Classic car restoration from your garage

Classic car owners, hobbyists who lack time or skills, and people who inherited an old vehicle and want it brought back.

Fixed quote or hourly labor rate per project, plus parts at cost or with a markup. Customers often pay a deposit and then stage payments as work progresses.

• Mechanical know-how (engines, brakes, suspension)
• Basic welding and bodywork
• Patience and attention to detail
• Honest quoting and record keeping

• Zoning, home occupation permit and HOA or lease rules for doing vehicle work at home, check with your city or county
• Garage keepers liability insurance to cover customers' cars while in your care, plus general liability, ask your insurer
• Rules on disposing of oil, fluids, batteries and paint waste, and on spray painting (air quality), check with your state and local environmental agency
• Some states license or regulate auto repair or body shops, check your state's requirements before taking paid work
• Projects can run over budget or time, use written estimates, deposits and signed work agreements
• Never hold a customer's car in a way that could be seen as improper, keep clear paperwork on ownership and storage

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on the tools and equipment you already own and the kind of work you take on. Projects can run over budget, so use written estimates and deposits.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many projects you take on, the work involved and whether you subcontract paint or upholstery. These are estimates, and income can be uneven from month to month.

Check zoning, home occupation permit and HOA or lease rules with your city or county. Also check garage keepers liability insurance, rules on disposing of oil, fluids, batteries and paint waste, and whether your state licenses auto repair or body shops.