Service Business Startup Costs
Service businesses are the lowest-barrier entry point into entrepreneurship. Many can be started for under $5,000 with equipment you already own and skills you can learn in weeks. The trade-off: you're selling your time, which means your income is capped by the number of hours you can work - until you hire employees and learn to run a business instead of being the business.
These guides cover the full cost picture from solo operator to scaled operation, including the equipment, insurance, and marketing needed to get your first 20 clients.
Cost Guides
Arcade - $50,000-$400,000
A coin-op and card-tap game floor that earns on per-play spend, prize redemption, and bar margin, from a small retro arcade or barcade up to a full family entertainment center.
Trampoline Park - $300,000-$1,500,000
A trampoline park costs $300,000-$1,500,000 to open, driven by warehouse lease and buildout, the ASTM-certified attraction build, high liability insurance, and whether you go independent or franchise. Party packages and cafe sales are the profit center.
Event Venue - $50,000-$500,000
Starting an event venue runs $50,000 to $500,000 depending on whether you lease and convert a space or take on a major buildout, with buying land and building from scratch pushing past $1 million.
Axe Throwing Business - $30,000-$150,000
An axe throwing venue costs $30,000-$150,000 to open, driven by lease buildout, lane construction, and high-liability insurance, with a bar add-on and group bookings setting the upside.
Escape Room - $20,000-$100,000
An escape room costs $20,000-$100,000 to open, driven by room design and props, AV and locks, and buildout, with per-room throughput and room-refresh cost defining the economics.
Cleaning Business - $1,500-$15,000
One of the cheapest businesses to start that generates real income. Solo residential cleaners can net $80,000-$110,000/year.
Landscaping Business - $5,000-$50,000
Mow-and-go lawn care versus full-service landscaping - two different businesses at two different price points. Seasonal revenue planning included.
Pressure Washing Business - $3,000-$20,000
One of the best risk-to-reward ratios in small business. 85-95% gross margins per job with a $3,000 startup investment.
Painting Business
Equipment, insurance, lead certification, and the per-project pricing model that drives revenue.
Plumbing Business
Licensing requirements, tool costs, van setup, and the apprenticeship path to master plumber.
HVAC Business
Equipment, EPA certification, licensing, and the recurring revenue model that makes HVAC one of the most profitable trades.
Window Cleaning Business
Low startup costs, year-round demand, and the commercial contracts that build recurring revenue.
Bounce House Rental Business - $3,000-$15,000
A rent-the-asset summer business where a single unit can pay for itself in one peak season. Equipment, inflatable-specific insurance, and the utilization math that drives the return.