How to Start a Bounce House Business

by Cheryl Pierce - PartyZone Entertainment

You can see bounce houses everywhere in the warmer months. You might have even rented one in the past. And there's a good chance that you've thought about starting a bounce house business yourself.

Bounce houses rent for anywhere from $65.00/day on the west coast to $250.00 & up in other parts of the country. Here in Indianapolis, we rent ours for around $225.00 for four to six hours. So if you charge $150.00 for your rental, you can make an extra $300.00 per week in income.

Like any business, you're going to have some expenses. A bounce delivery requires a truck or a small trailer. An suv will work too.

You'll need extension cords, business cards, insurance, dollys and other small business supplies. Most rental company owners start by doing deliveries and bookings themselves so they won't have a lot of additional labor costs. The real joy of this business is that you work when you want to work, and if you feel like taking time off....just don't take any bookings for that day. But, the downside is that if you want to make a great deal of income, you're going to have to be available when people want to rent. And that's generally on the weekend.

Insurance is the biggest cost. Although it seems to get cheaper when more units are added, start up costs are tough.

Bounce House purchase prices average around $1500.00 but insurance will be around $750.00. That means your first year start up is going to cost around $2500.00. If you rent your unit for $150.00, you'll still have paid for your costs in less than 20 rentals. And, of course, the more you charge, the quicker your investment will pay for itself.

You might be surprised to find that there is a lot more to rentals than bounce houses. Our initial start up five years ago was two bounces but within just a short time we have grown to over 50 inflatable and interactive games. You can find giant slides, obstacle courses, casino tables, Bungee Runs, Toddler Games and fun foods. The business actually will grow as large as you want it to. As long as you get the equipment out in front of people, you'll be booking rentals. The units themselves are their own advertisements.

To get going on your new business you just need to follow these simple steps.

-Find out from your state and local board what you need to start a bounce rental business. There might be restrictions on what you can do.

-Check on suppliers. You can look on the web for "bounce house" or "inflatable games".

-Ask the suppliers to give you insurance info. Do NOT make a purchase until you've secured insurance.

-Order your bounce(s) just as soon as you have your insurance in place.

-You have plenty to do while waiting for equipment. Design fliers and business cards. Get your phone number and Domain name. Start on a website. Tell ALL your friends about your new business.

-Although you're starting to advertise, it's not recommended to book your units before they arrive. That's just asking for trouble.

-The day your equipment arrives is so exciting. Make sure though that you fully inspect your equipment for damages before your delivery driver leaves. And also check to make sure you've received everything.

-Now for the fun part. Inflate your new unit and get familar with it. Let the neighborhood kids play. You want your unit seen so people will want to rent it.

Pretty simple, isn't it? Of course I just touched on the steps but it's not much more complicated than that. If you join the Party Rental Industry you'll be sharing fun with everyone. And that's a great way to make an income.