Starting a business help

[side-show-bob]

Hi all

I am going to take the leap and start my own business I am looking to do welding, fabrication, car maintenance. I am going to work out of the workshop I have in my back garden.

Can anyone advise me on where to get public liability insurance (and a rough cost)

Also any other advice would be greatly received.

Rob

 

[rtbcomp]

(Try to) Get planning permission first.

 

[side-show-bob]

(Try to) Get planning permission first.

Do you mean change of use for the workshop?

 

[rtbcomp]

Change to business use and use for motor repairs.

 

[BrokenBiker]

you need to make sure the local council is happy with what you plan...if i even go near my car with a spanner outside the house the neighbours get on the phone and i get a visit from a council warden telling me that working on cars in a public environment is classed as anti social behaviour. ive even been threatend with a fine for fixing a motorbike in my dads back garden cos the neighbours claimed the noise of me taking the engine out, and the smell of diesel was disturbing them. cant see how as the loudest thing i used was a socket set and a ratchet strap, ad ive never seen a diesel powered bike. council bloke refused to believe that i hadnt made anywhere near enough noise to disturb them.

in short, let the local authorities know what you are doing and find out any objections they might have

 

[cumbriasteve]

HMRC run a free 2 day course advising on the taxation element of a small business, well worth attending.

Check house insurance, they can be strict on what you are planning, regardless of the workshop being away from the house, it could make your policy invalid.

As mentioned the council and planning permission, you may have a battle on your hands there.

Liability insurance, well good luck with that one, I was quoted some astronomical prices.

In the end it was simply too much hassle and bother for me.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I'd say tackle each hurdle seperatley starting with council. If you live in a remote location (farm etc) then possible to get change of use for the workshop however if you live in a residential area then you might struggle. Do you get on with your neighbours as they will be the first ones the council will ask if they have any objections. If welding then distance of workshop from other peoples property might be taken into account for the fire risk. Then there is noise (pollution), smell / fumes from paint and other processes etc. All will be assessed by council to see what impact it has on neighbouring properties before it even starts looking at increased traffic and parking requirements. Don't forget the legal requirements for waste disposal of oil, filters, and such needs to be arranged.
Taking the car repairs out of the equation MIGHT be beneficial. If no customers calling at the premises, limited noise etc then you might be able to apply as a cottage industry business. Take the wee wee though and they would quickly close you down so you'd have to abide by any rules they dictated and not then start incorporporating car repairs and customers calling at a later date.
A visit to the council and speaking to a proper planning officer, not the lowly clerk who will see you first, is going to be worth the effort. Their job isn't to stop you but rather to make sure you conform to the rules so easier for them to get you pointed in the right direction from the start than havong to take enforcement action to close you down if you don't get the appropriate permission. They will of course try and persuade you to get an industrial unit or whatever so be prepared to counteract that suggestion with valid reasons why you can only operate the business from the workshop in your garden.

Paul H

 

[triumph]

HI all of the above advice is totaly correct and it may be worth thinking about trying first a bit of market research to see if there is a call for it, look for a small workshop to rent away from housing or try it with the odd local car repair wise and see how it goes .Most people who are spanner happy can make a living if the local market is big enough but pricing and reputation are your biggest assets which need to be built up when starting out,if there are farms near by maybe look at small call out machine repairs maybe,best of luck start up wise, dont let the moutain of regs put u off , c