How to start your part-time ramp building:
- Understanding the Market: Who are you building for? Friends, schools, or businesses? Understanding your target market will help you tailor your offerings.
- Start Small – The popularity of Parking Curb Covers perfectly illustrates the power of simplicity! By offering too many products initially, you’ll create unnecessary work and headaches. Remember, this is a side hustle, so keep it simple by focusing on one or two basic ramps that cater to a range of skill levels.
- Ramp Building Skills – Building ramps requires some woodworking know-how. Fortunately, there are resources available to help you develop your skills. You can download free ramp plans online from websites like Xtreme Skater, DIY Skate and Woodworkers Woodshop just to name a few. Just keep in mind that, that you will learn the most once you actually get started building!
Additionally, you can take a woodworking class and start this side hustle there, where all the tools and materials can be provided. - Tools – Invest in the tools you need to get started efficiently, but don’t overspend. Look for deals on Facebook Marketplace or use what you already have. Also, look into tools to rent from your local hardware store or do a simple Google search on “tool rentals near me.”
- Test the Market – Prior to investing into tools (even rentals), gauge the interest in your new venture, create a social media post on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Share the post in local community groups and see what kind of response you get.
- Pricing Strategy – Take advantage of your lower expenses to offer competitive prices, but avoid cutting into your margins. Follow this contractor-approved approach:
Double the material costs to determine labor pricing, then add 10% to cover unexpected expenses. This formula ensures a balanced approach to affordability and profitability.
To summarize:
Labor price = Material price x 2
Price to customer = Labor price + Material price + 10% (unexpected expenses) - Marketing – Promote your work on social media (Facebook and Instagram) and relevant online marketplaces (eBay, Craigslist). Network with local skate shops and skater-owned businesses – they might be potential buyers or partners.
- Offer color customization – While offering complete custom ramps might not be feasible for a part-time hustle, consider offering color customization as an add-on service. This can boost your income without adding a ton of extra work.
- Offer Rentals – In addition to ramp customizations, you can also explore offering ramp rentals for businesses or events. However, wait until you have the pre-order before building.
- Most importantly, prioritize pre-orders – This is our golden rule for any side hustle that involves materials and labor. Wait for confirmed orders before buying anything. You can even offer flexible payment options (full payment or deposit) to secure funding upfront. This minimizes waste and ensures you only spend what you need to fulfill each order.
- Bonus Tip – Document your build process! This content can be used for future marketing and even tutorials to attract new customers. Check Keen Ramps for example about building quarter pipe using only pallets.
Things to consider when building ramps:
- Expenses: Keep an eye out for deals and discounts on wood. You can check online discount websites such as RetailMeNot.com, Coupons.com, Groupon.com. Another option are Home Depot and Lowes are the most known wood stores, but depending on what you need, it may be viable to check other lumber retail stores or even Facebook Marketplace.
- Quality: Never compromise on quality. Use sturdy materials and prioritize safety in your designs. Most likely, children will be using your ramps and you do not want to receive bad reviews, emails from concerned parents, or something even worse.
- Portability: Consider how easy your ramps will be to transport and assemble. Add handles and wheels to make your ramps easy to move.
- Size and Expandability: Think about the space limitations of your customers (and yourself), and offer ramps in various sizes. Consider modular designs that allow for future expansion. Check out the foldable ramps from FreshPark as an example.
Potential Income as Part Time Ramp Builder:
Between selling a couple ramps and offering rentals, you can potentially average $500 or more in gross profit per month. And who knows, this side hustle could eventually turn into a full-time job, making you the next Ramptech, OC Ramps, or Keen Ramps of your area! As an example, Cory Keen of Keen Ramps started by building a ramp for his nephew and ended up building a million-dollar business.
Need Our Assistance? We’re here for you! Just drop us an email with any questions or if you need any assistance in starting your side hustle ramp building business, and we’ll help you get started on how to begin.