This clean, nicely decorated salon is an example of how much it can cost to open a salon suite.

What to Know About Opening Your Own Salon Suite  

So, you’re thinking of opening your own salon suite, huh? We love to hear that.

Any time we hear about a cosmetologist or beauty pro doing their own badass thing, we can’t help but get excited. Let us be the first to tell you that no matter where you are in this process, we wholeheartedly believe in you!

And, of course, we’d do anything to help you expand your career.

That’s where this blog is going to come in handy.

(PS. If you’re still up in the air about a salon suite vs. a traditional salon, we recommend you start with our blog When to Choose a Salon Suite Instead of a Traditional Salon).

Still, we’re going to start this blog with a strong disclaimer–we can’t really predict exactly what it would cost for you to open a salon suite.

With the way costs fluctuate based on the economy, location, and specific circumstances, we feel it would be irresponsible to try to land a specific number for you.

Why? Because we don’t want to set your expectations and then let you down if that number is different.

That being said, we’re still going to provide you with tangible information you can use to deduce your own costs.

This blog is going to talk about common factors you’ll need to consider when it comes to breaking down costs. While we might not put specific numbers on anything, we still think it’s crucial to know what kind of costs to expect.


How Much Do Salon Suites Cost? The Common Costs Associated with Opening a Salon Suite

Before we dive in, we’re going to break the ice by saying that we’ve got lots of salon suite information and resources available for you. If you want to explore these resources first, that’s totally fine by us. Take a peek at what we’ve got to offer below:

Now that we’ve got that covered, let’s dive into the good stuff–the common costs associated with opening your own salon suite.

Rent, Lease, or Mortgage Payments

This one is probably the most obvious cost to consider. Clearly, you’ll need a space to run your salon suite out of. Whether you’re renting/leasing or buying, there’s going to be a monthly or outright cost for that space.

Liability Insurance & Business Licenses

You’ll need liability insurance–general and professional–before you begin your new salon suite operation. You’ll also need to file business licenses, pay appropriate fees, and potentially even get legal counsel to ensure you’re doing everything by the book.

Utility & Electric Fees

This monthly expense is one that some owners often overlook–but it’s always going to be there. Make sure you check with the electric companies to see if there’s an average cost available for the location you’re choosing.  Think about water, electricity, heat, AC, etc. You’ll be using up a lot of these in your salon suite.

Furniture, Decor, & Fixtures

If you’re planning on decorating your salon suite according to your brand, that’s going to cost money.

Whether this includes salon furniture, décor, wall art, or practical furniture, you’ll need to know how much this will cost. This is a necessary cost but can get very expensive! Consider this when you’re budgeting out your salon suite costs.

Tools & Supplies

Your salon chairs, your washing sinks, your combs, your shears–everything you use to accomplish a service needs to be accounted for! Think about all the supplies you use on a daily basis for all the services you offer–those need to be included in your costs.

Back Bar Product & Retail Product

A stylist works on her client's hair in her salon suite.

Your inventory needs to be stocked up before you start! This includes your back bar product as well as your retail product (which, BTW, retail product is a must). Make sure you’re building these costs into your budget.

Software & POS Systems

Do you have appropriate salon suite software? A way to schedule your clients in your system? A point-of-sale software system for your retail products? All of these costs will need to be considered.

Website & Marketing Information

Do you have a website setup? Setting this up on your own will take valuable time while paying someone else to do it will take valuable resources. You’ll need to consider your marketing and digital advertising costs from the get-go to ensure you’re covering them!


And remember, those are just a few costs we’ve outlined! Anticipate a lot more miscellaneous and surprise costs, too. Maybe the building you’re renting or buying needs repairs. Maybe the costs of your water and electricity went up. Maybe you don’t have a washer or dryer in the salon suite, so you have to pay for a laundry service. Be aware–and ready!–for surprise costs.  

We’re not talking about this stuff to scare you away from opening your own salon suite–it’s the opposite, actually. We want to help you be prepared as possible so that when the time comes for you to open your salon, you’ll be that much closer to success.


Do you have experience opening your own salon suite?

Drop a comment in the reply section at the bottom of this blog! Trust us; your fellow beauty entrepreneurs will be thrilled to hear any advice you can give them.

Remember, we’re a community here–so all your positive affirmations and help are appreciated.

Looking for more regular insight about how to expand your career, better serve your clients, or just be a more confident cosmetologist?

The Elite Beauty Society blog is the place to be. Make sure you subscribe to our site for regular updates on discounts, new resources, and all the latest career-boosting info.