Home typewriter repair workshop

Clean, fix and service manual and electric typewriters for writers and collectors from a bench at home.

Startup cost£300 to £1.5k

Monthly revenue£200 to £1.2k

Time needed6+ h/week

First incomeWeeks

£300-1.5k
Side hustle
From home

Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.

Official data

1,521 UK companies in this field, 39% registered in the last 2 years

SIC 95290 “Repair of personal and household goods n.e.c.”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.

What it is

Servicing and repairing mechanical and electric typewriters from a workbench at home: cleaning, oiling, fixing sticking keys, replacing ribbons, rubber parts and drive belts. Customers post machines to you or drop them off.

Your first three steps

Buy two or three cheap non-working typewriters and practise taking them apart, cleaning and rebuilding them
Set up a well-lit bench with basic tools, solvents and a stock of ribbons and common spares
Set a price list for a basic service and post a few before-and-after photos on a simple website or local marketplace listings

Who pays

Writers, hobbyists, collectors, students, and occasionally small offices or legal firms that still use typewriters.

How it makes money

Fixed price for a standard service, hourly or quoted rates for bigger repairs, plus selling ribbons, spare parts and the occasional restored machine.

Skills that help

Patient, fine mechanical work
Reading and diagnosing how a mechanism works
Clear communication with customers about cost and condition

Watch out for

Check whether your landlord, mortgage lender or council needs to agree to a business run from home
Cleaning solvents and oils need safe storage and good ventilation
Insurance for customers' machines while in your care, and for packing and posting, which is worth checking
Spare parts can be hard to find, so quote carefully and avoid promising repairs you cannot complete
Register as a sole trader with HMRC once you start trading

Deep research report · UK

Everything you need to start: home typewriter 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

Ready in about 2 minutes · one-off payment, tax included

See a full sample report

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start a typewriter repair business at home?

Startup costs are typically around £300 to £1,500, depending on the tools, spare parts, cleaning supplies and packing materials you buy. It is a low-cost idea compared with many, but these are only estimates.

What should I check before repairing typewriters from home?

Check whether your landlord, mortgage lender or council needs to agree to a business run from home. Cleaning solvents and oils need safe storage and good ventilation. Check insurance for customers' machines, and register as a sole trader with HMRC once you start trading.

How much can a home typewriter repairer earn?

Monthly revenue is typically around £200 to £1,200, depending on how many machines you take on and what you charge. Estimates suggest as little as about 6 hours a week, so it can start as a side business.