[diyplank]

I am looking for some advice! Currently I work 80 to 90 hours every 2 weeks and also detail cars. I would love to start my own detailing business. Now it wouldn't be a full time thing, but I would more or less be legal, claiming the money and having insurance in case I or someone else damages a customers car. I need advice on wether or not to do this. I would need a tax id number, insurance, etc. Now cutting my hours where I work probably isn't possible. If anything I could cut it to one day off a week. Now this will help, but I need to keep my insurance for the family. It is really good insurance. Also I have to mention, that my wife got let go in April. Since then I have made about 1500 on 12 cars since April when I started.

I started doing this about 3 yrs ago. I grew up always helping my dad who does the same thing. I have gone from 10 cars my first yr to this year which I have about 45 cars to do. I have about 35 left. The only thing I have a single attached garage that isn't heated so I can only do this from April til November. Buying a place is out of the question!! But a small business loan to build a 2.5 to 3 car garage is somewhat do-able!

There are a lot of questions I have, and I probably will be contacting one of the local tax advisers. I also will have to check w/ the twp. A coworker of mine's husband started his own business out of the house and the only stipulation the city had was that no more than 2 cars allowed parked on the street at the same time. Which I never have that. This is in the same city just different townships.

2 Local business in the past 2.5 yrs have gone under and didn't work out! I charge about an average of 30 dollars less than the competitors and I have seen some of their work and it isn't as good as what I do.

I have a book on starting your own small detailing business but these are the subjects I am looking for info on. Any help and/or opinions are welcome.
THANKS!!!