The business in one offer
Who it serves
Antique dealers and vintage furniture sellers who need lamps safely rewired before resale, and homeowners with inherited or sentimental lamps that stopped working. Both value a fixed per-lamp price, safe components and a test before return.
What to sell first
Standard rewiring for plug-in table and floor lamps: new cord, plug, socket and switch with listed parts, polarity check and function test, returned in one week. Simple conversions of bottles or vases to lamps are quoted separately. Excluded: hardwired ceiling or wall fixtures, building wiring, chandeliers and glass or ceramic restoration.
Plug-in lamps keep the work inside a clear safety boundary and use common parts you can buy in bulk. A flat rewiring price is easy for dealers to factor into their margins, and repeat dealer work smooths demand.
What could it cost to start?
This is an original example budget for the limited pilot described above. It is not a researched market average or a complete quote for every location.
| Item to price | Example allowance |
|---|---|
| Wire strippers, crimpers and lamp tools | $110.00 |
| Bulk lamp cord, plugs and sockets | $240.00 |
| Continuity tester and outlet tester | $60.00 |
| Harps, finials and lamp hardware assortment | $140.00 |
| Workbench padding and storage bins | $90.00 |
| Insurance quote for customer property and product liability | $550.00 |
| Example total | $1,190.00 |
What this assumes—and excludes
Assumes you already have a bench, basic electrical knowledge and safe handling skills. Excludes licensed electrical work, a storefront, glass restoration tools, local business license fees and owner pay. Check with your state about what work is allowed without an electrical license, and get local insurance quotes.
Collect actual supplier, insurance and local-authority information. Add a reserve for delays and unexpected costs; the example total is not a funding recommendation.
How the unit economics work
At an assumed $65.00 per lamp and $14.00 in direct costs, contribution is $51.00 before monthly fixed costs, owner pay and taxes. With 1 all-in working hours per unit, that is $51.00 per delivery hour before those deductions. These inputs illustrate the arithmetic; they do not establish a market price or expected earnings.
The example also allows $80.00 in monthly fixed costs. Include unpaid acquisition and administrative time when deciding whether the offer is worthwhile.
Try your own numbers
These are editable planning assumptions, not prices we have verified. Calculations stay in your browser.
Operating result = (price − direct cost) × units − monthly fixed costs. Before owner pay, taxes, financing and startup recovery. At these inputs, delivery requires 10 hours per month, plus any work not included in your per-unit estimate. Sales volume is a scenario, not a forecast.
How to find the first customers
Test a small offer before scaling traffic. Record the source of each enquiry, whether it fits the offer, and whether the buyer pays.
- Visit antique malls and vintage stores and offer a per-lamp rewiring rate with weekly pickup, leaving a sample rewired lamp and a price list.
- Ask estate sale companies whether they have lamps that need rewiring before sale, and give them a simple intake form.
- Post photos of rewired lamps with their new cords and sockets, with permission, and list your price and turnaround.
- Track each lamp, the parts used and any failures so you can show dealers a record of safe work.
What to validate before spending more
- Rewire twenty lamps from thrift stores, timing each one and testing each with a continuity tester before calling it finished.
- Ask your state licensing board or a local electrician whether repairing plug-in lamps requires any license in your area.
- Ask your insurer whether product liability covers lamps you repair, and get the answer in writing.
- Compare listed sockets, cords and plugs from two suppliers and choose parts that carry a recognized safety listing.
The operational catch
Old lamps can hide damage you will not see until power is on: cracked sockets, frayed wires inside the stem or metal bases that can become energized. Replace all wiring rather than patching, use polarized plugs correctly, and test every lamp before return. Never send home a lamp you would not use in your own house.
A practical way to fund the first step
Start with hand tools and bulk parts, and let dealers bring work in batches with payment at pickup. Rewire thrift-store lamps between jobs and sell them to fund more parts, but disclose that they were rewired and describe the parts used.
Separate cash already available from money still to earn. Count only proceeds after direct expenses, and do not spend customer funds needed to fulfill their existing orders.
Questions before you start
Can I install light fixtures for customers?
Hardwired fixtures connect to building wiring, which many states and cities treat as electrical work that requires a license. Stay with plug-in lamps unless you are licensed.
Should I convert bottles and vases into lamps?
Conversions can be a popular add-on, but drilling glass or ceramics risks breakage. Price conversions separately and agree in writing who bears the risk if the object cracks.
What parts should I use?
Use parts that carry a recognized safety listing, polarized plugs and cords rated for lamps. Avoid reusing old sockets or cords even if they look fine.
Source-backed checks
These references support the specific checks below. They do not endorse this business idea or substantiate the example prices, costs or demand.
CPSC tells resale and thrift stores that products that are hazardous or do not meet safety standards should not be sold or given away. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Resale and Thrift Stores.
The FTC advises small businesses that advertising claims must be truthful and supported by evidence. Federal Trade Commission: Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business.
SBA notes that licenses and permits vary by industry and location, and that federal, state and local agencies may each have requirements. U.S. Small Business Administration: Apply for licenses and permits.
- Resale and Thrift StoresConsumer Product Safety Commission · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small BusinessFederal Trade Commission · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Apply for licenses and permitsU.S. Small Business Administration · Reference checked September 8, 2026
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