Home shoe repair workshop
Repair shoes and bags from a spare room or garage, taking jobs by post, local drop-off or collection.
- £1.5k-6k
- Side hustle
- From home
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
374 UK companies in this field, 28% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 95230 “Repair of footwear and leather goods”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A small repair workshop at home offering resoling, reheeling, stitching and leather restoration. Customers send items by post or arrange a local drop-off or collection.
Your first three steps
- Train through a course or by working alongside an experienced repairer, and practise on your own shoes first
- Set up a safe workspace with a basic machine and tools, and decide which repairs you will offer
- Create a simple page or social media profile with prices, a postal address and before-and-after photos
Who pays
Owners of quality shoes, boots and leather bags, plus local people without a nearby repairer.
How it makes money
A fixed price per repair, with postage or collection charged on top. Specialist work such as restoring leather boots can earn higher prices.
Skills that help
- Hands-on repair work
- Careful finishing
- Clear communication with customers
- Organised job tracking
Watch out for
- Check your lease, mortgage terms or council rules before running a workshop at home
- Public liability insurance, and cover for customers' items while they are with you or in the post
- Noise, fumes and storage of glues and dyes, especially in shared buildings or near neighbours
- Lost or damaged parcels: use tracked postage and record the condition of items on arrival
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: home shoe repair 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 shoe repair workshop at home?
Startup costs are typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on the tools, materials and workspace you set up. Check your lease, mortgage terms or council rules before running a workshop at home.
How much can a home shoe repair business earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £400 to £2,000, depending on how many repairs you take on by post, drop-off or collection. That is revenue rather than profit, so allow for materials and postage.
What should I check before repairing shoes from home?
Check public liability insurance and cover for customers' items while with you or in the post. Consider noise, fumes and storage of glues and dyes near neighbours, and use tracked postage, recording each item's condition on arrival.
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Photo: GermansLat on Pixabay