Rent a chair in a salon or open your own studio?
A chair in a salon means less risk, your own studio more freedom and more responsibility. A calculator for what is left each month, and questions to ask first.
In short
- A percentage deal is safer at the start, but with many clients it can cost more than a studio.
- In your own studio the hygiene rules are your responsibility.
- Before signing a chair agreement, find out who owns the client list and what the notice period is.
Contents 8 parts
Security or independence
A chair in a salon means less risk: the room, a receptionist and often clients are already there. Your own studio means more freedom and possibly more money, but also all the costs and all the responsibility.
There is no answer that fits everyone. There are numbers that show what is left for you each month in both cases, and there are things the numbers don't show. This article has both: a calculator and a list of questions to ask before you decide.
How chair rent is usually paid
| Model | How it works | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed rentmonthly or daily | you pay the same however it goes | yours |
| Percentagea share of revenue | you pay more when you earn more | shared |
| Mixedsmall rent + percentage | a compromise between the two | shared |
The percentage model is safer at the start, because you pay little in an empty month. But once you have many clients, it can cost more than a whole studio. That is exactly what the calculator shows.
Compare with your own numbers
Work it out
Renting a chair or your own studio: what’s left each month
Type in your own numbers. In the example the salon takes 40% of revenue, and the studio set-up is spread over two years.
Chair costs a month
€1,200
Studio costs a month
€750
Studio leaves more
€450
The studio starts to pay off once revenue is above €1,875 a month.
The numbers update as you type. Nothing is saved or sent.
The last line matters most: the revenue at which the studio starts to pay off. If your revenue is steadily above it, the chair is probably costing you too much. If it is below, a studio would be a risk.
What the numbers don’t show
- Where clients come from. If the salon brings you some of your clients, they may not stay when you leave. In a studio you find every client yourself.
- Time that isn't treatments.In a studio you are also the receptionist, the cleaner and the buyer. That is time you aren't with clients.
- Hygiene rules and responsibility. In Latvia, whoever provides the service is responsible for meeting the hygiene rules (Cabinet Regulation No. 631), and the Health Inspectorate must be notified before you start (Regulation No. 693). In your own studio, for example, the work room needs a sink with hot and cold running water. Elsewhere, check your local rules. In a salon, find out who is responsible for what.
- Taxes. In both cases you pay them on profit, but a studio has more costs you can deduct. Check the details with an accountant.
- Risk. A studio lease and fit-out are commitments that stay even if clients get fewer.
When a chair is the better choice
- You are just starting and have few clients of your own yet.
- Your monthly revenue swings a lot.
- You want to work with clients, not run a room.
- The salon gives you something you can't get alone: a location, a flow of clients, a team.
When it’s time for your own studio
- Your revenue has been above the calculator's break-even line for several months in a row.
- Most clients come for you, not for the salon.
- You want to set your own prices, hours and rules.
- You have savings to cover at least a few months of costs if the start is slow.
Monthly numbers help you see whether revenue is steady. How to track them is in Which numbers to check every month.
Before you sign a chair rental agreement
Check yourself
Questions for the salon
How it works in RINDIQ
- If you work in your own account, the booking page carries your name and the client list is yours, even when you change premises. Clients simply keep booking through the same link.
- If a salon uses RINDIQ, each specialist has their own schedule and profile in the salon's account, and the salon sees who has which bookings.
- Analytics shows revenue and occupancy month by month, so the calculator's numbers can come from real bookings.
Try RINDIQ free for 14 days
No card needed. You can set up your booking page and deposits in about 5 minutes.
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