Part-Time joinery from a garage or shed
Make skirting, mouldings and small made-to-measure items in your garage alongside another job.
- £1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- From home
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
7,968 UK companies in this field, 30% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 16230 “Manufacture of other builders' carpentry and joinery”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small-scale joinery set-up at home making items such as bespoke skirting, architraves, mouldings, shelving and repairs to existing wooden fittings.
Your first three steps
- Check you are allowed to run a workshop from home, including your lease, mortgage and any noise concerns for neighbours
- Set up a safe space with dust extraction, then buy a basic set of machines and tools
- Offer to make matching mouldings or skirting for a few local builders and post photos of the results
Who pays
Homeowners, local builders needing odd one-off pieces, and landlords or property managers.
How it makes money
Fixed price per item or job, with a markup on materials. Matching old profiles that cannot be bought off the shelf is a useful niche.
Skills that help
- Woodworking or carpentry experience
- Accurate measuring and cutting
- Basic machine skills and safety awareness
- Pricing jobs fairly
Watch out for
- Permission from your landlord, mortgage lender or council for running a business from home
- Home insurance may not cover business equipment or stock, so check and get public liability cover
- Noise and dust affecting neighbours
- Fire risk from sawdust and finishes in a garage
- Limited capacity, so be realistic about deadlines when you also have another job
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: part-time joinery from a garage or shed
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 joinery from a garage?
Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £8,000, depending on the machines and hand tools you already own and the materials you buy. These are estimates, so list what you have before you buy anything new.
How much can I earn from part-time joinery?
Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £1,500, depending on the work you take on and your pricing. Time needed starts at around 8 hours a week. Be realistic about deadlines when you also have another job.
What should I check before running a joinery business from home?
Check permission from your landlord, mortgage lender or council for running a business from home. Home insurance may not cover business equipment or stock, so check and get public liability cover. Also consider noise, dust and fire risk from sawdust and finishes.
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