Refurbished bike seller from home

Students, commuters, families buying children's bikes and budget-minded riders who want a ready-to-ride bike.

The gap between what you pay for a used bike and parts, and the price you sell it for after your work. Some sellers also charge for simple repairs.

• Bike repair and servicing
• Spotting good-value bikes to buy
• Photographing and listing items online
• Haggling and customer communication

• Stolen bikes: check ownership where you can, keep records of who you bought from, and check with the police on guidance for secondhand dealers
• Safety of repaired bikes, especially brakes, so be careful about what you sell as roadworthy
• Public liability and product liability insurance, check what cover suits selling and repairing bikes
• Working from home may need permission from a landlord, mortgage lender or the council, especially with customers visiting
• Storage space for bikes and parts, and how you will handle collection and delivery
• Profits can be thin if refurbishing takes longer than expected, so track your hours

Startup costs are typically around £300 to £2,500, depending on how many tools, bikes, parts and storage you need at the start. These are estimates, so list your own tools and first stock purchases before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £1,500, depending on how many bikes you sell and the prices you get. Profit can be thin if refurbishing takes longer than expected, so track your hours.

Check ownership of bikes you buy, keep records of who you bought from, and ask the police about guidance for secondhand dealers. Also check brake safety, suitable insurance, and whether your landlord, lender or council needs to agree to working from home.