sign shop from home

[cjsigns707]

hey all, just wanted to know if anyone out there operates a home based sign shop business and how is that working.....we deliver all the products and may meet at their office or local starbucks....
we had a retail location for 10 years but have sized down.....trying to reinvent our business model....

 

[banditsigns]

I have been working out of my home for about 2 1/2 years now. I know a lot of people have told me to stay small....less headache, less overhead. I have thought about getting a building at a good location, but I have not seen the need. Sometimes I wish it wasn't in my basement. Seems I can't get away, but yet it is very convenient to be here to take my son to school etc. I have a 54" versacamm, and laminator all in my basement. There are times when I wish I could have something better, but my customers really appreciate that I come to there place and do the installs. I am leaving for a 2 week vacation to the Florida Keys this Friday, and I don't think that would be possible with a store front....

 

[legacyborn]

I did a home based for a couple of years. I was ignorant of proper pricing (due to ignorance on the part of my "partner") and we barely made ends meet. However, done right, I think it can be lucrative. Although it limits your ability to look "professional" to clients as you don't have an office address or a place they can go. Also on numerous occasions we had clients show up at the home without notice, my partner didn't see a problem with this (his house) but if you give out your address you may run into that.

As an aside, he does all of his work with cut vinyl (651) including banners and vehicles, his little success is based almost exclusively on long time clients (5 to 10+ years). Having a good existing client base will probably be a big help.

Good luck, especially if you are working in Vallejo.

 

[visual800]

been doin it for 23 years I would take nothing for it. Naps, personal time and errands without the hassle of having a storefront and overhead. I always go to the customers and deal with them on email or their place of business. I wouldnt trade it for anything

 

[Imakesigns]

My business is in addition to a full time job, so works great for me. my customers love having me come to them.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Also on numerous occasions we had clients show up at the home without notice, my partner didn't see a problem with this (his house) but if you give out your address you may run into that.

If you do things legit around here you won't be able to do that. Nor hang out a sign in front of your house or even have a vehicle that's wrapped parked out in front. That will get you fined by the city, county and if you are in a sub-division, the Homeowner's Association as most of the ones around here have something about that in their CCRs (I know several busted in the 3 subdivisions that surround my 20 acres).

The embroidery industry has a plethora of home based "business" (I do that as some are not legit, if not a great deal beyond the ones that I know about) and I deal with quite a lot of them, so I know the trials and tribulations of the legit ones.

 

[rjssigns]

Home based here too. Still want to get a shop since I do so many other things not related to signs. Would love to have a real spray booth with bake, a powdercoat set-up, frame jig, CNC machining center....
Dear Santa...

 

[john1]

Home based here, I meet customers at their business or they meet with me at a local coffee shop for a meeting. Some may find that unprofessional but buying the client a coffee or better yet when they buy you one is a great experience.

Wouldn't trade it now that i have done it this long, I hear that store front shops always have foot traffic for stupid little calvin peeing type stickers and is a waste of time. I am sure not everyone is like this but if you can not have a load of bills, Why would you?

Sure home based is a tad harder to keep rolling but you gotta stay on your feet and go out there and be known.

 

[Jillbeans]

I am home based for all of my 27 years in the trade.
My house is on a 4 lane highway and my property is zoned commercial.
I am an appointment-only shop for the past year...seems to eliminate the Peeing Calvin seekers.
I do have an office/showroom and I do keep regular hours.
Having a website has been very beneficial to me, as well as a Facebook page.
My vehicle is lettered and I have a nice sign out front.
Love....Jill

 

[Sign Up Graphics]

Sign Up Graphics

I am home based and been doing it for 14 years.
It works great for me. I don't like the overhead. I meet customer at their business.

 

[Jack Knight1979]

I've been home based for 8 years or so. Two years part time and the balance full time. It's looking like I'll be making the move to a larger facility in 2013.

I love working from home. Tax breaks, low overhead, 7 second commute. I'm actually dreading the warehouse move a little since it's new territory for me.

Home based is great!

 

[TheSnowman]

I am leaving for a 2 week vacation to the Florida Keys this Friday, and I don't think that would be possible with a store front....

Nah, you can do it. I just did it a couple weeks ago after Thanksgiving. I'm a one man shop, who wishes he was just working out of a shop at his house, but I went storefront. It's not terrible, but people ALWAYS expect you to be there, even though I tell them I'm a one man shop and I'm just not always there because I have lots of different responsibilities being the only one there.

I gained a lot of great customers that are repeat because of where I located, and most of them are my bread and butter now. If I'm leaving town, I tell them a week in advance so I can get their stuff done and they aren't left hanging while I'm gone.

 

[smdgrfx]

I've done both! I had a shop for eight years, downsized and worked from home for about 6 years and that drove me crazy. I've been at my current shop going on 4 years. I didn't want customers coming to my house. Some customers expected that I would be faster because I worked from home. I really didn't have enough space for everything I wanted to do. And I always felt like the HOA was about to give me a hard time. It seems like I always had a commercial vehicle parked outside that I was working on. I had a detached garage that I built out and had my printers and tables in, but it wasn't big enough. I rented a couple of storage spaces for my trailer and larger equipment. It was nice that my overhead budget was smaller, but I struggled getting larger projects completed because I was always compromising for lack of space. Anyways, I am now in a nice size facility (10,000+ sq.ft.) and I love the space. I love telling people to come by my shop. I don't run around meeting people so much anymore. And when it's a larger size job, the shop makes them feel more secure about plunking down the big check. Granted, my overhead is much higher, and I have lots more headaches....but I make more money than I ever did at home. And I can have more than one employee not lurching around my house and family...hahaha....

There are plenty of days that I wish I was small again though.....

 

[401Graphics]

I live above my shop. 1st floor is comercial and 2nd floor is an apartment. However the location isnt on a main road, but it is off of one, and there are 3 industrial businesses to the right of my property. I started out here and then last year i tried a nice commercial space in a very busy intersection with great visibility, and it didn't do anything but cost me $1200 a month in rent. So i moved back after my 6 month lease was up.

 

[Speedsterbeast]

At home for a year and a half since I started. Love it. However, I am moving out of my house and building a 30' X 30" shop on my property (4.25 acres) this spring, as I have outgrown my 30" Versacamm and my Big Squeegee. I like the freedom and the low overhead. Works perfect for my lifestyle.

 

[Bly]

I've done both.

When you are in a shop people expect to pay more, take you a little more seriously and it's always nice to shut the door behind you at day's end.

Plus I really don't want customers in my home.

 

[letterman7]

Been home based for nearly 20 years. Shop is behind the house; computer, printer and cutters are in a dedicated room in the house, the shop houses the CNC and paint areas. Appointment only, I usually go to my customers but if someone has to stop in they come to the shop, not the house. Works great until you get the people that ignore the 'appointment only' sign hanging under the business sign!

 

[legacyborn]

If you do things legit around here you won't be able to do that. Nor hang out a sign in front of your house or even have a vehicle that's wrapped parked out in front. That will get you fined by the city, county and if you are in a sub-division, the Homeowner's Association as most of the ones around here have something about that in their CCRs (I know several busted in the 3 subdivisions that surround my 20 acres).

Yeah, he had (has) the habit of waiting until clients are calling wondering where their sign is and telling them their sign is done, then while they are on their way to his house, he rushes to put the signs together. (Half the time having to finish them in front of the client) Honestly I'm not sure how he has held on to all the clients he has for so long. In the 2 years I worked with him, he finished a handful of jobs within his first deadline. But I did learn a lot

And yeah, no HOA where he is or was, but he doesn't care. He also doesn't have a contractors license and yet takes jobs over $500 (illegal in California) But honestly without him, I never would have been introduced to this industry which I love more than almost anything else I've done in my life, well, anything that is profitable

 

[OldPaint]

i am home based. been that way for near30 years. had a store front for 2 years......and when i figured i paid $10,000.00 in rent those 2 years, i decided to build my own shop AT HOME!!!!! for that same amont i spent in rent i got this:

 

[Centro Graphics]

This is a dilemma I have right now, although the option to work at home wont be an possible. I dont have the room, a BIG garden for a workshop would suit but I dont have the room.

I share a unit on a farm at the moment, its ok, but not ideal for both parties. I am on the cusp of a decision on my next move. I am in the mind set of not wanting to grow our plant and premisses, be almost totally sales focused.
Keep the small production set up, just for the jobs I want to produce, farm the rest out and focus on sales.

i have found another farm location, but its a bit smaller than i would want, like a large garage but its cheap, no long commute, cycle if i want. I could take a place 15 miles away in a busy area, little more expensive, plus fuel (fuel in UK is about $8.30 a gallon) and travel, but I want to be close to home, make more money. The only downside with this farm is, it looks a bit, two bit, if you know what i mean.

Point is, if your business can support a commerciual place take it. less overheads will/should mean more profit.

I am learning from our website, we can give our clients and prospects the perception that we are big, and do it in a cave of you want. not many really want to visit, if they do, hire an office close by for the meeting.

A few beers explanation