Opening up a small audio service

[tejcurrent]

Actually starting a business is pretty easy, it's staying in business that gets tough. It's difficult to get customers with money to buy things they don't need right now.

High school kids get their mommies money, but then how much are they really willing to spend? 50-100 bucks here and there is nice, but for a real business you have to charge prices like other shops.

I was going to build a box for a guy for 2 18s really cheap, then I started figuring things out:

2 sheets mdf- $50

glue/finish nails: $10-15

paint for port: $5

Threaded rod bracing: $30

I mean, not including fiberglass you're talking about at 100 in materials. Now it takes me at least a day or two to cut, build, paint, then countersink the sub and round-over things nice, drill out and tighten down the bracing. Lets say you've got 5 hours into the thing between you and your friend.

Now if you charge them $200 you're only making what 50 bucks for your work? That's why shops charge so much.

New/replacement tools add up too.

Then they ask you to hook things up for them. If they buy all their wire, it still takes at least 2-3 hours to cut a grommet, pull panels, run wire, hook up the sub and amp, and quickly set the gains by ear. 2 hours of parking lot pimpin' later they've blown a sub and now they're coming back to you butt-hurt that you set things up wrong, when it turns out the moment they left they cranked the bass boost all the way up.

Or better yet, their bulb burned out in their tail light that night and they say you messed up their wiring.

If you do any work in anyones car get insurance man. Too many idiots to blame you for things you didn't do. Worse to have problems with a customer because you did screw something up. If you're JUST building boxes than you should be pretty safe.

If you and your friend are serious, go buy a few hundred dollars in mdf and build many many boxes for yourself. If not for practice just to get first hand experience of how different size boxes change the sound of your driver.

[jbondox]

what is a clean price? I have never heard that before... I hate catch phrases...especially stupid ones that really mean "I should stay in school and dedicate my time for an education so I never come up with that again" good luck on your endeavor though

[marquettefan247]

welcome to small business !

i will soon be starting a shop also... :hairtrick:

thanks for the website, i need sum shirts made too...

No problem for the link and I think I will be fully opening up my business when I get my shit straight, but good luck with yours.

Actually starting a business is pretty easy, it's staying in business that gets tough. It's difficult to get customers with money to buy things they don't need right now.

High school kids get their mommies money, but then how much are they really willing to spend? 50-100 bucks here and there is nice, but for a real business you have to charge prices like other shops.

I was going to build a box for a guy for 2 18s really cheap, then I started figuring things out:

2 sheets mdf- $50

glue/finish nails: $10-15

paint for port: $5

Threaded rod bracing: $30

I mean, not including fiberglass you're talking about at 100 in materials. Now it takes me at least a day or two to cut, build, paint, then countersink the sub and round-over things nice, drill out and tighten down the bracing. Lets say you've got 5 hours into the thing between you and your friend.

Now if you charge them $200 you're only making what 50 bucks for your work? That's why shops charge so much.

New/replacement tools add up too.

Then they ask you to hook things up for them. If they buy all their wire, it still takes at least 2-3 hours to cut a grommet, pull panels, run wire, hook up the sub and amp, and quickly set the gains by ear. 2 hours of parking lot pimpin' later they've blown a sub and now they're coming back to you butt-hurt that you set things up wrong, when it turns out the moment they left they cranked the bass boost all the way up.

Or better yet, their bulb burned out in their tail light that night and they say you messed up their wiring.

If you do any work in anyones car get insurance man. Too many idiots to blame you for things you didn't do. Worse to have problems with a customer because you did screw something up. If you're JUST building boxes than you should be pretty safe.

If you and your friend are serious, go buy a few hundred dollars in mdf and build many many boxes for yourself. If not for practice just to get first hand experience of how different size boxes change the sound of your driver.

That just oppened up my eyes. I think I am gonna make boxes for myself first then do others. In my town people know me as the die hard car audio kid. The thing is its gonna be a side job. I currently have a job at sears hardware and am droppin four hundy today on a tool chest and a 260 peice mechanics tool set. The tools wont be a problem because If you look at my build thread my grandpa has 5 of everything and he said he likes to see me work out there and when he passes will give me all the tools. I have quite a bit to think about and I appreciate the feedback.

[meade916]

Actually starting a business is pretty easy, it's staying in business that gets tough. It's difficult to get customers with money to buy things they don't need right now.

High school kids get their mommies money, but then how much are they really willing to spend? 50-100 bucks here and there is nice, but for a real business you have to charge prices like other shops.

I was going to build a box for a guy for 2 18s really cheap, then I started figuring things out:

2 sheets mdf- $50

glue/finish nails: $10-15

paint for port: $5

Threaded rod bracing: $30

I mean, not including fiberglass you're talking about at 100 in materials. Now it takes me at least a day or two to cut, build, paint, then countersink the sub and round-over things nice, drill out and tighten down the bracing. Lets say you've got 5 hours into the thing between you and your friend.

Now if you charge them $200 you're only making what 50 bucks for your work? That's why shops charge so much.

New/replacement tools add up too.

Then they ask you to hook things up for them. If they buy all their wire, it still takes at least 2-3 hours to cut a grommet, pull panels, run wire, hook up the sub and amp, and quickly set the gains by ear. 2 hours of parking lot pimpin' later they've blown a sub and now they're coming back to you butt-hurt that you set things up wrong, when it turns out the moment they left they cranked the bass boost all the way up.

Or better yet, their bulb burned out in their tail light that night and they say you messed up their wiring.

If you do any work in anyones car get insurance man. Too many idiots to blame you for things you didn't do. Worse to have problems with a customer because you did screw something up. If you're JUST building boxes than you should be pretty safe.

If you and your friend are serious, go buy a few hundred dollars in mdf and build many many boxes for yourself. If not for practice just to get first hand experience of how different size boxes change the sound of your driver.

EXCELLENT POST.

Hence the reason I AM NOT IN BUSINESS as a shop. I like building boxes and doing big installs for people like chicken who dont give a f#ck, but i have no interest in doing work for the general public who is not so forgiving if you make a mistake or worse you DIDNT make a mistake but you are being blamed.

I will build boxes on the side for a select few, and work on my own vehicles, but i will pass on having a shop and dealing with strangers

[marquettefan247]

EXCELLENT POST.

Hence the reason I AM NOT IN BUSINESS as a shop. I like building boxes and doing big installs for people like chicken who dont give a f#ck, but i have no interest in doing work for the general public who is not so forgiving if you make a mistake or worse you DIDNT make a mistake but you are being blamed.

I will build boxes on the side for a select few, and work on my own vehicles, but i will pass on having a shop and dealing with strangers

Thats why I am thinking of building boxes for friends that are impressed by anything. If I find out I am good at the field then we are talking business.

[Marlo Stanfield]

Word to the wise here, being you arent a legit business, stay out of peoples cars and wiring as much as possible. If something gets jacked up in thier car you dont have any kind of insurance to cover any damage and cant get it w/o some kind of license. People are sue happy anymore no matter how good of a friend you think they are.

It's something to think about and keep fresh in your head.

This is exactly what I was gonna say.. God for bid something were to happen with the wiring of someone's ride, you realistically could be fucked because of it. Say it overloaded someone's ECU for whatever reason or a fire started, all of that would be coming out of pocket because of it.

that was a box that I first made like over the summer with no experience. Ive made at least 3 so far for friends and they are definitly happy with the product. I just havent had time to finish it with school and work. I am gonna be doing a blowthrough probably after christmas so thats when i plan to rebuild. For me I would rather have a nice sounding box than a prefab peice of junk, but when it comes to building a box for other people I want it to sound good and look good. I guess it is kinda bad example when I am building boxes for people, but when they see their product they wont be upset.

So you've made a total of 4 boxes and now want to start a business out of it?? People wanna see tons of previous work before they are gonna trust you to install for them. I'd wait to get a lot more experience before you try to start up sum sort of business. Plus you have to remember that 99% of your customers will be coming for an enclosure maybe once every 2 years or so, so it's not like you're gonna have the same weekly customers. Not saying you can't do it, but I'd just think long and hard about it before you start putting your own into it.