I want to start doing nails in my house, what would you like to see?

[cultkid]

I'm going to start doing nails using dipping powder from my home. I have a really nice house with free parking outside and a big spacious lounge. I am a mom and I like to be able to bring my baby with me when I have nails done etc.
I was thinking to let people bring their small children if they need and to only do dipping powder nails. Also make nice tea/ coffee / sparkling wine and snacks
Is there anything that would enhance your experience having nails done or perhaps something I should think to buy to set me apart from other home nail people?

Thank you

You need to check that you are allowed to run a business from a residential property.

You need permission to run a business from, home,in the UK
Not sure about other countries

And sort insurance. Not that I would ask, but I would expect you to have.

I would only go to someone else's home if they were very cheap - you need to significantly undercut those who travel to your own home (where you also do not need childcare). I would actively avoid taking a small child to a strange place, if I couid arrange it differently, unless the price outweighed the hassle.

I would be uninterested in drinks/snacks

Actually maybe you could help me understand something that perplexes me. My nail lady always offers me a drink when I get to the salon, but how am I supposed to drink it as my hands are busy! I can’t drink it with one hand under the lamp and one being painted. What do others do and/or what does my nail lady expect me to do? I’ve never understood. Snacks would just make this even more complicated for me.

You need to check you can run a business there, check you can actually serve alcohol (or hairdressers were told they couldnt but cant really remember why).

Make sure people know your child will be there before booking.

Health and safety wise you need insurance and if inviting people to bring kids, you need to make it a safe environment whilst having chemicals about.

Obviously there are the problems around the problem with dipping spreading infection. The best way to prevent is to not dip or sprinkle over the container. Which means it's quite wasteful. That means each set will cost more.

I assume you are trained to as least do manicures and pedicures and use these chemicals? If not insurance could be problematic

I think you would have to childproof your lounge as you and the mum would be busy/distracted. A separate dedicated room would be best I think rather than the lounge you and your family live in. I am thinking of my two dc when they were toddlers and needed a lot of supervision!

Have you completed training and do you have insurance?

I wouldn’t be interested in drinks or snacks either. I don’t even have a coffee at the hairdressers. I like to be in and out especially with children in tow.

Drinks and snacks are pointless. My hands are occupied so how can I eat biscuits/drink wine?! In any case I’ll be driving home.

My nail tech has a studio at the bottom of her garden, which works well.

No dogs. Woman in our village does beauty from home. You have to fight your way Through the kitchen past three or four dogs and their beds, climb three flights of stairs making your way past all the laundry draped over the bannisters, bedroom doors left open etc to the tiny attic. Nope. Not for me thanks.

You may need to apply for change of use on your property to a business and residential mix, and check your mortgage lender would allow it. Insurance is vital. Have you actually put a business plan together? You need to add up setting up costs and ongoing costs and price up to ensure it’s viable. How are you going to advertise and promote this? If you do serve alcohol you will need to be licensed I imagine. This isn’t just having your friends round to do their nails at mates rates, if I understand your post correctly. You might find there’s a reason not many people set up this kind of business out of their homes.

I would want to see an insurance certificate and qualifications displayed. Hygiene is very important so I would want everything to be spotless. Not overly fussed by drinks and snacks unless you offer pamper parties.

Agree with others about checking you can run a business from home.

I would not want to sit in your sitting room - I'd expect a proper room.

A very comfortable chair makes a difference. My nail lady used to do them at her kitchen table and it killed my back. She's now dedicated a spare room to her business and has a gorgeous big comfy squishy chair. It makes such a difference!

Also training and qualification certificates displayed. And all colours and designs displayed nicely rather than in a box.

Why only offer one sort of nail enhancement? Isn’t that going to be very limiting? Assuming you are a trained nail tech, why not offer gel overlays, acrylic, shellac etc etc as well?

Lots of people work from home running a nail business but you need to be very organised.
You can't really offer snacks when doing nails, because your clients need to have their nails scrubbed and dry before doing any treatments.
Also I wouldn't recommend allowing toddlers and young children to attend the appointment as they will likely cause mayhem and if they spill products on themselves, you could end up being sued by your client.
I'm assuming you're fully qualified, experienced and insured with the necessary permissions from your mortgage company/landlord and local council?

What are the profit margins on dip nails.

Would there even be enough profit to extend to sparkling wine and snacks?

You will definitely need childcare for the times you are working.

Your clients will expect your full attention. Is your DC at nursery (you say 'baby' so I suspect not). You will need to factor in cost of suitable care into your business plan.

If clients bring DC, who will be looking after them during the nail appointments? The client can't (hands occupied) and you shouldn't (need to concentrate on client).

Might be easier for you to arrange a babysitter just for yours, and then work as mobile nail tech, with a full range of manicures. And if you can, add pedicures too. I think you might get a larger client base more quickly on this business model, plus less admin (though you would still need insurance/indemnity for your professional services and in respect of accidental damage (eg spillage) to clients property.

Maybe you could get childcare for your kids and offer a mobile service instead.

I have child care
I will get the qualification and insurance
I'm asking about maybe what would enhance your experience ..
I don't know if I will do it yet. I don't need to work it is more for my self esteem to think about doing a little bit of work on the Side. I have a room I can use which would be dedicated to the nails if I wanted to do that.
To be honest I feel really fragile and I am not sure I can handle it as I actually feel pretty hurt by the responses here re hygiene and also really cheap and insurance and use of premise. I think if I am self employed I can possibly use my house I would look all of that up. First I'm trying to work out the cost of starting the idea and also trying to work out how much money I could make in a week.

Why would discussion of hygiene upset you?

Hygiene is a huge issue. Especially with dipped nails. If you actually dip, infection spreads really fast. the way to do it is to pour. But not over the tub, so spare goes back in. Over a a towel or paper and the spare is binned. Which is why the margins are not good. Because theres lots of waste. Gel nails have less waste so easier to predict margins.

Hygiene is a huge thing for people doing nails.

I am trained in doing manicures, pedicures, nail enhancements etc. Though I decided to jot use it. The margins are not big and you make money by offering lot of different things and getting lots of people through the door. This is why most nail technicians then train to do waxing, hd brows, threading, make up etc.

If you feel low and this doesnt go as expected or takes ages to take off. Would you feel worse?

Would this course include manicurie/pedicure basics?

Come on now, chin up and don't let the bastards grind you down 😁 Mumsnet is a pretty frank kinda place but no one knows you and is judging you personally.......just pick through the feedback, take on board what's useful and don't take it to heart. You need resilience in bucketfuls to run your own business, so keep working on that and in the meantime, keep working on your business plan.

My input is, with any home based beauty business, I want the place to be clean, smell nice, no partners/mates etc knocking around, good value for money and a really competent job done.

Don’t be hurt
Some people are just very practical, while others like be to say why plans could never work. Makes them feel smug I guess.
I’m sure you’re more than capable of sorting the practicalities .

Your set up sound good, and marketing it as a child friendly experience could be your usp.

I like relaxing music, fresh flowers and a comfy chair.

Best of luck with it.

Can someone explain what dipped nails are. I have never heard of it.

I would go to someone's house to have treatments (I don't have anything done to my nails though personally) but I would probably be more likely to go if there was more than one treatment on offer. So maybe if I could get my eyebrows done as well etc.
I think if you were to provide snacks, drinks etc you'd need to charge quite a bit and so people would be more likely to pay if they could have more than one type of treatment.
Just my thoughts. I also would expect to pay a lot less to go to someone's house than if I went to a salon as I'd know they were paying large amounts of rent etc.