small business idea

jexygirl

if we buy flat pack, it is my job to assemble as himself refuses to read instructions, being a bloke and all... so no, I wouldn't as a woman who likes to do stuff!. You would also need to be properly insured and cover your hourly rate - based on not using power tools, as the destructions often say hand tools only to prevent damage, but most use power tools to speed up the process, so I think it may prove cost prohibitive.
but good luck never the less

Savvy_Sue

We've done so at work, when we've had a lot to do, eg new desks or shelving systems. Would never consider it at home: it's just about within DH's competence, and the boys help when they're home - what else are boys for?

vivatifosi

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

We've done so at work, when we've had a lot to do, eg new desks or shelving systems. Would never consider it at home: it's just about within DH's competence, and the boys help when they're home - what else are boys for?

I'd go along with this. The firms that I know who have done well at this, are either: individuals who do it as part of a wider "handy man" portfolio, or small firms that tend to do jobs that are bigger than flat pack furniture such as kitchen fitting and commercial furniture installation. The commercial furniture market at the moment is in recession, so there won't be many jobs there at the moment, but it is a good place to hone skills for this kind of work.

Could you broaden your portfolio to a more generalist role where you help out? That way not all your eggs are in the same basket. With small jobs, the hard part is getting someone who is a) reliable, b) available and c) doesn't cost the earth.

paulwf

The trick might be to specialise in one brand like Ikea so that you know their products and can put them together quickly and perhaps carry some of the most common spares. Alternatively get in with the smaller retailers and give them a finders fee every time they get as customer to use your services. There must be loads of elderly people willing to use your service if you can keep your prices reasonable and pick up the products.

I can't see it being a full time business but could be a handy add on.

MattClean

Hey Pdhmobile, (Excuse i don't know your name)

It's hard to do small market research on a website where everyone want's to save money ! so 99% your going to get (i would do it my self)

As what PaulWF said, it's more of a "Handy Add On Service", but there are people who would use the service 100%. As to a full time business, anything can be full time if you have the right mind set !

I.e Flat Pack installation service for small companies (offer your service to companies that sell flat packs but dont have time to offer the service them selves)

The elderly, disabled, lazy or I'm to busy !! I would personally say would be your target audience.

pitkin2020

MattClean wrote: »

Hey Pdhmobile, (Excuse i don't know your name)

It's hard to do small market research on a website where everyone want's to save money ! so 99% your going to get (i would do it my self)

As what PaulWF said, it's more of a "Handy Add On Service", but there are people who would use the service 100%. As to a full time business, anything can be full time if you have the right mind set !

I.e Flat Pack installation service for small companies (offer your service to companies that sell flat packs but dont have time to offer the service them selves)

The elderly, disabled, lazy or I'm to busy !! I would personally say would be your target audience.

Some good points.

Your correct any business you can make full time but if you have a limited market you have to look further afield, so whilst you could turn this into a FT business the costs would be astronomical once you start to move out of your area. SO much so you would struggle to compete or even make it a viable option for most.

Not many people are going to pay £50 to have their £50 flatpack item put together, generally flat pack is the cheaper option. If they are going to pay so much they may aswell have paid the £100 for the solid variant.

If you go for this OP you would really need to watch your costs and your time. You could find after fuel costs and other expenses if you don't charge enough per hour you'll easily be earning well below the NMW. If you have other skills, gardening, basic plumbing etc I would look at starting a sort of all in one handy services. You may find you can get more revenue from one household (lower costs) than travelling to several houses for one low paid job.

tbs624

eeeeeee wrote: »

pdh ... it might be worth putting flyers on peoples cars in ikea/bnq car parks ... get some cheap small flyers or even good sized complimentary slips (seen loads on ebay cheap )

The store car parks are private property - you would need the store's permission to do this.

ohblimey

Quite like doing it myself, kind of a 3D jigsaw, my parents might be the sort who would pay, but then again they have me to do it for them, although they probably wouldn't even buy flatpack so I don't know why I even said that

podperson

I used to run a 'one-stop shop' repairs business as well as selling flat pack furniture, we advertised assembly both in with the furniture and on the handyman side and in 18 months I think we had 3 people asking for it. Admitedly we didn't do focused marketing on that specific service but didn't seem to be a great deal of a market for it. Would agree that if you can do that you can do small handyman jobs which we did have a bit of a market for.

CKhalvashi

The only thing I pay someone else to do that I couldn’t do myself is to clean my car.

Assembling flat-pack furniture is normally the least of my problems!