# How many of you run a small home shop?



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

First off, Im new here...so HI!! Love the site!!

Ive been fixing up mowers for some time now, and absolutely love it. I was laid off from my job 2 years ago, and made the decision with my wife to become a stay at home dad for my infant. In that time Ive had much more time to tinker with small engines and fix up broken mowers.

Im seriously considering starting a small shop here at my house...I have the space and tools, and Im wondering how many of you guys/gals have done this and if it has been a success? Basically share your experience with me!

Also...Im considering some sort of formal training too and Ive heard good things about Foley-Belsaw. How many of you have used their correspondence courses and is it REALLY worth the $$?

Thanks again all !! And it's great to be aboard! :thumbsup:


----------



## TownWrench (Sep 27, 2005)

Hello Briggsanimal,townwrench Here.i Took The Foley-belsaw Course Around 1998.i've Gotten Quite A Bit Of Knowledge From It And Also Took A Hands On Small Eng. Training Course At A Local Trade School And Really Learned Even More Because I Was Able To Combine The Training From Both And It All Came Together.i Attended The Adult Training At Night One Winter.the Trade School Was Called B.o.c.e.s.board Of Co-operational Educational Services.if U Go With Foley Belsaw Don't Go With The First Price. Tell Them To Send U A Brosure After U Receive It Call Them Ask Them For A Coupon And U Will Save A Substantial Amount. Of Money. Sometimes The Coupon Will Come With The First Brosure.


----------



## hotrod_magee (Oct 30, 2007)

BriggsAnimal,
As for schooling, I've just applied what I learned the Automotive Technology course I took at a Tech school. I began as a shop foreman and worked on 3 & 4 wheelers in my spare time. Eventually some people had lawnmower problems and I began working on them. About 3yrs ago I bought a house and really got into the small engine repair as a side business. I live in a little town in the Dakotas (about 6,000) with one full time repair shop that works on boats and small engines (so the demand was there). 
I've operated my business very passively as far as advertising. The need is such that I have had businesses contact me asking if it would be ok to refer customers to me. Needless to say, in the 3yrs my shop has never been empty. My biggest struggles with it has been what to charge (currently $40/hr which is probably too little) and making sure I relax (kind of a workaholic) and separate my business from the rest of my life.
My problem now is that I have little to no time to do my own projects which I miss. I am working a full time job at a place with great benefits and retirement and don't really want to give that up. And I am getting married this year. So my struggle now is what to do with my business. I'd rather have my wife than a business and would like to have some time to do my own projects and possibly make money that way. 
So that is my story. I've enjoyed every minute of it. I've enjoyed the challenges of the pain in the butt problems as well as the in-and-out services. My advice to you is if you are really interested in it, look around and see what kind of demand there is for it. Also think about if you need to diversify your business a little. I know up here if there isn't snow, the winters can be a little slow for full time work. Good luck!!


----------



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

Thanks for all the stories and advice guys! Keep em coming


----------



## Moparaz (Jan 26, 2008)

I work for a small town in their public works deptment and we Use all kinds of small engines I have been fixing engines for years learned it on the farm that I grew up on and its been a big help to me I fix most of our small engines and just love to work with them there however is sometimes when I will call a shop to do extensive work small engines are everywhere and sometimes I get people I know that bring their problems to me because theres not very shops around to help fix peoples stuff the shop that the town uses is about 30 miles away which is the closest to us. I once thought of going into small engine repair as a business I would run myself and I thought that if I were to have a moblie shop along with my home shop and maybe even do a pickup and delevery servce for people or field work on some of the bigger mowers and stuff it would do good i think cause no one i know of does it. I know theres been a few times when my town could have sure used a service like this we would have been willin to payed the extra service fee for a few times. At one time in my life i did take a Foley-Belsaw small engine course i knew alot of it but also learned some stuff too Foley-Belsaw seemed to be good for me I would recommend it and the people are nice who run Foley-Belsaw


----------



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

Ive thought about a mobile service too, but the problem I see is stocking parts. I mean with all the brands out there you'd probably have to have a van loaded with parts, and if you dont have the part it may defeat the purpose of a mobile service.

Im all for pickup and delivery though for a flat rate.


----------



## Moparaz (Jan 26, 2008)

well that is something you cannot get around here i'll tell ya that it would have been great to have several times I am sure there are others out there that would agree with me


----------



## smallengine34 (Aug 22, 2006)

*Home shop*

Hi Briggsanimal i have been working on smallengines ever since i was 8 i am 35 years old i started tinkering around with a old lawnmower that was out behind my dads shop one day and supriseingly it started up after cleaning carb ever since i have been hooked ,i have worked at golf courses in the summer time when i was in grammer school and high school and i helped the mechanic whenever he needed help i also ran gokarts for 8 years that was very expensive i had to get out of that and since then i have worked for my dad at a rental equipment store working on equipment plus i have worked for 4 dealerships over the years until a year and half ago i started my own smallengine repair buisness i can make more working for myself thank i can working for somebody around here they don't pay good here.I also read books that i have bought from bookstores over the last 12 years so i have never had to go to college to learn the trade college would have been a waist of money for me they teach the same thing as what is in all of the books that i have plus an education will never beat 28 years worth of smallengine experience i also look at forums everyday to see if there are any updates on new engines and what warranty issues that have comeout ,i loe working on smallengines it is my hobby and my profession.


----------



## bgbass (Jan 11, 2008)

Ive had a small engine repair buisness for 5 years at my house and I get a lot of buisness actally to much somtimes.I work during the day and do this in the evening and weekends. Seeing i live in the northeast im not so busy in winter except after a snow storm and during the spring im super busy.All I did was get some buisness cards and handed them out to a lot of people and it took off. I checked what the local places are chargeing for labor and cut mine by 15.00 and everyone is happy. Good luck with your new adventure


----------



## newz7151 (Oct 15, 2006)

***********


----------



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

bgbass said:


> Ive had a small engine repair buisness for 5 years at my house and I get a lot of buisness actally to much somtimes.I work during the day and do this in the evening and weekends. Seeing i live in the northeast im not so busy in winter except after a snow storm and during the spring im super busy.All I did was get some buisness cards and handed them out to a lot of people and it took off. I checked what the local places are chargeing for labor and cut mine by 15.00 and everyone is happy. Good luck with your new adventure


Very cool! Sounds like you have had good success. One question though...it sounds like you work ALOT! Have you ever thought of just running your business, or would it not be profitable enough for you?


----------



## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

bgbass said:


> I checked what the local places are chargeing for labor and cut mine by 15.00 and everyone is happy. Good luck with your new adventure


If you are good and you know what you are doing, why in the world would you need to cut your own throat like that. You are leaving way too much on the table. The old adage you get what you pay for comes to mind. If you don't charge for your knowledge and abilities you are selling yourself short. 

I charge just as much as the local shop in my area do, and I stay very busy during the season. I provide quality repair service and have many repeat customers, and I DON'T cut prices, if you know what your doing you don't have to.


----------



## bgbass (Jan 11, 2008)

Well up here in my area they are charging between 85 & 90 hour so I charge 75 plus I get my parts at a real good price and the mark up is real good for example i pay a average of 1.40 for a spark plug and i charge 3.50 that what the price in the book is for resale so I make 2.10 on every plug. My overhead is basiclly nothing so I dont have to charge outragous prices. For example last year I made over 30000.00 I cant complain about that.I opened the buisness 5 years ago but Ive been doing this for peaple for better than 25 years. I wouldnt do it full time for the reason of health insuranse retiement and up here it wouldnt be busy enough year around.I also have 3 lanscape accounts that give me a lot of work in the spring and summer.Yes I do work a lot of hours but I enjoy what I do and i have a lot of dedicated customers.I also work on small evenrude and johnson outboards we have a place here that alows only 20hp on it for fishing and i get a lot of that work also I charge 90.00 per hour because the shops in this area charge 100.00 to 110.00.I dont think im undercuting myself I do a good job at a fair price and every one is happy


----------



## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

bgbass said:


> Well up here in my area they are charging between 85 & 90 hour so I charge 75


Well thats quite an average, The cost of living in your area must be pretty high. I still think your leaving too much on the table. 

But thats just my opinion, discounted work comes with the stigma of discount quality, but if your happy and your customers are happy, then be happy! 

I am just saying you should not have to discount your work in order to get business, if your good at what you do and do it right, the work will come. Discounting to get business is an easy way to garner business, but not the best way to stay in business.


----------



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

I understand completely about healthcare and retirement! Kudos to you for 30k pt...thats not too shabby! They have some high labor rates up there...around here you're talking 50 to 65 an hour, but cost of living is much different.


----------



## bgbass (Jan 11, 2008)

I understand what your saying and your entitled to your opinion. I got to the point last year of not doing any engine rebuilds anymore it got to time consuming and plus the cost wasnt worth it for the price I can pick up a new for example 8hp briggs for about 450 I add 10% to that plus my labor and I make a few dollars and the customer gets a new motor and they are happy. Right now I have about 300 customers so i have to be doing somthing right


----------



## East Engine (Feb 11, 2008)

I live in eastern Canada and am looking at taking the ICS Course in Small Engine Repair. Is it worth it? Did anyone ever take it?


----------



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

I just purchased Foley Belsaw and hope that it's a good course.


----------



## 420 Tech R/C (Sep 15, 2006)

BRIGGS ANIMAL- Kudos to you and your wife on the decision to be a full time dad and put your kids first!!More of that needs to happen these days!! I also decided to be the stay at home parent 3 years ago now.Not doing the same as you, but started an internet busines dealing in R/C vehicles.Business has been great, I cleared over 30K this year and I know my child to boot, so I think it's the best decision I have ever made.My wifes freinds dont quite understand how our arrangement works, but who cares.All they need to know is that between what I make on the computer and what we save in daycare each year I really make just as much as my wife does PLUS there is not a stranger raising our son!!Our little one is going on 3 now and because of the decision I have made I am his 'momma-daddy'. Thats what he calls me.My wife is just momma.I know for me it has given me a bond with him that is more intense at 3 years old than most guys ever have with their kids. Makes me very confident that I made the right choice. I just had to let you know that I applaude you, and in the long run it will be one of the best things you have ever done for your family.


----------



## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

BriggsAnimal said:


> I just purchased Foley Belsaw and hope that it's a good course.


I imagine it's as good as any, play real close attention to the theory and learn it inside out. It's much easier to figure out why something won't work, if you know how it works to start with. Once you get that part figured out, troubleshooting problems becomes much easier.

Best of Luck to you... :thumbsup:


----------



## East Engine (Feb 11, 2008)

Thank you ........I am very interested at getting certified and with a little time start a small home based business out of my garage..........I have been busting my brain trying to figure out what to do for an added change ( work part-time in the Canadian Forces) and this comes to mind.........I remember as a kid tinkering with motorbikes and some mowers and loved it.


----------



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

420 Tech R/C said:


> BRIGGS ANIMAL- Kudos to you and your wife on the decision to be a full time dad and put your kids first!!More of that needs to happen these days!! I also decided to be the stay at home parent 3 years ago now.Not doing the same as you, but started an internet busines dealing in R/C vehicles.Business has been great, I cleared over 30K this year and I know my child to boot, so I think it's the best decision I have ever made.My wifes freinds dont quite understand how our arrangement works, but who cares.All they need to know is that between what I make on the computer and what we save in daycare each year I really make just as much as my wife does PLUS there is not a stranger raising our son!!Our little one is going on 3 now and because of the decision I have made I am his 'momma-daddy'. Thats what he calls me.My wife is just momma.I know for me it has given me a bond with him that is more intense at 3 years old than most guys ever have with their kids. Makes me very confident that I made the right choice. I just had to let you know that I applaude you, and in the long run it will be one of the best things you have ever done for your family.



420 Tech...Great for you man! I don't meet many other stay at home dads, so it's always great to hear that there are more of us out there. You are right on with daycare too!! Around here you'll pay around a grand a month if you want "good" daycare. I say no thanks to that. Also 420---I sent you a PM.


----------



## 420 Tech R/C (Sep 15, 2006)

Hey Briggs you are right, the time with the kidsis worth more than a ton of money.specifically I deal on ebay. Irun an ebay store(420 Tech. R/C) selling both new and used items.My new items I buy from wholesalers, and the used items I buy from whereever I can get them.Some times even off of e-bay and re-sell them.But most of the time I pick up used stuff at the races or on swap and sell listings on forums. My older son and I have been racing competitively for 4 years now.I have actually been into it for about 20 yrs. now.But alot of the time racers will get off their old gear when they upgrade to the newest hot setup for dirt cheap just because they dont want the old stuff cluttering up their house.The stuff is still worth good money, so I buy it and sell it on e-bay where it will sell for what it is worth.I do about 90% of my business with bashers, people who dont race, but just run for fun. A perfect example of a money maker is used dirt tires. Racers will run them for 2-3 race days until the pin spikes get a little rounded and no longer hook up as good.The tread is still 90% or better usually. I can buy them at the track for 5-7 $ a pair. they are around 15-20 $ a pair new. I can resell them on ebay for 10-12 $ a pair + shipping. Usually bashers will buy them, they dont worry about perfect since they usually run a set until they are bald any way. so they are saving money, I am making money, and everybody is happy.And the cool part is the only thing I really have to do is take a picture , post it and ship it. Which I do after the wife and kids go to bed, since I am a night owl anyway. On average I spend 2-2 1/2 hours a day on the ebay stuff which leaves me a ton of time for the wife and kids.I plan on keeping this going until the youngest boy gets into school, and then doing it part time on top of a day job.i dont ever see it falling off because things in the R/C world are like in the computer world, what you buy this year is going to be obsolete next year. So racers will continue to upgrade as the newer hot setups come at them, and will always have some gear from last year to sell off to try and recoup some changeover money.Works for me.so that in a nutshell is what I do.


----------



## BriggsAnimal (Jan 30, 2008)

Sounds awesome 420! Well, besides my hands on experience with repairing --I started my Foley Belsaw this weekend...so now I'll learn theory!


----------

