General auto repair shop
Three-bay independent mechanical repair shop with two technicians and an owner service adviser
$246,600
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
Startup costs by business
A startup budget must fund the opening work and the period before the business supports itself.
The figures below are complete illustrative opening budgets within each stated scope. They are not price ranges or national averages. Open the detailed breakdown to see equipment, fit-out, deposits, inventory, preopening spending, contingency and operating cash separately.
Child care center
Private preschool for ages 3–5: four rooms, assumed licensed capacity of 48; no infant care
$346,000
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
Coffee shop
Counter-service café in an existing leased unit
$227,600
Illustrative startup funding · including reserve
Full-service restaurant
60-seat independent restaurant in an existing leased restaurant space; no alcohol sales
$487,000
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
Hair salon
Four-chair employee-operated hair salon with three employed stylists and a working owner
$156,600
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
HVAC service and installation
Two-technician residential HVAC operation: working owner, one employee and part-time dispatch support
$206,500
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
Residential landscaping service
One two-person owner-led residential maintenance crew, truck and trailer
$135,500
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
Neighborhood gym
Independent membership gym with limited personal training; no pool or spa
$367,000
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
Residential remodeling contractor
Owner-led residential remodeling crew with two employees and specialist subcontractors
$189,600
Illustrative opening funding, including reserve
Self-service car wash
Four-bay retrofit of an existing leased wash site
$286,904
Illustrative startup funding · including reserve
Compare equivalent scopes
A leased restaurant fit-out, a mobile maintenance crew and a licensed preschool fund different capabilities. None of these cases buys land or a building. Check the operating format, installed scope, paid roster and cash reserve before comparing the totals. A lower equipment bill can still accompany a difficult cash cycle.
Separate four kinds of cash use
- Installed assets: equipment, fit-out and commissioning. Check what the supplier excludes.
- Opening expenses: training, launch activity and other costs before trading.
- Working assets: initial stock and refundable deposits, with their own recovery timing.
- Operating reserve: money left in the bank to absorb the opening ramp. It is funding, not an expense that reduces profit on day one.
Build your quotation list before choosing debt
Give each budget line an owner, scope, quote date, payment date and evidence status. Include delivery, installation, electrical or plumbing work and taxes where applicable. A contingency does not make an unidentified scope item disappear. Model an opening delay separately because rent and payroll can start before sales.
Use the document checklist to assemble the supporting folder, then test repayment in the projection guide.