What will it cost to open your studio?

Start with your own premises and timetable

There is no single useful opening price for every reformer studio. An existing fitted space and a shell needing building work have very different cash needs. Begin with the room, number of reformers, proposed timetable and opening date, then ask suppliers for written quotations.

The checklist below is our planning framework for a studio. It is not a national average or a lender requirement.

• Reformers, accessories, delivery, assembly and initial inspection.
• Premises deposit, advance rent, legal fees, surveys and any permissions required.
• Flooring, lighting, mirrors, ventilation, accessibility works and signage.
• Insurance, booking software, payment fees and professional support.
• Launch marketing, recruitment, instructor cover and owner pay.
• Cash reserve, contingency and costs during a delayed opening.

Separate opening spend from monthly bills

Record each item, who quoted it, whether VAT is included and the date payment is due. Put one-off opening costs in one schedule and ongoing rent, staffing, utilities and finance payments in another. Match finance drawdown and supplier deposits to the actual dates you will need the cash.

If equipment is financed, show the deposit and initial payments at opening, then the regular repayments in your cash flow. Counting the whole equipment price as opening cash and adding all repayments for the same purchase overstates the immediate cash requirement.

Test a slower start

Build a second forecast with a later opening and lower bookings. Allow for introductory prices, package discounts and unsold places. Decide which spending can wait, what reserve you want to protect and how long your own household can manage before the studio pays you.

Use our budget planner for a first calculation, then build a month-by-month forecast. A single total does not show when your cash balance will fall lowest.