Capital costs for supplies is only one consideration when starting an Australian cleaning business.
Australia, along with the United States and Commonwealth brethren Canada and New Zealand, is consistently ranked among the world's most friendly countries in terms of small business climate, according to CNN Money. Starting a cleaning business in Australia is relatively free of government regulation and red tape, although you'll have to complete a few registration and tax forms. Reflective of worldwide economic trends, the cleaning services industry in Australia has seen moderate recent growth and is expected to do so in the near future. Companies continue to outsource many former in-house cleaning services, both to small companies and large corporations.
Instructions
1. Create a business plan. Not only will a plan force you to consider essential issues such as your objectives, competitors, business size and structure, location, number of employees, start-up costs and marketing plans, but it will serve you well if you need to approach a bank for financing.
2. Register your business name with the state or territory in which you'll operate, unless you'll be doing business under your own name--in which case you don't need to register. If you're registering as a company, you'll need to complete Form 201 and provide details about the proposed company name, class and type of company, director and secretary names, and other information.
3. Register for your Australian Business Number (ABN) and the Goods & Services Tax (GST). The 11-digit ABN isn't required, but allows you to do business more easily and makes you eligible for government programs such as energy grants, and is required to register for the GST. You also need an ABN for purposes of registering an Internet domain name. A Tax File Number (TFN) also is needed. Apply for the ANB, GST and TFN on the same form.
4. Research the need for other registration requirements, depending on the size of your company. A Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) and Pay As You Go (PAYG) withholding may be necessary.
5. Determine capital needs for your cleaning business. Depending on the type and size of your company and the clients you'll be serving, you will need cleaning supplies and equipment. Cleaning solutions and compounds, such as furniture polish, glass cleaner, bleach, floor cleaners and wax, and carpet cleaning liquid will also be needed. You'll need rubber gloves, cleaning cloths, rags and paper towels, scrub pads, brooms, dust pans and garbage bags. Your clients may supply some of the cleaning items, but it's a good idea to have all necessary items available to you at all times. You also may have to invest in larger equipment like vacuum cleaners, buffers and carpet cleaners.
6. Buy or lease a van or similar vehicle to transport all your equipment from job to job.
7. Open a business bank account. This not only is needed for business financial purposes, but it could help you with any future expansion plans and loans. Coupled with your business plan and acquisition of all licenses and registrations, you'll be well armed to approach bank officials to discuss a business loan.
8. Address your marketing needs. Advertising, an Internet site and business cards should be part of your start-up costs. Your best marketing tool will be yourself. You'll need to sell yourself and your business to potential customers.
