(LifeWire) - Overview of the Wallpapering Business
Those beginning a wallpapering home based business will find it to be a niche venture. Wallpapering makes up just 2% of the interior wall-covering business. The other 98% belongs to painting, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Wallpaperers, or paperhangers, apply decorative wall and ceiling coverings, usually from paper and vinyl. Removing old wallpaper, patching holes in walls, and even touch-up painting can also be part of the job. Wallpapering requires no formal training, just the know-how built through personal experience or an apprenticeship of some sort. Stamina is necessary to endure the long hours standing and reaching overhead. The startup capital can be as low as a $1,000 for wallpapering tools and advertising.
The wallpapering industry is kind to the self-employed, with 48% of paperhangers calling themselves independent. Many now combine painting and wallpapering services. Efficient wallpaperers who keep a firm hand on the books can make more than the median $16.21 per hour for employed paperhangers.
Pros of a Wallpapering Home Based Business
- Wallpapering combines creative and trade elements.
- You can do your first wallpapering jobs with a handful of tools and pay for others as you attract more customers and income.
- Wallpapering can be part of a larger interior-decorating and painting operation to attract a larger base of clients.
- Employment of paperhangers is expected to "decline rapidly," according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, because more homeowners are turning to cheaper alternatives, including applying wallpaper themselves, using patterned rollers that create a wallpaper effect, or painting.
- Bending, reaching and stretching lead to back, neck and shoulder problems.
- May require hiring an assistant; hanging wallpaper is often a two- or three-person job.
What You Need to Get Started in a Wallpapering Home Based Business
- A vehicle with sufficient cargo space to transport your ladders, scrapers, rollers, adhesives, finishes and wallpaper
- A business license and insurance, if necessary. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce to inquire about bonding.
- A small but sharp before-and-after portfolio for online and off
- A computer or book to keep track of expenses and income
- Business cards, online and print advertising to promote yourself
Wallpaperer: Real-Life Example
Pam Lortie, a wallpaper hanger in the Colorado Springs, Colo., area since 1983, charges $25 per single roll for installation and $20 for removal, according to house-painting-info.com. Lortie says her claim to fame is having worked on ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
Related Home Based Business Ideas
- Home Based Business Ideas - Interior Designer
- Work at Home Business Opportunity - Faux Painting
- At Home Business Opportunities - Stained Glass
- Home Business Ideas - Refinishing Furniture
More on Starting a Home Based Business
- Starting a Home Business
- 8 Steps to a Business Identity
- 9 Obstacles to Starting a Home Business - and How to Overcome Them
This article is part of the 7 Home Based Home Improvement Businesses collection. Use the link to access other home-based businesses in this collection.
