On-site costing specialist for makers and workshops
Visit workshops and small factories, map their real production costs, and stay on as their monthly costing adviser.
- £800-3.5k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
43,225 UK companies in this field, 16% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 69201 “Accounting and auditing activities”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
You spend time at a client's workshop or unit, seeing how things are made, timing jobs and tracing materials and waste. You then build costing models and regular reports that feed into pricing and purchasing decisions.
Your first three steps
- Choose one local industry, such as food production or engineering, and list ten firms nearby to approach
- Prepare a short sample costing report using a made-up product, to show what clients would receive
- Offer a discounted first study to one manufacturer in return for feedback and a written testimonial
Who pays
Small manufacturers, engineering shops, bakeries, furniture makers and print firms with several products and tight margins.
How it makes money
A project fee for the initial costing study, followed by a monthly retainer for updates, reports and pricing advice.
Skills that help
- Costing, bookkeeping or management accounting experience
- Curiosity about how things are made
- Confident talking to owners and shop-floor staff
Watch out for
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance are worth checking before visiting sites
- Follow site health and safety rules and ask what protective equipment is needed
- Check whether any anti-money laundering registration applies to your services
- Keep client cost data confidential and consider a simple confidentiality agreement
- Travel time can eat into profit, so keep your area compact or charge for travel
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: on-site costing specialist for makers and workshops
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an on-site costing service?
Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £800 to £3,500, depending on your software, insurance, protective equipment and travel needs. Travel time can eat into profit, so keep your area compact or charge for travel.
How much can an on-site costing specialist earn?
Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many manufacturers you work with and whether they keep you on monthly. Your income will vary with the number of client visits and reports.
What should I check before working in client workshops?
Check professional indemnity and public liability insurance before visiting sites. Follow each site's health and safety rules and ask what protective equipment is needed. Also check whether any anti-money laundering registration applies to your services.
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