Home based salon - how do you run yours?

[Holistic123]

Hey, Im hoping to finally have a salon at home in the new year, offering nails, beauty and holistic treatments.

Just got a few things I need to ask:

Did you tell your mortgage company, the council and your neighbours before you started?

How do you let your customers in the salon? Do you let them in, or do thy come in themselves. Do you have a waiting area?

We have plenty of parking and salon will be directly infront of you as you walk through front door.

Im having a partition wall with a door within my room where my bed will be as dont want customers walking in, esp when im waxing!, then nail table in main room with couple of waiting chairs Im thinking?

Thx all

Lucy X

 

[satinbaby]

Hi hunnie... Im based from home i will answer your questions as best i can..
I dont have a mortgage, Im registered with the local council, neighbours i don't have them!! Sorry not much help me!!!
I regards to the clients coming in they ring the bell come in upstairs and wait in the wating area/ office/landing... If they are new i always go and greet but once they have been a few times i say ring the bell let yourself in take a seat..I have a sign on my wall outside for the salon advertising the entrance xI have no probs with parking but if you are in built up area be careful as ppl don't want cars out side their homes....
I think its trial and error and it works well for me but it might not for all ppl... Good luck xxx

 

[Zondrae]

I have a home salon. I am fully registered with the appropriate health dept here and the local council. The neighbours were informed by council when I originally applied for approval, so yes they know about it. I've got 2 car spaces on my drive way so parking isn't an issue.

I let all my customers in at the front door, and I keep it closed while I'm working. The salon isn't right at the front of the house so it is better to keep it closed. I haven't had any problem with client overlap yet, I'm still quite small

Yes I told my home insurer about the business, just to make sure it didn't influence my policy. I have a separate salon insurance to cover the business.

So far things are working out just fine. I'd like to be busier - but wouldn't we all? I say do things properly right from the beginning so you don't have problems later on. Good luck!

 

[jes]

Hi Lucy,

You may find this website helpful:- Complete Guide to Legal Requirements for Home-Based Businesses | Home Business Network

 

[grumpycat]

hi lucy
i am also thinking of working from home but not till later in the year, my lease finishes at the end of may, am quite interested in how you get on as we are both based in the west midlands, can you let me know how you get on?
many thanks
sharon xx

 

[Holistic123]

hi lucy
i am also thinking of working from home but not till later in the year, my lease finishes at the end of may, am quite interested in how you get on as we are both based in the west midlands, can you let me know how you get on?
many thanks
sharon xx

Hey, I will keep you updated, the way things are going for me It may be around the same time as I need a small extension to house to have a home based salon. Hoping to get work started pretty early next year.

Pls keep your fingers crossed for me as over 1 year ago I started setting up a small salon and I fell pregnant!

I like the home salon as overheads are lower, however you lack the passing trade but I cant wait for the challange. I have looked at rooms to rent but I still feel tied in with the owner of the building and I just feel I cant work unless its 100% for myself now.

Do keep me updated with your news/progrees and anything you feel I should know if you get started before me.

Whereabouts are you in the midland??

Lucy X

 

[kezza*]

Hi
I recently set up at home in September,,,,I lost my job at the end of July and couldn't afford to be out of work for to long,,,,,I had a mad rush setting everything up I had to decorate the room and get equipment and products etc,,,,,,I started with getting my insurance in place 1st then rang the council, told them I was thinking about setting up from home I did tell them that it was a computer room as well and they said that I only needed to register for electrolysis,,,The council weren't that bothered to tell the truth,,,rang registered I was doing electrolysis they came out and looked at everything checked that everything was ok etc and tht was that,,,,I managed to get some of my old clients from my previous job and I advertised. I told my neighbours that I was working from home and I have parking on the drive and I tell my clients if it's the 1st time their coming were to park as don't want them blocking people's drives etc,,,,I did put some boards outside my house on my drive advertsing and they could pick a pricelist up of it,,,it worked really well for the whole of 2 weeks before some lovely man from the council turned up saying someone had complained but he wouldn't tell me who and I'm sure it was my exboss but someone had complained saying i had set up a business from my house and I told him I had spoken to the coucnil about etc but he wanted to check that I hadn't changed the building and made a room especailly to a beauty room (I have but he rang and made an appointment to come see me so I put a tv in there lol) and that it was being used for something else as well,,,,I did have to take my boards down something to do with advertising and need planning permission,,he gave me some advise and to be careful not to draw attension etc,,,,,but other than that it's all going really well,,,,,people do find you and word of mouth works great but a bit slow lol,,,,clients ring the door and I greet them and take them to the room I don't have a waiting room so I have one in at a time but a couple of times it's overlapped slightly and they have waited in the front room,,,,just have to keep making sure the house is tidy lol,,,,,i don't answer my fone when i'm with clients and I find that people leave a message anyway,,,i find it soooo much better working from home at least in between clients I can get on with house work etc.
Good luck
Kerry

 

[LBR]

I've had a home salon for 5 years now. I only take clients by appointment only and they ring the bell and I let them in. Sometimes with spray tans they come in 2's and threes but they all just come in my beauty room. Most of my clients are word of mouth with a few through my internet and yellow pages.

I have my own drive so parking is not a problem, neighbours don't mind, some of them are clients anyway and I originally spoke to the council and they never had any problems at all.

I get on fine and I'm ticking over nicely. You can only do so much in the end.

 

[BeauRev]

Hi Lucy

Good luck with your plans

I too am setting up a home based business, so havingthe same kinda thoughts as you. At the moment I am awaiting planning permission from my local council so I can work from home. Was initially told it is easy to apply for, but was messed about by my council. In the end I went in person ans was told it was a long process, so just waiting now. I will keep you posted and you do the same.

Always nice to help 1 another.xxx

 

[Quiche]

Hi BeauRev

I am also in the processes of setting up a home salon just to do nails. I contacted my local council yesterday who put me through to envioronmental health and all they were interested was if I was doing peircings etc! The only thing they told me to do was a health and safety audit and contact our local health & safety execs.

What paperwork are you having to complete?

Also, does anyone have seperate business insurance - I have contacted my house insurance company who won't cover me so I am now looking for a seperate company?

Many thanks

Quiche
x

 

[meechnails]

Hi,
Sorry to jump on the band wagon but
I'm am also in the middle of setting up a home salon and have been reading ur thread, very helpful!!
I have owned my own business for 8 yrs, started renting a nail bar in a friends salon for 4 yrs then decided that I could do better on my own and set up my own salon 4 yrs ago, it truly has been the best and worst thing I've done, I have built up an amazing client base, (working on average 48 hrs a week!!! Manic!!) it has been so successful, I have been and done the employment thing (NEVER again!!!) but I'm now at the stage, sick of paying out all the time, rent, rates, music license, products etc... Parking issues, no work/life balance etc....All the things that come with renting a premises!
My husband and I recently moved house so now have a driveway for 4 cars, side access and a good size garden so I plan to put a log cabin in the garden to keep it professional and separate from the house, my hairdresser does the same and it's fab!!
I do understand that i will still have to pay out for most of the above but the salon rent is so huge I am looking forward to cutting that!!
I have also been in contact with the council. I have been told so many different things, what I have now started to do is communicate with just one council planning officer (who is fab!) via email as I now have evidence, if needed in the future!
I do actually want to pay business rates so that it is all above board but didn't know where to turn, the business link website is just great has a breakdown of all u need to do when starting up, a true step by step guide!! I hope u find this helpful!!
I already have salon &p.l insurance and they will just re-structure it when I move.
The neighbours already know that I'm thinking of it but I am just so terrified to make the jump from salon to home!!

Good luck!! X

 

[jessicaspaowner]

My tip, keep your IT simple.

Save time and money, which you will probably have little of anyway... by using Facebook pages as your website.

You can also get some pretty cool apps for iPad now which you could use for client details (MyClientCard), music and even payments with Square or similar.

It might sound too good, but you can seriously run your whole business from an iPad which means you don't need a big bulky reception area too!

 

[MMBeauty2012]

So a few years on how has everyone got on at home?

 

[Noodle]

So a few years on how has everyone got on at home?

Unfortunately, none of the posters to this thread have logged into the Salon Geek website for quite a few years.