Custom instrument maker from a home workshop

Hobbyists, gigging and professional musicians, collectors and gift buyers, mostly found online, at music fairs and through word of mouth.

Fixed price per instrument or a deposit plus balance for custom orders. Repairs, set-ups and kits can add income between builds.

• Woodworking and accurate hand tool or machine skills
• Playing or understanding the instrument you build
• Patience and attention to detail
• Photography and social media to show your work

• Check whether you need permission from your landlord, mortgage lender or council to run a workshop from home
• Dust, noise and finishing fumes: check ventilation, fire safety and how your neighbours are affected
• Some tropical timbers are regulated for trade, so check the current rules before buying or selling instruments containing them
• Check insurance for stock, tools and product liability, and that your home insurance covers business use
• Work out your true hourly return, as handmade builds take many hours

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on the tools you already own, your timber and the instruments you choose to build. These figures are estimates, so list your existing tools before you set a budget.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £400 to £2,000, depending on how many builds you finish and what you charge. Handmade builds take many hours, so it is worth working out your true hourly return.

Check whether you need permission from your landlord, mortgage lender or council. Also check ventilation, fire safety and the effect on neighbours, the rules on regulated tropical timbers, and whether your home insurance covers business use, stock and tools.