Home bench goldsmith: repairs and resizing
Repair, resize and remake gold and silver jewellery from a small bench at home for local people and shops.
- £1.5k-6k
- Side hustle
- From home
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
3,801 UK companies in this field, 32% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 32120 “Manufacture of jewellery and related articles”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small, well-ventilated workshop space at home where you resize rings, fix clasps, replace stones, solder breaks and make simple pieces to order.
Your first three steps
- Take a short jewellery making course or practise at an evening class to build bench skills
- Set up a safe bench with a torch, ventilation and a lockable safe for customers' items
- Visit local independent jewellers and gift shops and offer to handle their repairs
Who pays
Local customers with family jewellery, small independent jewellers and gift shops that need a trade repairer.
How it makes money
A fixed price per repair or resize, plus a quote for made-to-order pieces. Trade work for shops brings steady volume at lower prices.
Skills that help
- Soldering and filing
- Steady hands and patience
- Careful record keeping of customers' items
Watch out for
- Insurance that covers customers' valuables while in your care, as well as public liability
- Gas torches and chemicals at home: check your home insurance and landlord or mortgage lender permission
- Hallmarking: check whether pieces you sell above the legal weight limits must be hallmarked by an assay office
- Check anti-money laundering rules if you buy or trade in precious metals or scrap gold
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: home bench goldsmith: repairs and resizing
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 set up a home jewellery bench?
Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on the tools, bench set-up and ventilation you choose and the insurance you take out. These figures are estimates, so list your own equipment needs before budgeting.
How much can a home bench goldsmith earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around £400 to £2,500, depending on how many repairs and resizing jobs you take from local customers, independent jewellers and gift shops. This is an estimate of revenue, not profit.
What rules should I check before repairing jewellery at home?
Check insurance that covers customers' valuables as well as public liability, and your home insurance and landlord or lender permission for gas torches and chemicals. Also check hallmarking rules above legal weight limits and anti-money laundering rules if you buy scrap gold.
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