If you have the skill and the welding machine, you can have a great side business from home doing welding work for other people. Both small businesses and individuals encounter the odd welding need, but most people are not equipped to do their own welding and sometimes the cost of getting it done at a professional welding shop is a deterrent. You can keep your overhead low at home, keep your prices low for your customers and still make a good profit.
Instructions
1. Set up a good workspace and be sure you are equipped with the appropriate supplies and safety gear. Make sure your welding machine is wired properly to meet the electrical code in your area.
2. Decide how you will charge for the welding work you do. You can have a per-hour charge, or you can give an estimate per-project as they come in. Working by the hour makes it easy to calculate the charges, but it also limits you to that per-hour amount. Working on a per-project basis means you have to spend time making an estimate for the cost, but it also means that you can make more as you become more skilled with your welding.
3. Letting people know about your business simply by word of mouth is a good idea, but you might also take out a small ad in the local paper or put an ad on an online classified site such as Craigslist. State your service (welding), your rates and your contact information clearly.
4. Keep track of your projects, your time and your money. Be sure you clearly label each project you receive with a hangtag so you know who it belongs to. Keep track of how much time you are putting into each project, or of the estimate you make, so you know how much to charge when the work is completed. Collect the money before you return the completed work.
5. Decide if you will do on-site welding. You will find, as you expand your business, that people may need welding done at their home or business. If you choose to take it on, decide if you will transport your welder or if the customer will be responsible for providing a welding machine. Decide, also, how much you will charge in addition to your normal fee. You need to cover your fuel and travel costs and the extra time you spend going to and from the work site.
Tags: welding machine, Decide will, each project, Keep track, keep your
