Opening your own car service center in a garage from scratch is a responsible step into the world of business. A garage service does not require the same costs of creation and development as a full-fledged workshop with a service station in a large room. But in the garage you can offer many services, from tire fitting to chip tuning.
What services you offer depends on your skills and capabilities. If you are well versed in body repair, move in this direction. If you know everything about electronics, try yourself here. You can also subsequently hire staff, where each employee will perform their own duties, and there is a lot to learn from these people.
Who might be interested in the idea of a car service?
Typically, the idea of a car service is developed by experienced mechanics who have extensive experience in the field, or people who have a fairly large amount of money on hand. And if the latter immediately open full-fledged car services, the former often lack funds. And such people have to look for an alternative to a large car service center in the city center.
The idea of opening a car service center in a garage from scratch will be the most optimal for such people. They will be able to significantly reduce start-up costs. And if the garage is their property, then the issue with the premises will be automatically resolved.
Where to look for clients
Clients themselves will not come to you. Advertising on radio and TV is a waste of money. At first, the main way of promotion still becomes word of mouth . Repair your friends' car. Give them your business cards and let them share with their friends. And there is no need to skimp here, print more, with good design. Today this can be done quite inexpensively.
If the garage is located near residential buildings, it would be a good idea to notify residents about the opening and operation of the workshop. To do this, you can print out leaflets and deliver them to neighboring houses. Another trick is if the garage is located near the road and you have a truck. A large advertising banner can be placed directly on it.
Don't take on everything at once. The project will only be successful if you and your partners are truly good specialists in this field. We wish you good luck in starting your own business!
Relevance of car service
The idea of a car service is very relevant today. This can be explained at least by the fact that the number of cars on Russian roads is steadily growing. Now it is no longer surprising that a family with children has several cars at once. They have long ceased to be a luxury.
A car is a property that constantly requires some kind of investment. No one is immune from car breakdowns, which is why car service services are relevant for most Russians.
Of course, when answering the question whether it is profitable or not to open a car service in a garage, it is necessary to evaluate the level of competition. And he is quite big in this niche. But here are several features:
- the increase in the number of competitors does not mean that you need to reduce the cost of your services; on the contrary, everyone works at average market prices;
- The quality of services is the main factor of choice, so the owner of a car repair shop should focus on this point.
If a businessman is not sure of the profitability of the business, then he should consider opening a car service center in a garage. This is an excellent alternative for those who are just starting to work in the niche in question.
Advantages of car service in a garage
The garage format of a car service is a good option for skilled mechanics who are tired of working for others and want to earn money themselves. The idea has a number of advantages over other formats of this business:
- minimal rental costs or their complete absence if the garage belongs to one of the entrepreneurs;
- there is no need to hire many workers - specialists are able to work alone or with a partner;
- the opportunity to save on the purchase of a lift due to the presence of a pit in the garage;
- minimal costs for setting up a car service center.
All this can significantly increase profitability. For such car services it can reach 45 – 60%.
Range of services provided
Beginning entrepreneurs often do not know where to start opening their own car service center. Moreover, it does not matter at all whether it will function in a garage or a large building. The first thing you need to do is think over the list of services that will be offered to car service clients. Here you need to proceed from your capabilities, because the more services you need to provide, the more capital costs will be required for the purchase of equipment. And much more craftsmen will be needed.
For garage work, it is highly discouraged to do a wide range of services. Firstly, you will have to invest a lot of money in purchasing a tool, which can take a very long time to pay off. Secondly, the workshop may not have enough space to provide many services at once.
It is better for an entrepreneur to first master one direction, and over time expand both in terms of premises and in terms of services.
In general, such a garage can carry out the following types of work:
- Tire service. But you need to remember that such a service is seasonal. Demand for it appears in spring and autumn. You can use it as an additional source of income. In addition, this will give a large influx of clients, although many tools will not be required.
- Car repair. In this case, we are talking about repairing small machine parts and replacing them.
- Bodywork. These are more complex services that require professional equipment. But in the garage, for example, you can paint a car.
- Diagnostics of electrical and electronic systems. This requires specific knowledge and equipment. If there is such a specialist in the entrepreneur’s team, then it makes sense to include her in the list of services provided.
- Car tuning. May be associated with the installation of specific parts or their replacement. This also includes installing lighting, special painting and stickers.
Additionally, you can provide car wash services to your customers. But in this case, the garage must drain water so that it does not stagnate in the pits.
At first, it is better to focus on 1 or 2 services. Over time, the range of services can be expanded. In general, after a few years of successful operation, a car service in a garage can turn into a full-fledged workshop with a full range of services.
How does garage car repair work?
You can create several pages from which you can advertise body repair and painting in local flea market groups.
- Then we make an agreement with the client and go with him to the garage to inspect the car.
- The price is set by the master, taking into account my interest in rent and electricity.
- Next, the client is given a list of materials to purchase and a day for the start of work is discussed.
- The client brings the materials and leaves the car.
- The guys are repairing it - painting it, boiling it, straightening it.
- They show the work to the client and take the money.
- The masters settle accounts with you.
Why exactly this scheme of work? Yes, everything is simple, if you just rent out a garage with equipment, then more than 10-15 thousand rubles. there is no way to help them out. By bringing clients and knowing how much they actually pay, you can earn many times more.
Bonus! You can make your own cars at a very very tasty price!
car repair in garage
Registration moments
After choosing a list of services, the entrepreneur must decide on some registration issues. Of course, you can work informally first. But this can cause many problems. If a person wants to work officially, then he needs:
- Choose a suitable organizational form. The most popular are individual entrepreneurs and LLCs. For a small car service in a garage, an individual entrepreneur is ideal, since registration will be relatively simple and the business owner will receive some concessions from the state.
- Choosing a suitable tax system. There can be many options here - simplified tax system, UTII, PSN. It is not advisable to use OSNO, as it will be the most unprofitable.
- Selection of OKVED codes. The most suitable would be 50.20 – “Maintenance and repair of motor vehicles” or 50.20.1 – “Maintenance and repair of passenger cars”. The latter has a narrower specificity, but the garage is unlikely to repair trucks. Additionally, you can enter OKVED code 50.20.3 - “Providing other types of services for the maintenance of vehicles.” In this case, it will be additionally possible to wash and polish the car, apply various coatings to it, clean the interior, and also provide assistance to motorists along the way.
The operation of a car service center is not subject to licensing. Individual entrepreneurs do not even have to obtain certificates of conformity, but they will become proof of reliability and professionalism for clients.
If an entrepreneur plans to work in a garage, then he will first have to obtain permission from the cooperative to carry out such activities if the structure is located on its territory.
Choosing a garage location and equipment
If an entrepreneur owns a garage, then he will not be able to choose a location. If there is no room for work, then you can rent it. Moreover, it is better if it is a long-term lease for six months to a year or more. The garage itself should preferably be located:
- near a transport route;
- on the territory of the cooperative.
The greater the traffic capacity, the more clients the businessman will be able to attract. It is worth paying attention to the garage itself. It is better if there is an inspection hole in it, then you will not have to spend money on purchasing lifts. When calculating the required area, you need to take into account that the garage must have a place to store tools. Each workplace must have at least 5 m2.
It is also important to ensure that the garage has heating, sewerage with water drains, cold and hot water. There must also be electricity, otherwise it will be extremely inconvenient to work.
It is difficult to name a clear list of tools, since everything will depend on the list of services provided. But as a rule, the auto repair shop must purchase special compressors for tires, a balancing stand, and a transmission rack. It is necessary to ensure that all car service workers have hand tools.
Engineering Communication
A mandatory element of a car repair shop is a fire shield
Particular attention must be paid to the lighting of the garage; the lighting must be uniform, and in addition, additional separate lighting sources must be provided, in particular above the hood of the car and in the inspection hole.
The electrical network must be designed for a certain power, all connections must be reliably insulated, there must be a sufficient number of sockets, grounding must be installed, adapters and extension cords must be excluded.
A properly designed and equipped garage will help create comfortable working conditions in a private auto repair shop.
Staff
It is the personnel in the work of the auto repair shop that will have, perhaps, the greatest importance. After all, their skill and quality of services provided will determine how often clients will come here, refusing to go to other places.
It's worth hiring people with experience. But you can’t save on their salaries either. To motivate employees, it is worth using piecework-bonus wages. If you don’t want to spend a lot on wages, you can work with students and teach them yourself.
Sometimes they work in car service centers and are single workers. They independently provide the entire range of services offered. But in this case, it will be very difficult to increase the level of profit, as well as the number of clients served. But the level of profitability will be very high.
Pros and cons of such a business?
The biggest plus is that there is always money. Over time, when there is an established customer base, there is constant income. Also, if you spend a long time in this business, you get good connections. Many companies where materials are purchased offer discounts. Roughly speaking, you have income for everything.
Cons: lack of clients in winter and health. When painting a car, very harmful acids are released. Therefore, here you are risking your health.
Financial results
Car service in a garage does not require major investments. You can even start with 30,000 - 50,000 rubles, provided you have a place to work. It is unlikely that you will be able to immediately achieve a high income. Profit in the first months can be 20,000 - 40,000 rubles, sometimes less. With successful promotion, you can reach an income of 100,000 – 150,000 rubles in 3–4 months. But along the way you will have to purchase additional equipment.
Payback for this type of business can vary from 2 – 3 to 10 months. Much will depend on the amount of starting investment and the presence of a garage in the property.
How easy is it to find a garage and how much does it cost to rent?
This is not an easy matter. It is extremely difficult to contact the owner of the cooperative. Therefore, you need to initially pay the chairman well so that he gives a phone number, or contact intermediaries, but this is also a considerable additional expense. A garage costs an average of $100 per month. But there are prices both lower and higher. It is difficult to contact the owner of the garage directly. Even if there are advertisements of this nature, they are usually marked “I rent for personal purposes.” Why? Because if the tax office comes, not only the tenant, but also the landlord will receive it, since in order to rent out the garage, an agreement must be concluded, and this is extremely unprofitable for both parties. In the case of personal use, the likelihood of a tax appearance is much lower.
