Your own business: How to make money by reupholstering a car interior. How to create your own car interior reupholstery business

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According to market experts, among all types of tuning, interior tuning is the leader. What does it include?

Reupholstery of seats, steering wheel, ceiling, gear shift knob;

Replacement of door trim and floor coverings;

Manufacturing of inserts.

“Salon decor,” as market participants themselves call it, is a very popular item and is in steady and, what is important, increasingly growing demand. Apparently, this is not a whim of current fashion. The demand for this type of service is growing not only in connection with the growing demand for cars as such. Whether a person buys a new car or a used one, he will always have arguments why he wants to reupholster the interior.

Many people don’t like what the factory offers because they want individuality and comfort. And some, without thinking about aesthetics, are simply forced to turn to reupholstery specialists when preparing the car for sale. Others who buy a used car simply disdain to sit on seats that have been wiped by other people's backs... This gives a constant influx of customers for tuning services.

The most grateful client turns out to be a kind of tuning fanatic - if you attack such a gold mine, then the client base is guaranteed. There is a lot to retighten in the car - up to 90% of the interior can be changed! Such people update the interiors of their cars (and the transport itself) no less often than a wealthy fashionista updates her wardrobe. Note that there is also a fashion for this or that upholstery and, like any fashion, it also changes.

Now even large car dealerships are exploring this segment. But experience shows that the natural leader in this format is still a small studio. According to immodest estimates, you will have to invest from 10 to 50 thousand dollars in the studio. But our people are good in that they always fit into an amount much less than that set by experts. This is understandable - they should invest their own funds, and not theorize in specialized media. The main thing is that such a managerial approach does not affect the quality of the business being undertaken.

A few words about quality. This is food for thought. The kind of business you actually start depends on whose position is closer to you.

All players are divided into so-called “omnivores” and “exclusiveists”. What does it mean? This means that smaller players are taking over the interiors of cars of any brand. And they know how to do it. But more advanced aesthetes believe that this approach is somewhat careless. They prefer to master one or two models and specialize only in them. This makes it possible to standardize patterns, that is, it simultaneously simplifies the life of the master and improves the quality of his work.

In addition, specializing in one or two regular models implies specializing in one or two models specifically in the premium segment. That is, only BMW or Mercedes are reupholstered. Each brand of car has its own characteristics and therefore, while asking a lot of money for your work, you must provide the client with the best quality.

Until recently, the only players in the market that were in the lead (and in general were) were professional aesthetes working for aesthete clients who could charge from three to seven thousand dollars for their work. This is all their philosophy. But the time came when tuning became a boom, reaching “sevens” and “nines”. When “in the area” they began to tune things that would be more appropriate to be scrapped, the market “met” those same “omnivorous” players, and they dropped prices so that they fell almost threefold.

As a matter of fact, the yard boys who tune their rattles and those of their friends are not your competitors. Because: a) you won’t earn much from this - it’s rather “attraction is a kind of illness”, b) they won’t let you earn money - this is their own party and, finally, c) today the car is crammed with very complex electronics. And almost everyone who even thinks about the driver’s lifestyle already has such cars.

A little more detail about the third point. To tune a car, you need to disassemble it. The machine is dismantled by professional fitters. One clumsy movement and the airbag, for example, is broken. A car stuffed with electronics is not your grandfather’s Volga. Few people today would entrust working with their machine to a guy of dubious qualifications in dirty sweatpants. But even if you put on clean pants and put on a smart face when communicating with a client, this will still not be enough.

1. What you need is in detail
2. Hack Warning
3. and not only skin
4. flock studio

1. Guarded premises. This implies a garage for three to four cars, an area of 40-60 square meters.

2. Equipment for dismantling airbags.

3. Professional sewing machines

4. access to direct contacts with leather manufacturers for car dealerships (so that there are no intermediaries)

5. Drawing up a clear, understandable and attractive catalog of samples.

6. Qualified master (preferably several)

Today the market is filled with the best offers from reputable leather suppliers - German, Austrian and Italian. A meter of high-quality “automotive” leather costs from 50 to 120 euros, Alcanatra will cost from 90 to 130 euros. Half of the cost of the entire order is the cost of the material. An average order for leather upholstery will cost a businessman between $1,200 and $1,500. If you receive an exclusive order, then multiply by 4.

There is an uninvited guest on the auto-tuning market - fake leather. This is leather not intended for use on car interiors. This is usually furniture or shoe leather. It costs several times less than a car. Because automobile leather should not be prone to stretching, have a durable color, and much more. If you reupholster the interior with the “wrong” leather, the deception will be revealed in two months. This is another compelling argument in favor of working directly with the manufacturer of imported leather without intermediaries.

Your main craftsmen are the seamstress and the fitter. The fitter must disassemble the car and then reassemble it without damage.

The salon margin (average 25%) will remain unchanged, even if you meet the consumer halfway and do semi-tuning, which will cost him only 8 thousand rubles. This is when one thing is covered with leather, and the rest is matched to match, being made from inexpensive but wear-resistant materials. The time standard for work is from four to ten days. The best (large) volume to reach is 300 cars per year.

There is an economy class tuning option, which is incredibly popular abroad, but for some reason is barely developing here. But this niche is empty only because we are talking about a new product, and our new products are a little slow to come by. However, the offer is worth taking a closer look at.

Flocking, flocking, flocking technology. It came to us from the English-speaking world, translated as “spraying”. Flock turnover in the USA is more than 800 thousand tons, in Russia – 100 tons. What is it? This is a process by which you get a fleecy (“velvet”) coating. A source of electrostatic field (flocator) and forced raw materials (flock) are used. This dust, flying out of the sprayer, lies in an even layer on the surface treated with glue - glass, plastic, metal, wood, leather. The result is a beautiful, aesthetically perfect panel in the required color. This know-how has taken root best in auto tuning. The fact is that the prices here are immeasurably lower than when working with leather or alcanatra.

Working with a machine using flock technology costs from $500 to $1000, and never more. Those who order such services in Russia prefer an “upgrade” of the domestic automobile industry. They don't think skin is needed there. What is stopping the Russian consumer from falling in love with this technology “with a human face”, a special anti-crisis move?

They think that the velvet surface is fragile, but it is not. It can be washed with any detergent without damaging the image of the interior. That is, people simply do not have enough information. Therefore, when opening a flocking studio, do not forget to include expenses for powerful advertising impact. If it were a really bad technology, it probably wouldn’t be so popular in the West, where everyone counts their money and doesn’t spend it on “show-offs”?

To start a business you will have to shell out from 10 to 20 thousand dollars. Half of this money will be spent on purchasing equipment - a flocker, a drying chamber, etc. You will spend the rest of the amount on training craftsmen, purchasing raw materials and rent. For those who just started this business in a complete vacuum, using unprofessional equipment, it took two years to break even and then start making money. Everything should go easier for you. The profitability of such a business is from 20 to 30%.

The main thing is that you invest much less than when working with traditional leather. Moreover, in the leather tuning market prices are set clearly and you can only fight competitors by providing a unique, exclusive quality product. By the way, there are already offers on the educational services market. Some companies train young specialists in flocking techniques for 500 rubles per hour.

What else is important not to forget when starting your own business? Here the advice will be traditional, but no less important - creating and promoting your website will provide you with fame.

Nazarenko Elena

*The article is over 8 years old. May contain outdated data

The main service of a car studio is reupholstery of the interior, as well as replacement of leather and fabrics on its individual elements (steering wheel, dashboard, ceiling, etc.). It is interior refreshing services that are the most popular segment of auto tuning, so good turnover for this business is guaranteed (with the right approach, of course).

There are three main situations in which people order interior reupholstery:

Preparing a car for sale. The condition of the interior greatly affects the cost, so many people want to update it.
A used car has been purchased, and the owner wants to change the upholstery due to natural disgust.
The owner of the car has a desire to refresh the interior and decorate the car for himself.

Obviously, all three cases apply to used cars, since few people want to spoil the new upholstery, even if they are not particularly happy with it.

Financial aspects

The typical cost of interior trim is from 40 to 70 thousand rubles (depending on the material). Approximately half of the total revenue is “eaten up” by consumables (Alcantara, suede, leather, various fabrics) and staff salaries. A significant part of the monthly income is spent on renting premises and utilities, as well as various “force majeure”. After deducting all costs and expenses, net profit is 30% of total revenue.

Thus, you can count on 10-15 thousand net income from one car. When servicing 10-15 cars per month, the auto shop brings the owner 100-200 thousand rubles. Such turnover is possible only in medium-sized and large cities, but in a small town such an enterprise may face a shortage of solvent clients.

Start-up investments

The first and main item of expenditure is tools for work, including such items as:

sets of pry bars, screwdrivers and pullers;
kits for dismantling door panels and trim elements;
keys for seals;
sewing equipment, irons and hair dryers.

The minimum set of equipment will cost 150 thousand rubles. You can work in a garage of 50 m2, the rent of which will cost approximately 25 thousand monthly.

Also, at the start of the activity, you will need to purchase a supply of consumables: genuine leather and substitutes, Alcantara, velor, vinyl and auto carpet. The most expensive and prestigious upholstery materials are leather and Alcantara (more than $80 per linear meter).

The starting supply of consumables will cost 50 thousand rubles. Having added in 50-100 thousand for the arrangement of the premises, the purchase of furniture and shelving, we determine that the total volume of starting investments will be about 300 thousand rubles.

Staff

To organize a full cycle, you will need a seamstress, a reupholstery specialist, a cutter and a specialist in the installation of salon elements. The salary of such personnel will cost 80-100 thousand per month. Ideally, each employee should be sent to specialized courses (preferably in Moscow). For example, a month-long course on making exclusive salons from the Rusty Brothers company will cost 50 thousand per person.

Of course, there is always a risk of losing the funds invested in training an employee if he decides to leave for a competitor. But the qualifications of the craftsmen are more important, and such misunderstandings should be provided for in the employment contract. In any case, the consequences of the work of an inexperienced craftsman can cost the enterprise much more and bring serious problems instead of profit.

Prospects and further growth

Experienced auto shop owners recommend providing related services: window tinting, installation of armored optics, anti-gravel films and auto vinyl, minor repairs, air conditioning refills and other minor modifications. This requires additional equipment and staff, but this provides three significant advantages:

Greatly increases overall income.
Makes the company more solid and attractive compared to its competitors.
Makes it easier to survive the “off-season”.

Proper marketing can create a good competitive advantage. An interesting and creative way to attract customers would be an old representative of the domestic automobile industry (Volga, VAZ or even Zaporozhets), turned into a “live” advertisement. This solution may seem trivial to many, but practice shows that it is very effective.

Classic advertising on radio, television and local press will also be useful. Today, your own website is also one of the most important and most effective advertising channels (its creation will cost another 30-50 thousand rubles).

Car tuning is one of the most profitable options for making money as an individual entrepreneur. This is especially true for those who are just starting their first steps in business and want to get results with minimal risk and investment.

Interior reupholstery is a service that will be relevant to all motorists, no matter what price category they drive.

Car interior reupholstery service: what is it?

Tuning a car's interior is a change in its external parameters that do not concern the mechanics. It is divided into external and internal. External services include services such as painting, removing minor scratches, etc.

Internal tuning is the interior reupholstery. It includes updating the materials of the steering wheel, seats, doors, manufacturing and installation of decorative elements, replacing flooring, etc.

Why is such a service needed? Firstly, it is simply necessary when selling a car. Old covers, saturated with the smell of tobacco, cracked floor coverings - all this can scare off a potential buyer. In addition, a recently reupholstered interior significantly increases the market value of the car.

Secondly, factory interior trim elements quickly deteriorate. Some drivers often apply for interior reupholstery immediately after purchasing a new car.

Finally, the new owner may simply not like the interior decoration of the car. The aesthetic aspect plays an important role here.

How much investment is required?

The interior reupholstery business does not require particularly large investments. For a comfortable start you will need 500-700 thousand rubles.

There is no oversaturation in this industry.

Determining the target audience

Before starting a business, you need to decide on your target audience. This will depend on many factors:

range of materials;
salon location;
the nature of the advertising campaign;
price list, etc.

If you choose owners of expensive cars as your target audience, you need to be ready to fulfill any requests: inflated requirements for materials often cannot be satisfied even by large services.

Starting material and technical base

The material and technical base is what is necessary for the organization and further functioning of a business. What might be needed to reupholster interiors? Here you need to take into account that car models are different, they require accordingly different materials and equipment.

To open and operate a business normally you will need:

Room. A spacious garage, which has all the conditions for carrying out work and servicing several cars, is ideal. The premises must be clean and meet safety requirements.
Locksmith kit. It should include standard tools: a construction stapler, a screwdriver, keys, etc.
Sewing machines. Manual or small-sized ones are unlikely to be suitable for such purposes. When stitching the interior, you need to shrink large pieces of fabric. Choose professional models with good performance.
Vacuum cleaner. After work, dirt and dust often remain in the interior. The car cannot be returned to the owner in this condition. A handheld vacuum cleaner is ideal for interior cleaning.
Consumables. These include fabrics, decorative elements, etc.

This is the minimum set, which will be enough for a confident start. Gradually, you can expand the range of materials, purchase higher quality and more expensive equipment.

Materials for interior reupholstery

To operate the salon, you will need a folder with samples of materials. This way the client will be able to touch it and evaluate the quality. The main materials for interior reupholstery include:

Car carpet. It refers to carpet materials. Its main advantages are density, noise and heat insulation, good flexibility, allowing you to tighten any interior elements, and low price. Carpet is usually chosen for domestic cars. But, unfortunately, it has a short service life, because it quickly loses its presentation.
Vinyl. Often used for reupholstering doors, handles and other plastic elements. There are a large number of colors of this material; the driver will definitely be able to choose the right option from all the variety. Vinyl is easy to glue and remove, which is also its advantage.
Flock. This is a popular material that is used for reupholstering not only car interiors, but also furniture. It is practical and budget-friendly. It is often applied by spraying, which greatly simplifies the process. Externally, flock is very attractive; it tolerates both high and low temperatures.
Velours. It was previously relevant for reupholstering the interiors of domestic cars, but now it is practically not used for such purposes.
Genuine Leather. Premium, but very “capricious” material to install and use. If you want to make the interior more attractive and solid, or significantly increase the value of your car, this option is perfect for you.
Alcantara. A budget analogue of genuine leather, which in its characteristics is in no way inferior to it. It is resistant to low or high temperatures, pleasant to the touch, and wear-resistant.

As mentioned above, the range of material is determined by the target audience.

Hiring employees

So, the target audience has been determined, materials and equipment have been purchased. Now you should think about hiring employees. A large staff will be of no use at the initial stage. A few employees will be enough, among whom there must be specialists in re-upholstery and reinforcement workers.

Seamstresses can do the reupholstery: they know how to work with various materials and will be able to sew interior covers that suit all parameters.

Legal part: paperwork

No organization can survive long and generate income without paperwork. The only thing you need to open a business reupholstering salons is the status of an individual entrepreneur. Once you have issued it, you will be able to provide services legally.

Such a business does not require licensing, which greatly simplifies the paperwork process.

Business promotion: advertising

Without a competent advertising campaign, the business will remain only at the local level and will not be able to bring in large profits. Where to start promoting? Focus on your financial capabilities. Start with small local ones newspapers and magazines. This will attract the first stream of customers. Spending the bulk of your capital on advertising at the initial stage is at least stupid. It is better to use them to improve service and expand the range of materials.

“Beautiful” numbers work great for such purposes: as a corporate number, choose from the operator the one with repeated numbers or their successful combinations. Such numbers are remembered on a subconscious level.

But don't forget about word of mouth. Large investments in advertising will not be able to attract customers and make them permanent if the level of service is poor. Monitor the quality of services provided, arrange promotions and discounts to keep customers happy. Be sure that they will definitely recommend a good service to their friends and acquaintances.

So, the interior reupholstery business can become a profitable niche, especially at the beginning of business. It is important to correctly distribute the available capital and take care of the legal part.