What businesses can you start in a private dwelling?

Dots1982

For instance, a B&B I assume doesn’t need any permission to begin trading.

What businesses (That depend on customers visiting the dwelling) can you just start in a private dwelling?

con747

To establish a Bed & Breakfast in Ireland you will have to comply with planning legislation, with regards fire safety and local building regulations. You will also have to be compliant with food legislation and health & safety regulations.

Hoboo

Dots1982 wrote: »

For instance, a B&B I assume doesn’t need any permission to begin trading.

What businesses (That depend on customers visiting the dwelling) can you just start in a private dwelling?

Might be easier to name ones you can't.

elperello

Rather than asking here it might be better to ask in the Planning Department of your local authority.

Dots1982

Ok, to be specific could you start a tea room or cafe in your private dwelling?

con747

Same health and safety issues would apply.

Dots1982

con747 wrote: »

Same health and safety issues would apply.

How come we don’t see little cafes dotted around ireland operating out of houses? No demand?

henryporter

Dots1982 wrote: »

Ok, to be specific could you start a tea room or cafe in your private dwelling?

Food Safety Legislation would apply, as would Planning and Fire Safety

con747

And don't forget the insurance nightmare...........

elperello

Dots1982 wrote: »

Ok, to be specific could you start a tea room or cafe in your private dwelling?

You would need to apply for change of use.

Dots1982

elperello wrote: »

You would need to apply for change of use.

And that would be a formality or very unlikely to be approved for a one off house in the countryside? Things like the need for parking spaces would have to be complied with to be granted a change of use?

elperello

Dots1982 wrote: »

And that would be a formality or very unlikely to be approved for a one off house in the countryside? Things like the need for parking spaces would have to be complied with to be granted a change of use?

Definitely not a formality.
The application would have to go through the planning process.

Hard to say without being familiar with the location.

Parking and traffic would be considered.

You might ask the mods to move this to Planning and Construction where you are more likely to get replies.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=876

Good luck with it.

u140acro3xs7dm

Dots1982 wrote: »

For instance, a B&B I assume doesn’t need any permission to begin trading.

What businesses (That depend on customers visiting the dwelling) can you just start in a private dwelling?

A knockin' shop.

duploelabs

If you're converting part of a domestic residence to a commercial entity, you will be charged capital gains tax for the commercial section of the building when you go to sell it

Gloomtastic!

You can start any business from a private dwelling as long as it doesn’t involve the public visiting that dwelling. Then you’re going to run into insurance and planning issues.

The only exception to this, I believe, is the government rent-a-room tax exemption scheme. Overseas students and interns are a pretty big market throughout Ireland.

20/20

Dots1982 Insurance can be expensive. Also for tea rooms small café there will have to be toilets, and I think separate disabled toilets.

antoinolachtnai

You can do bed and breakfast on a small scale from a house without needing planning. http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2001/si/600/made/en/print#part2

Tea rooms need planning but it is also a much more difficult business to run profitably. As well as getting planning you would need to pay a planning levy.

If you have some skill that would allow you to provide a service to local businesses that might be the best way to go forward.

Think and plan carefully. It may be good to try something for a season without investing too much or taking too much risk.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

Become excellent at baking cakes. Especially children’s birthday ones, with icing moulds of cartoon characters. Advertise on FB & Insta.

pedroeibar1

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy wrote: »

Become excellent at baking cakes. Especially children’s birthday ones, with icing moulds of cartoon characters. Advertise on FB & Insta.

Have you done the math? Not a hope of making money.

Also, if the 'residence' is a rental, there most likely is a covenant in the lease precluding business operation.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Have you done the math? Not a hope of making money.

Also, if the 'residence' is a rental, there most likely is a covenant in the lease precluding business operation.

Care to explain why there isn’t a hope?
Second point is moot as OP has asked about a home based business.

pedroeibar1

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy wrote: »

Care to explain why there isn’t a hope?
Second point is moot as OP has asked about a home based business.

Do the math; even a few figures on the back of an envelope will show it's not a workable business model. Cupcakes all over again.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Do the math; even a few figures on the back of an envelope will show it's not a workable business model. Cupcakes all over again.

You made the statement, you do them. I beg to differ with you anyway, the raw materials are cheap, the processes are already there. I maintain only a fool couldn’t make it a workable business model.

danoriordan1402

If I recall you do not need planning for a B &B if you have less than 4 bedrooms, so a material change of use wouldn't apply, and your also exempt if your not in a Rent pressure zone - open to correction on this.
You will certainly need public liability insurance though

duploelabs

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy wrote: »

You made the statement, you do them. I beg to differ with you anyway, the raw materials are cheap, the processes are already there. I maintain only a fool couldn’t make it a workable business model.

Your scalability on small scale baked goods using a domestic setting is non-existent as you're stuck using domestic sized ovens which limit your production numbers despite having to run it all day long

pedroeibar1

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy wrote: »

You made the statement, you do them. I beg to differ with you anyway, the raw materials are cheap, the processes are already there. I maintain only a fool couldn’t make it a workable business model.

You made the 'great idea' assertion, go prove it, \i'm not doing your homework for you! Also, have a look at Duploe's past posts, he runs a SME food production company. You are way out of your depth. :D

IAMAMORON

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

Do the math; even a few figures on the back of an envelope will show it's not a workable business model. Cupcakes all over again.

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

You made the 'great idea' assertion, go prove it, \i'm not doing your homework for you! Also, have a look at Duploe's past posts, he runs a SME food production company. You are way out of your depth. :D

It really depends on how much you are getting for your baking. It is a very workable model if the cakes are getting sold every day, dismissing the concept is foolish.

pedroeibar1

IAMAMORON wrote: »

It really depends on how much you are getting for your baking. It is a very workable model if the cakes are getting sold every day, dismissing the concept is foolish.

Then show me the figures that make it a very workable model / business!

whirlwind.

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy wrote: »

Become excellent at baking cakes. Especially children’s birthday ones, with icing moulds of cartoon characters. Advertise on FB & Insta.

I know someone that bakes wedding and birthday cakes at home and sells through FB

Jaysus I doubt there's much money in it from seeing them at it

makeandcreate

IAMAMORON wrote: »

It really depends on how much you are getting for your baking. It is a very workable model if the cakes are getting sold every day, dismissing the concept is foolish.

My MIL is a great, well known local baker - she bakes every other day I would say, bread, cake etc and her chucking another couple of loaves in or a tray of buns etc is grand in the scheme of things and she does. She also, like a lot of other at home bakers, undercharges but perhaps gets some pin money as she would have been at home anyway and is of that generation of farmers wives that did things to get by.
But at Xmas suddenly people want Xmas Cakes, tray bakes, puddings etc and she has no economy of scale, no wholesale suppliers and one oven - her costs are huge and she wont refuse them.
Then she does the odd wedding cake for family and friends that cost her hugely as invariably they have an idea of the perfect cake and so she buys special tins, tools, moulds etc - those suckers are not cheap.
It's at best a nice home hobby for her.
And what happens if you don't sell all the cakes? I've seen a proliferation of farmers markets across Ireland and it's heart breaking to see someone who has been told their cakes are good to sell, packing up a stall full of stock, as now when Irish people "go to market" most want to entertain themselves at the weekend rather than support their local makers and bakers.

The_Honeybadger

Home baking cakes etc. will net pocket money at best unless you invest in a proper setup and get volume. It can be done but it’s hard work and there are loads of bakeries around that have the market more or less sewn up. Even if you get the orders distribution is a nightmare. Hard business to scale with big upfront costs (relatively speaking).

Regarding working from home I’d say a huge number of businesses just start trading without the correct planning. It’s not advisable but generally you will get away with it unless you are reported. I have a seamstress next to me and there are cars pulling up and partially blocking my driveway morning, noon and night. It’s a right pain but I don’t complain as she is really nice and minds my kids sometimes

duploelabs

IAMAMORON wrote: »

It really depends on how much you are getting for your baking. It is a very workable model if the cakes are getting sold every day, dismissing the concept is foolish.

(trying not to sound like I'm putting my hands on my knees and leaning down but here goes)

Of all the SME food business sectors, the Small scale baking model is extremely saturated (Irish mammies like to bake and get their pin money) meaning your penetration to carve out a market share will take an extremely long time, also because of that saturation, your margins will be extremely tight as you'll be up against bigger fish with better purchasing power.
Couple that with your distribution which you'll need to do yourself as to bring on board an outside logistics company would not be viable. And then you've your shelf life to contend with, so you've to be on the road nearly everyday (oh did I forget about fuel costs too). You'll be making a tenner a day for 18 months at full capacity