When I first started welding in my garage, I figured it would just be a hobby — a place to practice beads, fix broken tools, and experiment with MIG, TIG, or flux core wire on scrap metal. But once neighbors started asking if I could repair a trailer hitch, build a gate latch, or weld a cracked mower deck, I realized there’s real money to be made with a welder right at home. The best part? You don’t need a massive shop, fancy equipment, or stacks of stainless steel to get started.
With a solid setup, a little joint prep know-how, and the ability to lay clean, strong welds, you can turn simple jobs into steady income. In this guide, I’ll break down practical ways to make money welding in your garage — from small repair work to custom fabrication gigs — so you can earn while doing what you already love.
Image by ChenlyCraftyCreation
Why Welding Out of Your Garage Actually Works
People break stuff every single day—trailers, lawnmowers, farm gates, barbecue pits, car frames, you name it. Most folks don’t want to load it on a trailer and drive 45 minutes to a big shop that charges $120 an hour minimum. They’ll happily pay you $60–$90 cash if you can fix it this afternoon in their driveway or yours. That’s the entire business model. Local, fast, fair price, done.
Start With the Absolute Minimum Setup That Won’t Embarrass You
You do NOT need a $15,000 rig to start making money tomorrow.
Here’s what I ran for the first two years:
- Lincoln 140 MIG or Hobart Handler 140 (110v is fine)
- Good auto-darkening helmet (Vulcan or YesWelder on Amazon, $80–$120)
- 4-1/2” angle grinder with flap discs and cutoff wheels
- Decent clamps (Bessey or Irwin Quick-Grips)
- .030 flux-core wire (I still use Lincoln NR-211-MP 90% of the time)
- A clean 10×10 corner of the garage with a welding table made from 2×2 tube and a scrap 1/4” plate top
Total investment if you’re starting from zero: under $1,200. I paid mine off in the first month doing trailer repairs.
The Jobs That Pay the Fastest With the Least Headache
These are the bread-and-butter gigs I still take because they’re quick, profitable, and almost impossible to screw up bad enough that you can’t fix it.
Trailer Repairs – My Personal Gold Mine
Every spring and fall I get flooded with calls. Hitch cracks, bent tongues, rusted frame rails, broken leaf-spring hangers. A typical trailer tongue replacement pays $250–$400 cash and takes me 2–3 hours once I have the steel. I keep 2”, 2.5”, and 3” × 1/4” wall tube in 20-foot sticks and just cut what I need.
Custom Fire Pits and Smokers
Guys see one on Facebook Marketplace, then message me “Can you build one exactly like this but cheaper?” Yes I can. A basic 24” fire pit with a grill grate runs me $80 in materials and sells for $350–$450. Takes one Saturday morning.
Handrails and Small Home Projects
Realtors and flippers love me. One porch handrail with basic pickets is $600–$900 installed, two evenings of work max.
Farm Equipment and Lawn Mower Decks
Farmers pay cash and don’t care about pretty. Fix a cracked mower deck for $150–$250 and they tell every neighbor.
Gate Repairs and Cattle Guard Fixes
Out in the country this is endless money. A bent pipe gate is usually a 45-minute $200 job.
How to Find Customers Without Spending a Dime on Ads
I have never paid for advertising in fifteen years.
- Put a simple magnetic sign on your truck: “Mobile Welding & Fabrication – Text 555-123-4567”
- Join every single local Facebook “Buy/Sell/Trade” and “Garage Sale” group within 50 miles
- Post finished jobs with the caption “Fixed this trailer today – hit me up if you need something welded”
- Ask every single customer: “Who else do you know that breaks stuff?” They’ll send you their uncle, their neighbor, their boss
- Put a stack of cheap business cards at every feed store, tractor dealership, and auto-parts counter
That’s it. Word of mouth still beats Google 10-to-1 for local welding work.
Pricing Your Work So You Actually Make Money
Here’s the formula I still use:
Material cost × 2.5 + $90/hour (rounded up to the nearest $50 for cash jobs)
Examples:
- $60 in steel + 2 hours = $150 + $180 = $330 → quote $350 cash
- $120 in steel + 4 hours = $300 + $360 = $660 → quote $700
Never apologize for your price. If they flinch, just say “I guarantee it for life and I’m here tomorrow if anything goes wrong.” They always pay.
Tools and Machines That Pay for Themselves Fastest
After you make your first $2,000–$3,000, upgrade in this exact order:
- 220v welder (Miller 211 or Lincoln 210 MP) – night-and-day difference
- Plasma cutter (Hypertherm 45xp or even a cheap Razorweld 45)
- Good metal-cutting bandsaw (Ellis, Milwaukee, or SWAG portaband table)
- 12-ton shop press
- Better welding table with fixture clamps
Everything else is just toys until you’re busy every weekend.
Setting Up Your Garage So the Wife Doesn’t Kill You
- Build a 10×10 welding booth with 2×4s and welding curtains
- Run a 100-amp subpanel with plenty of 220v outlets
- Put a big shop fan and a real fume extractor (I use a Lincoln Miniflex I bought used)
- Keep the floor swept and the grinder dust contained or you’ll be divorced by Christmas
Safety Rules I Never Break (Because I Want to Keep All My Fingers)
- Auto-darkening helmet every single time, no exceptions
- Leather gloves, leather jacket or sleeves when I’m doing anything overhead
- No welding galvanized without a respirator
- Fire extinguisher within arm’s reach
- Never weld on a vehicle gas tank unless it’s been steam-cleaned and filled with argon
Common Mistakes That Will Cost You Money and Customers
- Quoting too low because you feel bad – you’ll resent the job and do it half-assed
- Taking on structural work you’re not ready for (truck frames without knowing the heat issues)
- Not cleaning the metal properly – cold lap and porosity make you look amateur
- Welding outside in the wind with flux-core – looks like bird shit and you’ll get callbacks
- Saying “yes” to every job – learn to say “I’m booked two weeks out” even when you’re not
Processes You Need to Learn in This Order
- Flux-core outside on dirty steel (trailer repairs)
- Solid wire with C25 gas for clean work (fire pits, furniture)
- Stick welding for heavy stuff and aluminum spool gun later
- TIG only when someone is paying you $150/hour minimum
Building Repeat Business and Referrals
- Always clean up the weld and grind it smooth even if they say “I don’t care how it looks”
- Text them a picture when you’re done: “All fixed, ready for the weekend”
- Throw in small freebies – weld a cracked hitch for free when you’re already there fixing the tongue
- Remember their name and what they broke last time
Scaling Beyond the Garage When You’re Ready
Once you’re turning away work, here’s what I did:
- Bought a 20-foot enclosed trailer and went fully mobile (wrote it off on taxes)
- Hired my buddy’s kid on weekends for $20/hour cash to grind and clean
- Raised prices 20% and lost zero customers
Final Thoughts
If you own a welder, a grinder, and a truck, you can make money this weekend. Start small, charge fairly, do clean work, and show up when you say you will. That’s literally the entire secret.
Keep a $100 “walk-up” kit in your truck at all times – helmet, gloves, .030 flux-core, grinder, and a 100-foot extension cord. Nine times out of ten when someone says “Can you look at something real quick?” it turns into a paid job on the spot.
FAQ
How much can you really make welding from home part-time?
Realistically $2,000–$8,000 a month working evenings and Saturdays once you have steady repeat customers. I know guys clearing $100k+ a year still in their garage.
Do I need a business license to weld on the side?
Check your state and city. In most places under $10–15k a year you’re fine with no license, but get liability insurance the minute you can afford it ($400–$800/year).
Is flux-core good enough to make money?
Absolutely. 80% of my mobile repair money is still made with .030 flux-core. Clean steel and proper settings and customers can’t tell the difference.
Can I weld aluminum profitably from my garage?
Yes, but only after you buy a spool gun and practice a ton. Aluminum boat docks and trailer repairs pay ridiculously well once you’re decent.
How do I compete with big shops that have overhead?
You don’t. You beat them on speed, price, and convenience. They won’t come out for a $300 job on Saturday. You will.