Small-Unit metal fabrication workshop
Cut, bend and weld steel and aluminium into custom gates, frames, brackets and one-off parts for local customers.
- £5k-25k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
8,779 UK companies in this field, 13% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 25990 “Manufacture of other fabricated metal products n.e.c.”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small rented unit or workshop where you make custom metalwork to order: gates, railings, frames, brackets, trailer parts and repairs, working from drawings or customer measurements.
Your first three steps
- Price up a starter kit (welder, angle grinder, bench, clamps, bandsaw or cut-off saw) and look at small units to rent in your area
- Contact local builders, farms and garages to ask what metalwork they currently struggle to get done, and offer to quote
- Arrange public liability insurance and set up as a sole trader with HMRC before taking your first paid job
Who pays
Homeowners, builders, farms, small manufacturers, garages and other trades who need one-off or short-run metal parts.
How it makes money
Quoted price per job based on materials, your time and finishing, plus hourly rates for repairs and small batch work for regular trade customers.
Skills that help
- Welding (MIG, and ideally TIG or stick)
- Reading drawings and measuring accurately
- Costing and quoting jobs
- Safe use of cutting and bending machinery
Watch out for
- Public liability insurance, and employer's liability once you hire anyone
- Structural or safety-critical work may need to meet standards such as CE or UKCA marking or execution class requirements, check what applies to your products
- Fire, fumes and noise: check your unit's lease, insurance conditions and any council or landlord limits on hot work
- Health and safety risks such as eye and lung protection, extraction and machine guarding
- Fluctuating steel prices, so build a materials allowance into quotes
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: small-unit metal fabrication workshop
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 a metal fabrication workshop?
Startup costs are typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on the unit, welding and cutting equipment, bending machinery, materials and insurance. These are estimates, so cost your own setup based on the work you plan to take on.
How much can a small metal fabrication business make?
Monthly revenue is typically around £2,500 to £10,000, depending on the jobs you win, your pricing and how many hours you can work. These are estimates, not guarantees, and revenue is not the same as profit.
What rules should I check before opening a fabrication workshop?
Check public liability insurance, and employer's liability once you hire anyone. Check whether structural or safety-critical work must meet standards such as CE or UKCA marking or execution class requirements. Also check your lease, insurance conditions and any council or landlord limits on hot work.
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Photo: jannonivergall on Pixabay