A hybrid Grooming Service

[DeannaK]

So, I have been mobile now for just over a year. My hubby and I built my grooming trailer - it's actually 8'Wx16'L. I have around 65 regular clients. I'm considering grooming from home 2 to 3 days a week, out of my trailer. Basically, my schedule would be to run my mobile biz Mon thru Wed, then groom from home Thursday, some Fri/Sat's. There is a grooming shop that closed down the road from me and I know that most of the clients are not interested in paying more for mobile... and I'm ok with that. This economy has hit alot of families, very hard.

So I checked with insurance, to see if I needed to ammend the policy... and was happy to hear I was already covered.

Then called about zoning, UGH! I live outside of the city limits, on 2 acres. So I had to go thru county. I meet with them on Tuesday. Over the phone they are saying I may have to rezone from residential to commercial, does anyone know how much this will raise my taxes? The application is $600. I searched rezoning on here, and found some fabulous ideas, so I could show up prepared. Here's what I have so far, listed below, but do any of you have any other suggestions? Have any of you gone thru something similiar and won? I'm in Indiana, so for those of you in this state, any ideas for me? Thanks to ALL!!!

* No traffice issues - Dogs will be dropped off/picked up at varying times.
* No noise issues - Dogs will only be outside to relieve themselves, Always on leash.
* Neighbors are more than 200+ feet away.
* No animal boarding of any kind.
* No Retail.
* No employees.
* No yeard signage.
* Grooming out of my trailer. Not home/garage.
Running home business on limited basis, 2 to 3 days a week.

Please help! I appreciate it!

DeannaK

[celebpet]

You may have opened up a can a worms!!!!! They may ask you things like, where do you dump your waste water? Is your electricity up to code? Fire Codes. They might require you to put in sewer dump which can get real expensive. They might require you to have regular health inspections, possibly provide parking, handicap access; no telling what they might ask you or require you to do.

If there is no other groomer in town now then you kind of own the market. I would just stick with mobile. They will either have to suck it up and pay more or drive to where ever to get their dogs groomed. If its a long way then the price of mobile far out weighs the cost of new customers commuting back and forth. Just explain it to them you might be surprised.

[4liz2]

some one said here once

it's easier to ask forgiveness then permission,....I never asked, and haven't needed forgiveness, I just offer it on the low to a select few that live further away then I want to charge them for, or drive for that matter. I'm not running it out of my home,...still in the truck.

[DeannaK]

I got APPROVED!!! Yay!

I just wanted everything to be legit. I have too much invested into my business, to not do things the right way. So I filed for a Special Exception, and my hearing was last night - and I won with ALL in favor.

And the best part is I got everything I wanted -
Monday thru Friday, 7am to 6pm, 8 dogs a day.

So now I can offer both services to clients.... Mobile and Drop Off... and I don't have kids yet -but when I do, it will be nice to be able to work from home a few days a week.