke damage restoration team
Run a small team that cleans, dries and repairs fire-damaged homes and shops, working directly with insurers and owners.
- £10k-40k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Conservatory and sunroom design-and-build firm
Quote, design and build sunrooms and conservatories for homeowners with a small team of your own.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Fridge repair and refurbishment workshop
Repair and refurbish fridges and freezers from a small unit, for customers, shops and landlords.
- £15k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Garden and tool hire shop
Run a small unit hiring garden machinery to homeowners and tradespeople, with servicing and walk-in customers.
- £10k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local radiator shop and trade counter
Sell, replace and repair radiators from a small unit for homeowners, landlords and heating engineers.
- £8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Car park gritting and snow clearing contracts
Keep business car parks and access roads safe in winter with a plough or spreader and seasonal contracts.
- £15k-50k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Cladding contractor with a small crew
Run a two to four person crew fitting cladding for homeowners, landlords, developers and small commercial clients.
- £8k-30k
- Full-time
- Out and about
Bathroom showroom and trade counter
Open a small local showroom and trade counter selling bathroom products to homeowners and installers.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Bark and mulch yard
Run a small yard selling loose and bagged bark to trade and the public, with delivery as an extra.
- £8k-35k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local blinds and shutters showroom
Run a small shop with blind and shutter displays, offering advice, measuring and fitting for local customers.
- £8k-35k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Wood burner and stove showroom
Open a small showroom selling stoves, fireplaces and accessories, with installation arranged through qualified fitters.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Gas fire showroom with fitting service
Open a small showroom selling gas log fires and fittings, with installation by a Gas Safe engineer.
- £15k-50k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Landscaping supplies yard
Run a small yard selling soil, gravel, bark and paving to local landscapers, builders and homeowners.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Bulk landscaping materials delivery
Order soil, bark and aggregates from quarries and deliver them to gardens and building sites, with no shop needed.
- £8k-40k
- Part-time
- Out and about
About these ideas
Examples include a kitchen design and fit company, a wood burner and stove showroom and a fire and smoke damage restoration team. Before committing, work out where the money goes: lease terms, insurance, tools and how long you could cover costs while the first customers arrive. Check which qualifications, registrations or certifications your chosen work requires, and whether you would employ people or subcontract. It also helps to speak to local builders, installers or suppliers first to test demand, and to price a realistic first year before you spend anything.
Questions
What should I budget for beyond the headline startup cost?
Allow for insurance, vehicle or premises costs, stock, marketing and a cash buffer for slow months. Also check payment terms with customers and suppliers, because waiting to be paid on larger jobs can strain cash flow even when work is steady.
Do I need qualifications or registration to start these businesses?
It depends on the work. Gas, electrical, solid fuel and some building tasks may need specific qualifications or scheme membership in the UK. Check the requirements for your chosen trade with the relevant trade body or local authority before you buy equipment or take bookings.
Should I rent premises or start with a smaller setup first?
Showrooms, yards and workshops can give credibility but add fixed costs. Check lease length, business rates, planning use class and whether you could test demand first through a smaller unit, trade partnerships or a mobile operation before taking on a long commitment.