There is a great deal of buzz lately around people wanting to know how to start a welding business, whether through mobile welding or a shop related to fabrication, repair or metal art. Having a skill as valuable as being able to weld is important, especially in the challenging times we face today. With such a small percentage of the US population knowing how to weld, there is a high demand for metal fabrication and repair. As such, figuring out how to start welding professionally is well worth the time. However, there is a lot to consider when starting a welding business or fabrication shop. Luckily, Weldpro is here with a variety of tips to get you started.
Play To Your Strengths When Starting a Welding Business or Fabrication Shop
If you have ever thought about starting a welding business, you are not alone. The process can be intimidating, but it is actually much easier than you may realize. Even if you know the basic tools of the trade, welding has to be learned and perfected over a lifetime — similarly, starting a fabrication shop isn’t something you can jump right into. You can’t just buy a welder cart and other welding accessories and expect to make money right away. It is crucial to know your limits and not get in over your head. Let us give you some examples to illustrate this.
Be Aware of The Welding Projects You Take On
Perhaps you are an excellent MIG welder, but you don’t know how to stick weld and have never run 6010 rod. It would be important not to take a structural steel fabrication job that requires all fillet welds to be 6010 multipass. Assessing one’s abilities and limits is essential when committing to complete welding projects for others. Starting a small welding business that focuses on your areas of expertise would benefit both you and your customers.
If your strength is MIG welding, taking on welding projects that require MIG and other wire processes would be appropriate. Since MIG welding is capable of producing high-quality welds on 1/4″ material, it would be important to work on thinner projects, such as lawnmowers, snowplows, sheet metal, body panels on cars, etc. If your strengths are heavy flux core and deep penetrating, high-deposition stick welding, then you would be more comfortable taking jobs repairing farm equipment, heavy equipment, loaders, earth movers, etc.
Your Small Welding Business is Your Reputation
It is important to remember that when you build something for someone else, your reputation and name are on the line — and this is especially true when you’re starting a metal fabrication shop or welding company. If you have a weld failure or put out a poor-quality, unprofessional-looking weld, it can destroy your reputation and hurt your business.
How To Start a Welding Shop That Makes Money
Many people want to know how to open a welding shop or fabrication business so they can make lots of money and be their own boss. We are here to tell you that the journey to starting a welding company can be financially grueling. While it is very rewarding at times in the early stages, until you establish a large clientele and word-of-mouth advertising gets around, you can expect to have considerable financial swings.
Like many construction or manufacturing jobs, some seasons are much busier than others — so financial planning is key to turning a profit. It is important to remember that when cash flow is excellent, you need to put some money away in a savings account for the times when welding projects are weeks or months apart. In other words, when you’re first starting out, your welding business plan needs to account for jobs being feast or famine. However, with proper planning (combined with the necessary skills), you’ll be on your way to making money.
Insurance for Welding and Fabrication Shops
Don’t be cheap, or you will pay for it. Welding is a complex process and must be done correctly every time. Even the most seasoned pros make mistakes at times, which is why every small welding business owner needs to carry liability insurance.
How much insurance you carry is up to you and the type of work you are doing, but policies are not very expensive and will protect you in the event of a weld failure on a project. Welding and fabrication shops that are subject to lawsuits from customers need to be sure their insurance will cover them completely. As they say, “You don’t need it till ya do!”
How To Start Welding Professionally & Maintain Your Mental Health
As the proprietor of a small welding business, your stress level will inherently increase due to financial and organizational stress factors. Keeping yourself calm, stable, focused and level-headed can be one of the most challenging parts of owning and starting a welding shop. If you allow yourself to lose sleep at night over work, you will pay for it with an inability to focus, and you put yourself at risk for illness.
Regulating work hours is vital. Many small welding business owners put in 80-100 hour work weeks and do not realize how inefficient they become. To truly enjoy your work and not let “burnout” occur, it is important to set aside time each day, and days each week, to focus on something totally different. Your brain needs a refresher, and no one is built to think about the exact same thing all day, every day.
Engage with New Welding Business Ideas
Starting a welding business can be one of the most rewarding experiences a person has in a lifetime. Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges and explore all sorts of new ideas, especially as your skills and areas of expertise expand. Just be prepared to handle and implement all welding business ideas in a manner that allows you to grow while maintaining a high-quality product.
Keep It Simple When You Start a Welding Business
When you’re first learning how to start welding professionally, keep your setup light! With something like a MIG200 MIG welder or TIG200 TIG welder from Weldpro, you can take a lightweight machine to and from job sites with ease. Our welding machines have dual voltage capability, so you will be able to tap into 240v AC current or 120v, whichever you have available.
To keep yourself financially stable at first, start small. You can even invest in an inexpensive multi-process welder that can handle all of your processes in one unit. Overhead cost is one of the greatest small welding business killers. Purchasing a $3000 machine will most likely not improve the quality of your product, and you could put yourself in debt before you even get started.
Starting a Welding Business is Easier with Weldpro
Embarking on any new business venture takes patience, effort, and a lot of trial and error. But be encouraged! Take the necessary steps, and learn how to start a welding business if you have been thinking about it. If you have been welding for a long time, and you are thinking of starting a fabrication shop or welding business, GO FOR IT! Take your time, research, plan, and you will be successful. And for all the welding consumables, tools and machines you need, rely on Weldpro every step of the way.
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