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Opening your own upholstery cleaning business may seem daunting at first. But, with the right knowledge, advice and heaps of hard work, you'll be on-track to secure a steady income through your new venture.
Read on for your guide to what you need to know before launching your upholstery cleaning business.
You'll need to have a thorough understanding of how to clean different types of upholstered items including couches, lounge chairs and curtains. Being a detail-oriented person who can quickly spot marks and stains is fundamental as is having strong interpersonal skills.
You'll need to be motivated and have a water-tight business plan in place. Don't underestimate the amount of hard work involved in getting a small business off the ground.
Although it's not mandatory, having a formal qualification will improve your CV and likely boost your chances of securing work. In Australia, a Certificate III in Cleaning Operations can be studied through a TAFE or private training institution and will teach you cleaning techniques and how to handle chemicals and equipment safely.
Access thousands of courses from some of Australia's leading providers.
Equipment will be your biggest initial cost when you start out. These are the key things you'll need:
To lower your startup costs, hiring equipment is a possibility. However, keep in mind that although purchasing equipment comes with a large upfront cost, leasing equipment will quickly add up once you've completed a few jobs. If you're planning to be in the upholstery cleaning business for the long haul, you're better off purchasing your own equipment.
There's more than one way to structure a business and it's important to choose the right structure for the business's needs as this determines who can make decisions, who's liable for losses and the business's tax obligations.
The following are common business models you can use for your upholstery cleaning business.
Once you've chosen your business structure, you'll need to choose a business name and register for an ABN. Use ASIC's business names register search tool to check whether your preferred business name is already in use. If you choose a company structure, you'll also get an Australian Company Number (ACN). You can register a company name as well (once again, check whether it's available first) but this isn't compulsory.
Some of the legal stuff might seem hard to get on top of at first but there's plenty of legal advice and services available online as well as templates and examples. When starting any type of business, it's important to have all the right legal documentation in place first to protect you and your business.
For an upholstery cleaning business, the main legal documents you'll typically need are:
As you're providing a service, you'll also need to comply with the requirements of the Australian Consumer Law.
When pricing your upholstery cleaning services, some important factors to consider include:
Before putting a price tag on your services, do some market research on competing businesses nearby.
Compare your business expertise to your competitors, identify potential opportunities and price your services accordingly.
As a general guide, upholstery cleaners typically charge by the item with couches costing anywhere from $50 to $200 to clean.
Do I need insurance?
It's very important to have insurance policies in place to protect yourself, your business and your clients from risk. For an upholstery cleaning business, the major ones you'll need include:
Read more: Find out more about insurance for cleaners.
How can I get more clients?
There are countless ways to market your business from old-school word-of-mouth recommendations to websites and social media. You can find clients through online marketplaces that allow you to respond to job ads for upholstery cleaning services and/or list your business in a directory. The main ones are:
Listing your services in business directories such as White Pages, Yellowpages and TrueLocal is also an excellent way to connect with new clients.
Is an upholstery cleaning business profitable?
It is possible to make money from upholstery cleaning but keep in mind that it will require a solid investment of your time and money first. After you've outlayed money on equipment, insurance and promoting your business, it's going to take a number of jobs before you turn a profit.
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