Stop! Look! Listen!

Will there be regulations that restrict you from doing this from your home?  Or in another location? Will you need a business license? 

When I operated a dressmaking business with gift shop and later my quiltmaking business from our home, a number of years ago, there were no regulations that prevented this.  However, would there be regulations now that directed the size and type of sign I placed before our home, objected to deliveries and pick-ups, and raised complaints because too many people and traffic came to my door?

These are factors to consider, if you’re going to expand your quilting interests.  Some home and apartment leases may even object to online businesses, particularly if they involve pick-up and deliveries. 

I’ve written about this topic at Home Biz Notes as well as here at Qulting and Patchwork…articles you may want to glance over as you accumulate more information if considering turning your quilting hobby into a money making venture.

More Objections to Businesses in the Home 

Local Ordinances May Cause Concern for Home Businesses

Look Before You Leap Into a Home Business

Check Out Zoning/Licensing Before Starting a Quilting Business at Home

Post from: Blisstree

What Regulations Will Affect Your Quilting Business?

 I just read a news item, License Denied for Existing Home Business, that concerned this topic.

Now this involves a lawn mower service business.  However, the same principles probably apply to any home business in that town.  The aldermen decided, according to the mayor’s statement ” they’re running a business in a residential area and we can’t approve that.”  He did say if the owners moved their lawn mower service business to a commercially zoned area, the license would be approved.

There were very few details in this news story, so we don’t know:

*how long this business existed at the owner’s home

*why they didn’t check out zoning and licensing

*are there other home businesses in that area

*is the business an obvious eye-sore, with lawn mowers and parts all over the place

*have licensing and zoning regulations always been followed strictly or are the aldermen suddenly becoming more stringent

No matter what has happened in the past or what the owners did or didn’t do, it points out that you should check out zoning and licensing requirements before becoming involved in a home business.  If your business has been operating from your home and new regulation are placed into effect, a “grandfathering clause” regarding existing businesses usually is in effect.  In other words, those in existence, can continue to operate.  However, the business, if sold, could not stay there.  If you stop operating the business for some time, then decided to start up again, the grandfathering clause probably would not be in place.

So…before starting a quilting business in your home, find out the regulations for your area, your town, county/provomce, state and country.

Resources: 

Yvonne Russell also mentioned this in her guest post at Home Biz Notes, about establishing an online bookstore, Start Your Own Specialist Home Based Bookstore.  I also refer to her post here, Would YOu Like an At-Home Quilt Bookstore?

I also refer to the licensing topic in Insurance, Taxes & Licensing Issues for a Home Business an mention Karen E. Klein’s article, Before Setting Up Shop on eBay that talks about this topic, too.)

Post from: Blisstree

Check Out Licensing/Zoning Before Starting a Quilting Business at Home