Small engine repair can prove lucrative in some areas.
If you have the tools you need to repair gas-powered chain saws, you really do have everything you need to expand into repairing a number of pieces of small-engine equipment. What you may not have, of course, are the proper zoning permits in your town to operate a business. While businesses of this sort tend to be extremely low-key, you must check with your local city government and even your homeowner's association to ensure you can run your business from your home legally.
Instructions
1. Read the fine print of your homeowners' association handbook and agreement before you begin. Some associations regulate the kinds of businesses operated within the neighborhood. Although neighbors never see an online business, a small-engine repair business --- even one that specializes in chain saw repair --- may violate your homeowner's covenants. In the worst-case scenario, the association could foreclose on your home for violating the tenets of your agreement.
2. Request a business permit from your local zoning commission office. With regards to small at-home businesses, note that most zoning requirements state that the business cannot be outwardly visible from the street. As such, you will most likely not be able to post signs of any kind advertising your business unless your home is situated on or near a main road or outside the city limits. Zoning is extremely strict on this issue, and if you knowingly violate zoning laws, you could have your business permit revoked and face fines.
3. Advertise the business through your local newspaper or by posting signs if you are allowed to do so. Try not to specialize in chain saws, however. The equipment you use to repair a chain saw's two-stroke motor is the same as the equipment needed to repair string trimmers, lawnmowers and even mini-bikes. Consider advertising that you offer small-engine repair and blade-sharpening services. These specialties will allow your business to offer a wider range of services with which you are still familiar, effectively expanding your customer base beyond chain saw owners.
4. Spread word-of-mouth advertizing among landscaping companies in your area. While some will have their own in-house repair facilities, some will no doubt not have them, and they may be unsatisfied with your competitors' service or prices. If you offer to charge less and/or provide service to that of your competitors, you may be able to earn business quickly rather than waiting for customers to come knocking on your door.
Tags: your business, your home, your local, business permit, chain saws, from your, small-engine repair
