Start a small car body repair workshop

Car owners paying privately, insurers and their approved repair networks, local garages, dealers and fleet operators.

Priced per job from an estimate covering labour, paint and parts. Insurance and trade work brings steady volume, while private work often pays better per job.

• Panel beating, welding and filling
• Spray painting and colour matching
• Estimating repair costs
• Managing jobs, suppliers and customers

• Planning permission and the unit's permitted use for spray painting, so check with your council and landlord
• Environmental rules on paint, solvents and emissions, and a suitable spray booth with extraction
• Garage keepers and public liability insurance, plus employer's liability once you hire
• Fire safety and safe storage of flammable materials
• Waste disposal for paint, filler and contaminated materials (check waste carrier and hazardous waste rules)
• Insurers' approved repairer schemes often have equipment and quality standards, so check requirements before relying on that work

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £15,000 to £70,000, depending on your unit, spray booth, bodywork equipment and insurance. Check approved repairer scheme requirements before relying on insurer work.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on the mix of private, insurer, garage and fleet work, and how many jobs you complete. Treat these as estimates, not guarantees.

Check planning permission and the unit's permitted use for spray painting with your council and landlord, plus environmental rules on paint and emissions. Also check fire safety, waste disposal for paint and filler, and garage keepers, public liability and employer's liability insurance.