Should I go ahead with my home salon?

[danni0509]

evening geeks,
im qualified in acrylic nails, nail art, manicure & pedicure & im just about to do the minx training.. also i am doing spray tan training next month! i dont drive (have only done a handful of lessons!) & at this present time i cannot afford to finish my lessons, do my theory, practical test & buy a car to go mobile... so i really want to operate from my spare bedroom in my 2 bedroom flat... its only a small room but i have recently decorated it (chocolate brown paint & had light colour wood laminate floor laid in there) i have asked my lanlord for his permission & he agreed no problem whatsoever! he has even sent me a letter of his consent! the only problem i have is ............. i live in a block of 12 flats (me being on the middle floor) it is a communal entrance so everyone uses the same door to enter....as you can imagine the floors in the halls get really dirty with everyone of the tenants in the block of the flats using them! we have a cleaner come once per week & i often find myself sweeping/mopping & spraying air freshener, it drives me mad, no one else bothers to help keep it tidy! all the walls are all scratched & it looks scruffy anyway cutting it short ... im hoping this wont put my clients off????? my flat is lovely, nice & clean & smells lovely! i take pride in my flat, & its never nothing less than immaculately clean... my intended salon room in my spare bedroom will be lovely, clean & modern too! ... im just hoping my clients will see past the awful run down corridors & scruffy walls ... i know my clients will be coming to me for there nails & nails only but im still having doubts whether to go ahead what are your thoughts ?? thanks for reading, it probably sounds silly but i want everything to be perfect...i hope all that makes sense x

 

[lucysmam]

Could you maybe speak to your landlord about the condition of the communal areas? Or even volunteer to help re-paint them?

Not much help I know but I hope you do well whatever you decide xxx

 

[danni0509]

thanks for replying, all 12 flats are owned by different ppl, so my lanlord isnt interested, & i am planning on buying some paint & painting the corridors...im not sure why i should because it isnt my job too but i dont see i have another choice x

 

[DinkyPinky]

It is possible that it annoys other flat owners/renters aswell. Put a note through their door and arrange a little meeting. You surely have a management company for the communal areas so contact them and see how much money is in the pot and whether the communal areas can be decorated.

 

[steve@nouvatan]

it sounds to me as though you have really thought it through you sound open and honest and your obviously taking this big step very seriously and you have already invested time and money on your training and your room,
if the treatments you offer are good quality and people like you and the room you do your treatment in is pleasant ,people will come back regardless of the comunial area looking a little grubby and who knows 12 months time you may have built up your clientel enough to rent a room in a hair salon or have your own place, we all started out somewhere and there is nothing as good as being your own boss :hug:

 

[Pooh8bear]

evening geeks,
im qualified in acrylic nails, nail art, manicure & pedicure & im just about to do the minx training.. also i am doing spray tan training next month! i dont drive (have only done a handful of lessons!) & at this present time i cannot afford to finish my lessons, do my theory, practical test & buy a car to go mobile... so i really want to operate from my spare bedroom in my 2 bedroom flat... its only a small room but i have recently decorated it (chocolate brown paint & had light colour wood laminate floor laid in there) i have asked my lanlord for his permission & he agreed no problem whatsoever! he has even sent me a letter of his consent! the only problem i have is ............. i live in a block of 12 flats (me being on the middle floor) it is a communal entrance so everyone uses the same door to enter....as you can imagine the floors in the halls get really dirty with everyone of the tenants in the block of the flats using them! we have a cleaner come once per week & i often find myself sweeping/mopping & spraying air freshener, it drives me mad, no one else bothers to help keep it tidy! all the walls are all scratched & it looks scruffy anyway cutting it short ... im hoping this wont put my clients off????? my flat is lovely, nice & clean & smells lovely! i take pride in my flat, & its never nothing less than immaculately clean... my intended salon room in my spare bedroom will be lovely, clean & modern too! ... im just hoping my clients will see past the awful run down corridors & scruffy walls ... i know my clients will be coming to me for there nails & nails only but im still having doubts whether to go ahead what are your thoughts ?? thanks for reading, it probably sounds silly but i want everything to be perfect...i hope all that makes sense x

Don't know how many parking spaces you get with your flat but that's what seems to upset neighbour unless she can park in yours & will they be safe leaving it there.
Is it well lit for the evenings it gets dark.
You could always meet them down there to start with so they will be talking to you not looking at the hallway! Then when they have fallen in love with the way you do their nails they wont care about the entrance.x

 

[mizzy_dizzy]

When I was at the salon it was on a high street in this beach front holiday town few doors from kebab shop and clubs .... We wear always out there cleaning windows picking up rubbish ect ...

Now I'm not saying let the others in building take the pee out of you maybe put a note or two up, but if your the only one running a salon out of your home and there's communiral hall way then I think you will have to be the one cleaning the area if it Is bothering you .you may find if they see you doing it they end up joining in even! Cleaning is catchy.

Sorry I know it's prob not what you want to here.

 

[Polished!]

it sounds to me as though you have really thought it through you sound open and honest and your obviously taking this big step very seriously and you have already invested time and money on your training and your room,
if the treatments you offer are good quality and people like you and the room you do your treatment in is pleasant ,people will come back regardless of the comunial area looking a little grubby and who knows 12 months time you may have built up your clientel enough to rent a room in a hair salon or have your own place, we all started out somewhere and there is nothing as good as being your own boss :hug:

I couldn't agree more, everyone has to start somewhere! While my salon was being built, my clients had to put up with building materials being on display, etc, etc. Go for it and don't worry!

 

[chimbabweep]

Yeh i say go for it. i work from home (getting my salon open soon tho) ive been working from home for a long time and with having my son its hard to keep up with the tidyn or worrying about my house being tidy etc so im opening a salon. i also live inflats on the ground floor so im always out tidyn up. its a great place to start. Great when the client leaves your home so no stress. if i had a 3 bedroom i would continue to work from home. go for it xx

 

[smooth]

If it's been like that for years then it will probably stay like that unless you fancy getting out there to clean it up. others may then start to clean up too but then again they may not, who knows. As long as the main area is tidy and clean then that will be ok, you can't be expected to clean the whole place from top to bottom.

 

[Up To Scratch]

The room you have set aside for your home salon sounds lovely, so I certainly can't imagine you having any problems there. I also think the suggestion of meeting your clients outside and walking them to your flat is excellent - assuming it's practical?

It sounds like you've put time and thought into this and it's great that you have your landlord's consent, but I definitely think it's worth contacting the management company/whoever has the freehold about the decoration of communal areas (even if only to get their consent to do it yourself!) and you may need to check that they're happy with your usage of the building for business purposes (in case it has any bearing on their buildings insurance or any other policy).

The only other things I can think of that are terribly official are informing the company you have your home contents insurance with, and registering to pay business rates - then you should be good to go! Best of luck with it hun. xx

 

[smooth]

If you pay a fee every year for the maintenance of the property surely that covers the cleaning and maintenance of the communal areas? Have a look in the contract to see what it says.

 

[Snails]

I agree with the other posters here ... it is unfortunate that your hallway and entrance is letting you down ...but it is almost out of your control ..

You sound passionate about what you do and your clients will see that .. and if the treatments are good they won't mind what the outside looks like honey.

I work from a salon at the back of my house which I had built ...
but my clients have to walk through a back gate into my garden ( the down side is that I have to make sure my garden is always looking nice!!) but when I have a new client I try to make sure I am around so I can talk to them on the walk to the salon .. so I agree with the other Geek who suggested that (maybe even just for new clients at first) you meet and greet ... when they see your lovely room they will be hooked !

Good luck xx

 

[Lou x]

I definatly don't think that would be a problem, once you get a client and they turn up I can't really imagine anyone leaving just seeing the hallway! And once they see how lovely your flat is and are happy with there treatment I'm sure the communal hallway won't stop them from returning! x