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I rent a house in Texas and just noticed my lease says you can not run a home based business. A couple of ladies in the neighborhood told me they would be interested in a dinner to go service since they love my cooking and I have been trying to figure out some way to bring in extra income. I stay at home and my husband is military. So this would be a hot meals to pick up on their way home and it would be to people in the neighborhood as well as lunch to the teachers at the school across from my house.
I know this is a stupid question but I'm guessing its a no??? Should I even ask my landlord if its okay? and why does the lease state that? Insurance issues maybe?
Perhaps if you delivered, your landlord wouldn't object so strongly, but I can see an objection over the amount of traffic you'd create to your apt along with the issues of licensing.
It's not likely that the house is set up for a commercial kitchen including proper fire suppression, nor is there likely to be the proper insurance in place either. Out of all the home based businesses one might get involved in, this one likely have some real liability concerns for all involved.
They actually spent $30,000 on a complete kitchen renovation, tore out walls to make it bigger and have commercial grade stove/oven, etc. but you are probably right about the fire suppression...
I did plan on getting the licensing...and I'm guessing in order to pass they would probably bring up the fire issue as well. I know we have renter's insurance so I will check with them as well. This really all depends on the landlord though..if he says no, then it's a moot point.
I could definitely deliver! That would stop the traffic for sure. It's a pretty tight nit neighborhood with over 700 homes and a lot of them are retired folk so I don't want to upset the neighbors. Just thought I would try and help some women/men out. I remember how hard it was working full time and trying to get dinner together!
Most home based business rules are to keep traffic from happening. Its one thing if you're selling a craft online and the most traffic is the postman picking up outgoing packages, its another to have people coming to the home for pickup. Even if the landlord forbids it, there are most likely also local ordinances that say the same thing and either forbid it in that area or would require additional licensing. Just don't do it there.
If you wanted to do it on a larger scale you might consider renting commercial space either by yourself or with someone wanting to do something similar which doesn't compete with your venture. I have a good friend who has a cake catering business. She started it out at home but the demand soon outgrew her capabilities at home and she now rents space in a local restaurant's large kitchen. All her supplies, refrigeration and prep space is in a separate fully enclosed room and she uses one of the restaurant's commercial ovens to do her baking in the morning when the restaurant is closed. Good luck!
Yeah I think the key is to deliver it instead of having people come by. But I am only talking about 4 ladies...but I'm looking into the health inspection right now...it's kind of iffy since I don't live in the city limits...
Thank you STT Resident! That's what it is...low key. I have 4 kids and one baby at home so I do NOT want to get too big! I absolutely love cooking and doing it for people as well.... My landlord lives in Washington DC so no hopes of buttering the bread there so to speak! I planned on doing one entree (same as what we are eating for dinner) a day and if they want to order, do it by noon so I know how much to make. One dessert for the whole week. Believe me, we live right across from the elementary school and have HUGE car rider lines that are along our street all the way down...there is a LOT of traffic on this street!
Now if it were to get too big I would totally rent a space around here....I would never try to take on something that big out of my home kitchen!
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