Piano repair and restoration workshop
Take on bigger piano repairs and restorations in your own workshop, from action rebuilds to casework.
- £5k-20k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
6,795 UK companies in this field, 14% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 33190 “Repair of other equipment”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A workshop-based service for larger jobs that cannot be done in someone's living room: rebuilding actions, restringing, French polishing casework and restoring older instruments. You may still make some home visits for smaller repairs.
Your first three steps
- Get several years of hands-on technician experience or a recognised qualification before taking on full restorations
- Find a suitable unit or outbuilding with level access, space for pianos and good lighting, and check the lease or planning use
- Arrange a reliable piano mover to work with and build relationships with dealers and tuners who can send you work
Who pays
Piano owners with older or valued instruments, dealers, schools, churches, venues and music colleges.
How it makes money
Quoted prices for larger repair and restoration projects, plus parts. Some workshops also buy, refurbish and resell pianos, though this needs extra care over stock and cash flow.
Skills that help
- Advanced piano repair and regulation
- Woodworking and finishing
- Accurate quoting and project planning
- Trade contacts for parts and transport
Watch out for
- Planning permission or business use rules for a workshop at home or a unit, so check with your council and landlord
- Public liability insurance, plus cover for customers' pianos while in your care
- Fire safety and safe storage of finishes, solvents and glues
- Lead times and rent can squeeze cash flow on long restoration projects, so take deposits
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: piano repair and restoration 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 piano repair workshop?
Startup costs are typically around £5,000 to £20,000, depending on your workshop space, tools and the type of restoration work you take on. This is an estimate, so get quotes for your own setup first.
How much can a piano restoration workshop earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on the size and number of jobs you complete. Long restoration projects can squeeze cash flow, so consider taking deposits.
What should I check before opening a piano workshop?
Check planning permission or business use rules for a workshop at home or in a unit with your council and landlord. Also check public liability cover, including customers' pianos in your care, and fire safety and storage of finishes, solvents and glues.
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