When you've been laid off due to downsizing, it's not always easy to find a new job. Skillful hands and your own old workshop, in which you used to occasionally do something for yourself, will come to the rescue. Today Reconomica introduces you to Vasily Zorin, a resident of Belgorod.
Vasily inherited a carpentry workshop, where he sometimes repaired some household utensils. But when Vasily lost his job during the crisis, the workshop became his salvation. In this article you will find out how easy it is to be a master carpenter and how much you can earn from it.
Where it all started
Good afternoon. My name is Vasily Zorin and I am 49 years old. Nine years ago I started doing carpentry - making wooden shelves, racks, and racks to order. I live in the small town of Belgorod, where my first business was launched. A painter and plasterer by training, a paramilitary cash collector by trade, a carpenter at heart. My small business didn’t last very long, but more on that later.
From father to son
My wife and I have been living in her parents’ house for 15 years. My father-in-law was a jack of all trades: he built the house himself, made all the furniture himself, and carved children’s furniture and toys for his grandchildren. He had a separate large workshop where he planed all wooden objects. After he passed away, all this wealth was left to my wife and me.
To say that I was a frequent guest there is no. Although I knew all those tools and how to work with them, I used them very rarely. And then fix something around the house, file it, knock it out, etc. Moreover, I didn’t have time to plan anything - I worked as a paramilitary cash collector within two days, and made good money.
Reduction of staff and job searches
Everything changed when staff reductions began at my work due to the crisis. Many quit, many were fired, transferred to another mode of work. It’s the same with me - they offered to work 2 through 2, or 3 through 3, but they didn’t imagine a hostel. But looking in another city and renting housing is very expensive.
Power tools, without which you can’t master carpentry
Power tools are a relatively new phenomenon in the history of carpentry. However, modern carpentry without the use of power tools is almost impossible to imagine. Despite this, you don’t necessarily need to buy a huge number of expensive power tools for your workshop to become a good carpenter. When equipping a workshop, it is enough, first of all, to focus on the following positions:
- A circular saw.
- Jigsaw.
- Drill.
- Eccentric sander.
- Miter saw.
- Fraser.
To learn more about the power tools needed in carpentry, read our materials (part one and part two).
Business plan and advertising
In my case, there was no business plan at all. Because there was no need to invest in anything. I had all the tools, even nails and screws. But it was still necessary to spend money.
To make wooden shelving, you need material - new boards. You can't make anything out of old ones - they will quickly rot and break, and besides, no one will want to buy them. At that time, one board of profiled timber cost $6 per linear meter. I needed about 50 meters of timber. Also, it would not hurt to update the screws and drill attachments. It will only cost you $10.
Financial calculations
Not a single business can do without financial analysis and project estimates, and carpentry production is no exception. When implementing a business plan, you need to consider startup costs and monthly expenses.
