Checklist for starting a home cleaning company

[whenispaydayagain?]

My wife is starting a cleaning company and was wondering if anyone could provide me with some sort of check list of things that need to be done before we start:

So far we have things like (in no particular order)

CRB Check
Logo/Flyer design - Flyer printing
Business name
Marketing stratagy (where to advertise etc)
Price list and list of services provided
List of areas covered

I am sure we have missed loads off - any more sugestions/ideas?

[PlutoinCapricorn]

Register with HMRC as a Sole Trader

Public Liability Insurance

Professional Indemnity Insurance?

Equipment insurance?

New bank account or use existing one?

Set up a website.

[googler]

Make sure you spell-check all your marketing material [text removed by MSE Forum Team]

Register the domain for the business name so that you can have the website and have email addresses with the business name. Don't be one of these amateurs with a hotmail or gmail address.

If she'll be working from home, check the situation with your home insurer regarding insurance for business items and whether or not this will affect premium, also whether or not storage of lots of cleaning fluids etc at your home has H&S and insurance implications.

Look into membership of a cash and carry to buy material in bulk at lower prices

If using the family car to get around, read up on how to account for business and personal use. check with insurer how business use will affect your premium.

Read all the HMRC material on being self-employed and/or running a business (there's lots of it)

Keep records of all money coming in, and all expenses so you can account for them to the taxman

Have you researched the areas you're planning on servicing? How much demand there's likely to be for your services? How many are already offering the same service as you? This is crucial. If there's already a satisfied client base, and nobody wants to switch from their current cleaner, how will you get any business? Imagine yourself in the Dragon's Den, pitching for investment from the dragons for this business - can you come up with a convincing argument for someone to back you......?

Good Luck.

[googler]

If you're going to use a dedicated vehicle, consider sign writing or wrapping it so that it's a mobile billboard for your services. Check with the insurer first, as some will refuse to insure sign-written or wrapped vehicles

[warwicktiger]

This site may help you:

http://www.cleanitup.co.uk

[whenispaydayagain?]

Sorry i haven't been on for a while - Thanks for all the replies guys - Much appreciated

[mee1973]

Originally Posted by whenispaydayagain?

Sorry i haven't been on for a while - Thanks for all the replies guys - Much appreciated

You can also buy car magnet signs to advertise, and I have just listed myself with plenty of free index listing sites online for my business, some well known (not sure of rules on listing websites so I wont).