Home Day Care cost...

[themoorethemerrier]

I hate debt and we've been debt-free (not including our mortgage) for awhile and I really want it to stay that way, but we've sort of reached the point of no return.

While I'm waiting for our H & S check, I'm wondering what you all have spent on home repairs and conversions in order to open your day care? What was your biggest obstacle? Did you have it all ready within your allotted time?

Thanks!

[laundrymom]

What an h&s check?

[themoorethemerrier]

health and safety check. sorry!

[jojosmommy]

I spent a couple thousand on two windows that needed to be changed to fit egress standards. Took out new windows and put in new ones (that opened a different way.) Otherwise the locks, garbages, fire extinguishers added up but were necessary to keep my own kids safe so I never really thought of it as an "expense".

[melskids]

just a few of mine off the top of my head that i can remember..

fence in the pond
fence in the play area outdoors
windows were not 32 inches above ground, so hubby built cute little latice work gates to go over them
babyproof doors, cabinets, drawers
woodstove inspected and gated in (hubby built that too)
water inspected
the stairs to the deck needed better railings
mulch under the playsets outside
i needed new fire extinguishers

all these needed to be done BEFORE the initial inspection. NYS USED to offer a $600 start up rebate for safety issues. contact your CCR&R to see if they still do (i heard it was cut out of the budget)

[melskids]

I spent a couple thousand on two windows that needed to be changed to fit egress standards. Took out new windows and put in new ones (that opened a different way.) Otherwise the locks, garbages, fire extinguishers added up but were necessary to keep my own kids safe so I never really thought of it as an "expense".

thats so funny how state regs differ. they want mine blocked so the kids cant smash them, we couldnt get out a window if we wanted too!

[Sugar Magnolia]

I hate debt and we've been debt-free (not including our mortgage) for awhile and I really want it to stay that way, but we've sort of reached the point of no return.

While I'm waiting for our H & S check, I'm wondering what you all have spent on home repairs and conversions in order to open your day care? What was your biggest obstacle? Did you have it all ready within your allotted time?

Thanks!

Hope your sitting down. $25,000. BUT that was to open a center. $6000 for city development fees and rezone, $15000 for a parking lot and handicapped ramp, $3000 for a fire alarm system and $1000 for new flooring, paint, wallpaper and shelving. Yikes. I am in debt up to my_____. There is no way on earth you would have to spend that much!!! Don't panic!! My fees were excessive!! I later found out that because the building is an officially designated historic home, I did NOT need the parking lot or ramp. But gee, nobody told me until AFTER the fact.

[themoorethemerrier]

Oh, not nice, Sugar! :: That doesn't sound that bad if it's your business, though, right?

We were thinking how tight our house will seem if we reach full capacity for a group family day care so we got an estimate for an addition. (I think maybe our CCR&R would think so, too?) Altogether we were looking at $40K. Even if my hubs were to give up his income to work with me, we could pay it off in 5 years if we were aggressive and we reach our goal amount of kiddies (our CCR&R are confident that we will because the need in our area but still...) That would open up over 450 sq ft of space for day care use, which - I won't lie - I would love.

Can I justify it? We have done the numbers, reviewed the budget a bazillion times and it seems very promising, but there are so many variables!!!

GAH! Did anyone else beat themselves up this much when they were getting into child care?

Sorry for my crazy rambling!

[Growing1atime]

I only spent $600 on getting all the safety and health regs ready. I have four kids and I already had toys for every age. Other then that I have included the daycare into my home space. My family "shares" thier space with the daycare. But I don't have a full capacity daycare. Mostly because I have four of my own and it would be to much. I can have four more, but I usually have just 2 more a day sometimes I hit 4 but just one day a week.

I have been very careful to make sure the daycare is paying for it's self. I have been saving up a little a week for shelving. I should have enough soon to buy some nice cubby shelves and baskets.

I am going to build up my daycare room as I grow just because I too don't like to be in debt!!