Antique furniture restorer from a home workshop

Private owners with family pieces, antique dealers, interior designers and sometimes small auction houses.

A quote per piece based on the work involved, plus materials. Regular dealers can bring repeat work throughout the year.

• Woodworking and joinery
• Knowledge of period furniture and finishes
• Patience and an eye for detail
• Honest quoting and customer communication

• Public liability insurance, and cover for customers' pieces while in your care
• Check whether your landlord, mortgage lender or council needs to agree to running a workshop at home
• Solvents, polishes and dust: check storage, ventilation and fire safety
• Over-restoring can reduce a piece's value, so agree the level of work in writing first
• Noise and deliveries may affect neighbours

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on your tools, materials and workshop setup. Revenue is estimated at around £400 to £2,500 a month, depending on the pieces and customers you take on.

Check whether your landlord, mortgage lender or council needs to agree to a home workshop. Also check storage, ventilation and fire safety for solvents, polishes and dust, and how noise and deliveries might affect your neighbours.

Useful skills include woodworking and joinery, knowledge of period furniture and finishes, patience and an eye for detail. Honest quoting matters too. Agree the level of work in writing, as over-restoring can reduce a piece's value.