When should a freelance installer open their own shop?
When you're booked 3+ weeks out at healthy freelance rates (around $600/day) and have 3-6 months of expenses banked. A first bay runs about $3,000-$6,000/month all-in — rent $1,500-$4,000, insurance $250-$500, utilities and software $300-$600 — which roughly two full wraps a month covers at retail pricing. Transition guide: wraptor.io/blog/freelance-installer-to-wrap-shop.