Returning after maternity leave. Back to salon or move to home salon?

[xxhaylzxx]

After having my little one I am re-evaluating my work life. I currently have a small salon and I am a one man band. Whilst I had a short time off and I’ve been back a couple of days a week I have only just been making ends meet. I will be doing 3 long days a week soon and a half day every other week. The stress this has caused me whilst trying to enjoy some time with my little one has not been great. I am hoping to have another baby in the next couple of years and my lease is up next August and I do not want to be in this situation again.

I am hoping to be able to work from home but just weighing up the best option. Ultimately we would love to extend the house and ideally I will have a room on the back of the utility with separate entrance and access into the utility room where the downstairs loo is. But with how things are I don’t see us being able to afford an extension anytime soon. The treatments I will be offering are facials, massage and waxing. And I will be mainly working when nobody is in the house with the exception of the odd evening appointments. I Will of course sort all the council/planning permission side of things but I just want to work this part out before I enquire/apply. I’m swaying towards a conservatory which would be more like a proper room with a tiled roof, dwarf walls and pillars so not entirely made of glass. I toyed with the idea of a garden office/room, log cabin or summerhouse but it’s where to put it that’s the issue.

I know there are a lot of home salon threads but I just wondered what’s your set up?
Do you work from a spare room, conservatory, extension, converted garage, summerhouse/log cabin?
Do you have any pictures you’d be willing to share?
Has moving from a salon to a home salon been a good move for you?
Was this something you considered/did when you started your family?

I love my job and my clients but I don’t love this feeling when things are this tight. I have never owed anybody any money before, never had a credit card or loan so only just making ends meet is making me feel very uneasy.

Any feedback is much appreciated.

One tired, stressed out momma. Xx

 

[CFBS]

My vote would go to working from home as this is much more financially viable when working around a growing family.

 

[xxhaylzxx]

I definitely agree. Now to plan my home salon [emoji5]

 

[Persephannie]

I've never worked in a salon but work from home doing nails. I have a open loft and find it stressful to keep the house up to snuff because clients have to walk through it to get to my nail space. My kids and hubby have to be quiet but I have a gorgeous room divider that helps out. A separate enterance and dedicated powder room are my ideals for a home salon.

 

[Eloise86]

I opened my home salon a year ago in april. It’s been the best although it’s a lot more time consuming and costs a lot more money than I ever imagined. It still costs me around £200 a week to run which I was not expecting. Music licenses, insurances, products, magazines, electric, refreshments, cleaner, card machine, water, etc etc. My problem is I want it to be as professional as a salon but it comes at a price. However I’m pregnant with my first and it will give me flexibility no other job will.

 

[xxhaylzxx]

Wow that looks lovely! I’m guessing your start up costs were pretty high too? It does look like a salon in its own right though! Well done!

 

[Eloise86]

Wow that looks lovely! I’m guessing your start up costs were pretty high too? It does look like a salon in its own right though! Well done!

Yes they were, but were I was renting a chair in town mychair rental alone was 13k a year plus card machine, colour, petrol and parking, and was limited to working certain days and what days I had off so in three years it would have paid for itself.... there’s also a lot of pressure when it’s your own, like clearing snow for clients coming making it safe, when the pipes freeze... it affects my partner as he does all that stuff and he gets a bit annoyed. Xx

 

[xxhaylzxx]

Yes they were, but were I was renting a chair in town mychair rental alone was 13k a year plus card machine, colour, petrol and parking, and was limited to working certain days and what days I had off so in three years it would have paid for itself.... there’s also a lot of pressure when it’s your own, like clearing snow for clients coming making it safe, when the pipes freeze... it affects my partner as he does all that stuff and he gets a bit annoyed. Xx

Did you have a lot of your clients follow you? Do they like your home salon?I just wish I had space for something similar. I’m hoping my running costs won’t be that high though. To be fair I use royalty free music and I will only really use some more electricity for lighting, my wax pot and facial equipment and a bit extra water. I think it’ll mainly be home insurance that increases. Xx

 

[Eloise86]

Yes I though I would lose 50% as I moved 6 miles from a town salon to my back garden in a village, I lost a few the majority followed me. They like the free parking the personal touch. My Schwarzkopf label m and electricity are my biggest outgoings xx

 

[Spandangle]

Can I ask what cabin this is? And how did you get a WC in it? It looks incredible!! Xx

 

[Eloise86]

My other half custom built it for me, check out his fb page Essex garden rooms. The cabin sets wouldn’t last long are expensive for what they are and look and feel horrible to be in, I went round and visited some and wasn’t impressed. This cost what an extension would but it will last xx

 

[Beautiful-you]

I opened my home salon a year ago in april. It’s been the best although it’s a lot more time consuming and costs a lot more money than I ever imagined. It still costs me around £200 a week to run which I was not expecting. Music licenses, insurances, products, magazines, electric, refreshments, cleaner, card machine, water, etc etc. My problem is I want it to be as professional as a salon but it comes at a price. However I’m pregnant with my first and it will give me flexibility no other job will. View attachment 207037View attachment 207038

Wow! That's gorgeous

 

[Beautiful-you]

I have been working from a spare downstairs room in my house for the past couple of years. It's handy but the drawbacks are my clients have to walk through my kitchen to get to it and I have dogs so it's a constant battle to keep it clean and tidy (and quiet!) when clients come, so we have converted our detached double garage and workshop instead. Just waiting for finishing touches so I can move in! I would definitely recommend working from home though. I love the flexibility it provides.