Start a home custom picture framing business

Local households, artists and photographers, interior designers, and small offices that want finished, hung-ready pieces.

You charge per job, based on frame size, molding, matting and glass choice, with a markup on materials plus a labor charge. Repeat work from artists and designers helps fill quiet weeks.

• Precise measuring and cutting
• Good eye for color and proportion
• Patience and attention to detail
• Basic customer service and quoting

• Check your city or county for a home occupation permit and any HOA or lease rules
• Check whether your state requires sales tax registration and a resale certificate for buying supplies wholesale
• General liability insurance and coverage for customers' artwork while in your care
• Saws and cutters are hazardous, use guards and wear eye and hearing protection
• Dust and glass shards, plan ventilation and safe glass handling

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $12,000, depending on the cutting and mounting tools you buy, your initial supplies and how you set up your workspace. These are estimates, not fixed prices.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $3,500, depending on how many hours you work, your pricing and how many local customers, artists or designers you reach. It can start as a part-time venture.

Check your city or county for a home occupation permit and any HOA or lease rules. Also check state sales tax registration and resale certificates, insurance covering customers' artwork, and safe handling of saws, dust and glass.