How many times has your beater bar been completely fi lled with animal hair to the point where it won’t move anymore? The fact is, we’ve all experienced difficulty with our trusty vacuums from time to time. You’ll have no shortage of customers. Every home has a vacuum cleaner, and all vacuum cleaners occasionally need service and parts. Market your business where most customers will look for you, such as the Yellow Pages or in coupon books. You could also offer a free six-month checkup for early problem diagnosis, and bring in instant business. Diversify as much as you can, too; by stocking replacement bags and commonly used parts you can make a tidy side profit.
You’ll need to set up shop in a comfortable place with adequate lighting and a sturdy workbench. You can do this in your home or spend $300 or more per month renting shop space. Regardless of which you choose, you’ll need to advertise ($1,500 to $3,000) and keep a fairly complete parts inventory. Charge at least $45 per job, plus parts, to be sure you’re covering overhead and expenses.
Supplement that business by installing and servicing central vacuum systems, a feature in many new homes. Cultivate contacts among local developers and builders. Build an inventory of new vacuums and offer them for sale as well. After all, if you own a $100 vacuum cleaner, would you want to spend $45 to fix it or would you just buy a new one? Offering solutions for your customers can ring up more sales for you.
Approx. cost of start-up:$5,000 to $15,000
Approx. potential earnings:$25,000 to $40,000
Typical fees: $45 to $150 per repair, depending on complexity and parts availability
Where to promote: Yellow Pages, local newspapers, supermarket and community bulletin boards, direct mail
Qualifications: Strong technical knowledge and hands-on ability
Things needed: Parts, including central vacuum systems, from a variety of manufacturers (look for places that sell old vacuum cleaners for parts)
Required staff:No
Hidden costs: Shipping parts from overseas
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