Polish your business skills

Polish your business skills

By Linda Whitney

FROM changing a home's decor to deepcleaning, undertaking home makeovers can be a rewarding career. With a franchise, you could make a business of it.

Franchises in the home makeover sector include kitchen and bedroom sales and redecoration services, blind and curtain installation and restoration of furniture, soft furnishings and even walls. Most require no previous experience, but choose a sector that suits your skills, hobbies and experience.

'The franchisees in our network who excel are those who become experts in offering interior design advice,' says Ian Thornton of Apollo Blinds. But you have to be able to sell your vision to the client. 'No matter how good your advice, the ability to close a sale is imperative,' says Mr Thornton, who is looking for franchisees with sales experience and £25,000 to invest.

You don't need experience as a kitchen fitter to take on a franchise such as Dream Doors, which involves renovating fitted kitchens and bedrooms. 'You need an eye for design and passion for makeovers, but no fitting skills, as we recruit a team of fitters for you,' says Alex Waite from Dream Doors.

Expect to be running a showroom as well as marketing and consulting clients within a year. Investment is £20,000 to £25,000. 'It helps if you have fitted a kitchen or bedroom or had one fitted,' says Alan Peters of Bedroom & Kitchen Transformations. You will undertake local marketing (though leads also come from a national website) and run a showroom, but fitters are recruited for you. It costs £35,000 to £40,000 to start up. In-toto franchisees run showrooms selling and installing new kitchens, and most have kitchen design, fitting or sales experience.

For those already in the trade, this could be a way to start your own business. 'Your job is to realise people's dreams for their kitchens,' says Steve Saunders of In-toto, who is looking for more franchisees with £70,000 to invest. If you prefer practical work, consider Furniture Medic. Franchisees travel to homes and businesses to restore furniture, and offer furniture stripping using safe solutions, for which you need a home garage or workshop.

'It is hands-on work and almost all your work will be supplied by us. We have many franchisees who have retired from business, and want to turn their hobby into a job,' says Ken Dennis of Furniture Medic. Investment is £26,500. Basic System, a European franchise new to Britain, offers surface renovation, restoration and protection for floors, walls and ceilings. The package, for which you need around £30,000, includes training and machinery.

APOLLO Blinds: 0845 123 6030. Dream Doors: 02392 604 630. Bedroom & Kitchen Transformations: 01689 831 400. In-toto: 01924 487 900. Furniture Medic: 0116 275 9000. Basic System: 01622 844 320.

PROFITING THE CLEANER WAY

'WE AIM to delight our customers with the speed and quality of the transformation we provide,' says Jackie Clark, from A& G Chem Dry.

Jackie, 44, and husband Mike, 60, (both pictured) run the Nottingham-based firm, which provides carpet and upholstery cleaning and disaster reclamation services, restoring homes and commercial premises after fires and floods.

'The best part is seeing the satisfaction on customers' faces when they see their formerly dirty carpet or suite,' says Jackie.

'You have to be positive, sensitive and caring when dealing with customers.'

Mike started hands-on but now manages a team of five mobile technicians who do the practical work, while he and Jackie manage and market the company.

'Check carefully that it's what you want. It's hard work, but if you are passionate and enthusiastic that comes across to customers,' he says.

Mark Richardson, who is looking for more Chem Dry franchisees, says: 'You do not need a background in the industry, but energy and discipline, a professional attitude and willingness to learn are vital.' Start-up costs: £45,000.

Chem Dry: 01482 888 195.