Restoration Business???

[Johndeereelfman 309]

So this morning our church sermon was about taking a leap of faith and fulfilling your hearts desires and dreams. For a long time now, I have always dreamed about opening a small restoration shop after I retire from my full time job. I see it decorated with things of the past or yesteryear. Old memorabilia and advertisements hanging on the walls, old new-old-stock parts being displayed on the shelves, creeky old wooden floors, and an old wooden service counter done up like it would have been back when the old dealerships were still in business. Not so much a museum, but just something that people would enjoy seeing while coming in to do business that would take them back in time. Like an old Mom and Pop owned repair shop that has a small bell mounted above the entrance that rings each time someone walks in. Our town is a small town that has a narrow Main Street, and most of the store fronts on this street date back to the early 1800's. Each time I drive down Main Street, I can see my small business sign hanging out front of the store with one of my John Deere 110's sitting inside the window. 

 

Anyway, it got me to thinking. Would a restoration company for Garden or Lawn Tractors be worth while opening? I know there are a lot of guys or members out there that do their own restorations, but for the guys who don't, who do you go to whenever you decide that you want your tractor redone? Around here, there is nothing as far as restoration shops, that is unless you want to spend a lot of money by going to a local body shop. Most body shops that I know of, don't really want to waste time doing over a garden or lawn tractor, as there is no money in it due to not having an insurance company involved. So what do you do? Where do you go? Granted, I realize this wouldn't make enough money to support my family, thus why I said after I retire. And until I had enough clients to start spreading around my work abilities, I know the first couple of years most likely won't be to beneficial as far as profits go, but at least I'd still be living the dream!

 

So how many of you guys have had the same dream or have ever given this idea the same thought? Anyone? Is it worth pursuing, or should I just give up on the whole idea?

Edited October 9, 2016 by Johndeereelfman

[Aldon 4,827]

I have thought of something similar.

 

Folks just don't seem willing to pay the price to make restoration even break even much less profitable.

 

Maybe a repair, welding, blast and powdercoat business where one could work on their own full restoration in between smaller more profitable jobs.

 

Maybe tied to a breakfast coffee/tea/soda/icream shop or something for old timers to sit and spend enough to pay for the electric:-)

[AMC RULES 37,141]

I'm sure, somewhere...    

I've seen this idea attempted before.

Unsure how it's panned out though. 

[SylvanLakeWH 26,145]

Sounds like a very cool idea!

 

Know nothing about them (In other words - not an endorsement), but I stumbled on this link a while back - sounds very similar to what you are thinking of doing...

 

wheelhorsestables.com

 

I would have used someone like you locally on several occasions, as I am not that good with mechanical stuff. That's why I love this forum - So many knowledgeable people who will take the time to walk you through stuff.

 

 

[82Caddy 851]

 Not a restoration business but I took a business leap about 2 years ago now.  It took me 9-10 months to get all my investment money paid back (to the personal account) and now the business can support itself for upgrades/maintenance. 

 

I have a small metal fabrication business. Steep learning curve since I didn't go to school for machining or manufacturing. I mostly do small projects for individuals that bigger shops won't touch or want too much money to do. I try to keep costs low (no building rent, own equipment outright) to build relationships with people so they tell their friends and come back. Unless what someone wants is crazy complicated, I do most of it while people wait. I also don't take on any long term projects for people. It helps I'm an evening/weekend place since it's not my primary source of income so people stop by after work or on weekends.  

[SylvanLakeWH 26,145]

30 minutes ago, 82Caddy said:

 Not a restoration business but I took a business leap about 2 years ago now.  It took me 9-10 months to get all my investment money paid back (to the personal account) and now the business can support itself for upgrades/maintenance. 

 

I have a small metal fabrication business. Steep learning curve since I didn't go to school for machining or manufacturing. I mostly do small projects for individuals that bigger shops won't touch or want too much money to do. I try to keep costs low (no building rent, own equipment outright) to build relationships with people so they tell their friends and come back. Unless what someone wants is crazy complicated, I do most of it while people wait. I also don't take on any long term projects for people. It helps I'm an evening/weekend place since it's not my primary source of income so people stop by after work or on weekends.  

 

Wish you were in Rochester, MICHIGAN - 15 minutes from my home!!!

[N3PUY 1,031]

Well, a few people have seen the Wheel Horses that I've restored.  They ask if I'ld do the same for their old tractor.   My reply is "You couldn't afford me!"  

The ones I've done and then sold I figure I made $1 an hour!   So to charge a customer $10 an hour they would totally flip out!   I know one took me 80 hours.

 

But I always offer to help them if they take on the task.   So far I haven't had to help anyone .... I guess they figure it's too much work.

 

  I do repair the neighbor's tractors.  He has a Christmas tree farm and is very rough on equipment.   He thinks water is a gasoline additive!

And that mower blades will hack up tree stumps.  This summer I had to fix his Arctic Cat 4x4, Wheel Horse 314-8, WH WorkHorse, Husqvarna lawn tractor, Cub Cadet garden tractor, 

12' trailer,  Dodge truck  and tree baler.  I charge him $10 an hour.  Little things are repaired free.

  So you could end up with too much work .... more work than your spare time will allow.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2016 by N3PUY

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,358]

Just my . How about a everything shop . NOS stock for sale , used parts, consignment sales,  Repairs that you could handle , maybe a little body work and painting. A big BS corner with chairs , wood stove and coffee No WIFI for ole F_ _ ts.  Maybe carry some hard to find items that we all use if we can find it, Example : I have been using "Krud Kutter Rust remover " for small parts ,nuts and bolts . I having been getting it a big box store name starts with an L cost about $8.00 a quart but it works great. Picked up a quart on Thursday it was marked reduced for clearance.  As always if you find something that works place quits selling it.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Sounds like a good idea,  but I can't hardly afford to restore my tractors myself let along pay someone else to do it for me.

[953 nut 56,153]

7 hours ago, Johndeereelfman said:

sermon was about taking a leap of faith and fulfilling your hearts desires and dreams.

Being a self employed hobbyist is probably not what was being referred to; was probably speaking of working in the mission field to improve the lives of the downtrodden. But, if this is the "mission" you are being called for and you aren't jeopardising your family's financial future I think it would be a cool idea. Most shops get $60 per hour for mundane tasks so anything less should seem like a bargain to your customers; though they will probably complain anyway.   Farm out engine rebuilds etc. that could come back to haunt you if they go bad. Of course you will want to have a prayer corner so your preacher will consider this to be "your calling"!   

[jellyghost 378]

If there was a successful garden tractor restoration shop, people on this forum would know about it. 

There must be money in parting garden tractors.  I have wondered if someone with a paint booth and a good inventory system could run profitable business.  I know a family in Missouri that has done this for big tractors.  It is called "Cook Tractor Parts."  In the car world, I have admired the small company called "Healey Surgeons."

[Wildside 195]

3 Yr.s ago I started restoreing My first one (C-160) and have gone on to building quite a few for people wanting original to extreme changes. Yall are right, the Hourly pay sucks but the

Satisfaction is Awsome. I was forced into Retirement and this is a Great way to spend it. I've enjoyed helping a lot of People get into the WH community and I really do stay quite Busi.

The small Business is a Great idea, go for it.

[RedRanger 1,468]

19 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Being a self employed hobbyist is probably not what was being referred to; was probably speaking of working in the mission field to improve the lives of the downtrodden. But, if this is the "mission" you are being called for and you aren't jeopardising your family's financial future I think it would be a cool idea. Most shops get $60 per hour for mundane tasks so anything less should seem like a bargain to your customers; though they will probably complain anyway.   Farm out engine rebuilds etc. that could come back to haunt you if they go bad. Of course you will want to have a prayer corner so your preacher will consider this to be "your calling"!   

As 953 noted.....To run a "profitable" shop, you'll need to charge $50+ per labor hour.  Figure the cost of rent/mortgage, utilities, equipment, insurance, all those antique decorations..... It's not just your personal time that costs you.

Figuring in an average timeframe to disassemble, clean, strip, repair, paint, assemble a vintage WH, not to mention the time to search and find the replacement parts, of 80-100 work hours and you're $4000+ in labor to restore a small tractor.

Who's going to pay that?  This is the reason most body shops don't want to touch them.

 

I'd love to do the same as the OP, just can't afford to lose my butt doing it.  The numbers don't work.  

Now if you're retired, have a supplemental income, can work from home, and have nothing but time on your hands....go for it.

 

If you and your family are depending on an income to live off, better think twice.

[Ken B 3,164]

I really like the sounds of of all of your idea's, I've often thought the very same things myself..  I dream of having my own garden tractor and or antique outboard and vintage boat restoration shop. Unfortunately, I think it would be a losing proposition, especially if you plan to rent a space. I'd rather build a small old time shop at my house and duplicate all of your idea's there. This way if business is slow and you need to shut it down at least you aren't renting, you own it and you'll still be able to enjoy your space and your retirement. I think that due to the small size of the town you live in that there wouldn't be much local work. Even if you lived in a large town it still would be hard too find the kind of work that you would ENJOY doing...  This brings back some good memories for me, back 35 yrs. ago when I was a young teen there was a retired guy that lived very close to me that worked on lawn and garden tractors out of one of his barns. I don't think he made much money, if any. He was a real people person, I think he did it mostly just because he liked the company and he liked to be busy. I spent quite a bit of time at his place.. 

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,513]

On 10/10/2016 at 1:54 AM, Wildside said:

3 Yr.s ago I started restoreing My first one (C-160) and have gone on to building quite a few for people wanting original to extreme changes. Yall are right, the Hourly pay sucks but the

Satisfaction is Awsome. I was forced into Retirement and this is a Great way to spend it. I've enjoyed helping a lot of People get into the WH community and I really do stay quite Busi.

The small Business is a Great idea, go for it.

Jeff,

Believe it or not, the thought has cross my mind of letting you do a small job on my 416-8.  But I don't think it's cross my wife's mind yet.

[RandyLittrell 3,885]

I work in a body shop and I think a person could do a restoration business on the side and make money.

 

You have to take the friendship out of the equation and run it like its there to make money! It would be necessary to be very organized and have set hourly rates, plus, there are always extra's. Every nut and bolt has to be paid for. Things will break coming apart, estimates are just that. 

 

At most bodyshops, you take the insurance estimate, tear the vehicle down and write a supplement. Insurance approves it and once you get started you sometimes still need to add extras. It is just the nature of the beast. 

 

Your shop would need to operate the same way. 

 

I may try to do something like this when I retire as well. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy 

[Forest Road 594]

I'm not sure why nobody made mention of  a previous member. A gentleman came online here 2-3 years ago. Appears he had an agenda from the beiginning. He'd previously been in the automotive business. Owned what appeared to be a rather well equipped shop on his residential property. Well he gathered as much info as needed, from this very sight, and took off running. He traveled far and wide purchasing every huge lot of WH and Koehler equipment he could find, lots of NOS stuff to. From what I've seen on FB it appears that he has quite a full time business going. There's an insane amount of used tractors and implements. Claims to sell them all on his website, basically a RS knockoff, or via Craigslist.  I haven't got a clue whether or not he's profitable. But he's still going strong.

 

Now for the Debby Downer side of it. Guys like this come and go. Their business savvy is most likely their make or break. They tend to tick off a lot of hobbiests, which the majority of us are. By purchasing every tractor in the area w the intention of turning a profit they inadvertently drive up prices and make quality used equipment scarce.

 

Theres a big difference between a business and a hobby. Whichever you choose I wish you the very best of luck! 

[RandyLittrell 3,885]

2 hours ago, Forest Road said:

I'm not sure why nobody made mention of  a previous member. A gentleman came online here 2-3 years ago. Appears he had an agenda from the beiginning. He'd previously been in the automotive business. Owned what appeared to be a rather well equipped shop on his residential property. Well he gathered as much info as needed, from this very sight, and took off running. He traveled far and wide purchasing every huge lot of WH and Koehler equipment he could find, lots of NOS stuff to. From what I've seen on FB it appears that he has quite a full time business going. There's an insane amount of used tractors and implements. Claims to sell them all on his website, basically a RS knockoff, or via Craigslist.  I haven't got a clue whether or not he's profitable. But he's still going strong.

 

Now for the Debby Downer side of it. Guys like this come and go. Their business savvy is most likely their make or break. They tend to tick off a lot of hobbiests, which the majority of us are. By purchasing every tractor in the area w the intention of turning a profit they inadvertently drive up prices and make quality used equipment scarce.

 

Theres a big difference between a business and a hobby. Whichever you choose I wish you the very best of luck! 

 

 

I don't believe anyone was interested in doing what the other gentleman did. It is just something I have thought about, for a little extra money after I retire. 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy