Piano refurbishing and resale from home

Families, beginners, music teachers, pubs, community groups and people looking for an affordable, restored piano.

You sell each refurbished piano for more than the cost of buying, moving and repairing it. You can add delivery charges and warranty or aftercare services.

• Hands-on woodworking and repair skills
• Judging which pianos are worth saving
• Basic selling and online listings
• Careful costing of parts and time

• Check your lease, mortgage and council position before running a workshop from home, including noise and customer visits
• Check that your home or contents insurance covers business use, and consider public liability and stock cover
• Rules on ivory keys: check the current UK ivory laws before selling pianos with ivory
• Pianos are heavy and awkward to move, so budget for professional movers
• Some pianos are not worth repairing, so check before you buy to avoid costly mistakes

Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on tools, parts, your first pianos and workshop setup. These are estimates, so budget for professional movers as well.

Monthly revenue is typically around £500 to £2,500, depending on how many pianos you restore and sell. These are estimates, not guarantees, and the cost of buying pianos and parts comes out of that.

Check your lease, mortgage and council position for running a workshop from home, including noise and customer visits. Check your insurance covers business use, and check current UK ivory laws before selling pianos with ivory keys.