How Much Does It Cost to Start a Hair Salon in the UK?

Services Updated August 2026 8 min read

Opening a hair salon covers a huge range of possible starting costs, from renting a single chair inside someone else's salon for under £100 a week to fitting out a full premises with multiple stations, backwashes and a reception area for well into six figures. The model chosen matters more than almost any other single decision, since it changes both the upfront cost and how much control is kept over branding and pricing.

This guide covers realistic 2026 UK costs for both a small independent salon and the chair-rental alternative, plus equipment, insurance and stock most new salon owners underestimate.

Quick Answer

A small independent salon with 2 to 4 chairs typically costs £25,000 to £60,000 to open. A larger salon with 5 or more chairs costs £60,000 to £150,000. Renting a single chair inside an existing salon costs £80 to £250 a week with no fit-out cost at all.

Startup Costs by Model

Whether the plan is a full salon lease or renting a chair inside an existing one is the single biggest cost decision, and the two models suit very different starting points.

Model	Typical Startup Cost
Chair rental inside an existing salon	£0 upfront, £80 to £250/week ongoing
Mobile/home-visit hairdressing	£2,000 to £6,000
Small independent salon, 2 to 4 chairs	£25,000 to £60,000
Larger salon, 5+ chairs, reception area	£60,000 to £150,000

Premises and Fit-Out

For a full salon, the premises and its fit-out is usually the largest single cost, well ahead of equipment or stock.

Lease deposit (typically 3 months' rent): £2,000 to £8,000 depending on location and unit size.
Shopfitting and interior design: £8,000 to £30,000 for flooring, plumbing for backwashes, lighting and general fit-out.
Signage and shopfront: £500 to £3,000.
Reception desk and waiting area: £800 to £3,000 depending on finish.
Plumbing for backwash basins: £1,000 to £3,000, a significant cost if the unit has no existing hairdressing plumbing.

Salon Equipment

Equipment costs scale directly with the number of chairs, so a 2-chair salon and a 6-chair salon are genuinely different budgets even in an identical unit.

Equipment	Typical Cost per Unit
Styling station (chair, mirror, trolley)	£300 to £900
Backwash basin with reclining chair	£600 to £1,800
Hood dryer or steamer	£150 to £500
Trolley and tool kit (scissors, clippers, dryers)	£300 to £1,000 per stylist
Till/POS and booking system	£300 to £1,200 setup, £20 to £60/month

Insurance and Compliance

Hairdressing carries genuine treatment risk, from chemical burns to allergic reactions, so insurance is not optional in practice.

Public liability insurance: £150 to £350 a year.
Treatment risk/professional indemnity insurance: £100 to £300 a year, covering chemical treatments such as colouring and perming.
Employer's liability (legally required if hiring staff): £150 to £400 a year.
Contents/buildings insurance: £200 to £600 a year.
Special treatments licence, if offering piercing or certain extras: £150 to £400 from the local council.

Anyone planning nail or beauty services alongside hairdressing should also see our guide to starting a nail salon for the equipment and licensing differences between the two.

Stock and Ongoing Supplies

Opening stock (colour, treatments, retail products): £1,500 to £5,000.
Monthly product/consumables reorder: £300 to £1,200 depending on client volume.
Retail product range for resale: £500 to £2,000 initial stock, generates ongoing margin once established.
Laundry (towels, gowns), in-house or outsourced: £50 to £200 a month.

Chair Rental as an Alternative

Renting a chair inside an existing salon costs £80 to £250 a week with no fit-out, lease deposit or equipment cost at all, making it a genuinely low-risk way to build a client base before committing to a full salon. The stylist typically brings their own tools and products, keeps their own client bookings and payments, and pays the salon owner a fixed weekly or percentage rent regardless of how busy the week is. The trade-off is lower control over branding, opening hours and pricing, and typically a lower long-term margin than owning a salon outright once a strong client base is established. Many salon owners started this way themselves before opening their own premises once client numbers justified the jump.

Ways to Reduce the Cost

Start with chair rental before committing to a lease. Builds a client base and cash reserve with essentially no upfront risk.
Take on a unit that already has hairdressing plumbing. Avoids £1,000 to £3,000 in backwash plumbing costs by choosing a former salon or barbershop unit.
Buy ex-display or refurbished styling stations. Salon equipment suppliers often sell display models at a genuine discount.
Open with fewer chairs and expand as demand grows. A 2-chair salon proves the concept before the larger equipment and staffing cost of a bigger unit.
Negotiate a rent-free fit-out period with the landlord. Many commercial landlords will agree 4 to 8 weeks rent-free while the unit is being fitted out, reducing cash burn before opening.

Bottom Line

A small independent hair salon costs £25,000 to £60,000 to open, rising to £60,000 to £150,000 for a larger salon with more chairs. Chair rental inside an existing salon is a genuinely low-risk alternative at £80 to £250 a week with no upfront fit-out cost, and is worth considering as a first step before committing to a full lease.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to start a hair salon in the UK?

A small independent salon with 2 to 4 chairs typically costs £25,000 to £60,000 to open, covering lease deposit, fit-out, backwashes and styling stations, initial stock and insurance. A larger salon with 5 or more chairs and a reception area typically costs £60,000 to £150,000. Renting a single chair inside an existing salon, by contrast, costs £80 to £250 a week with no fit-out cost at all.

Do I need a licence to run a hair salon in the UK?

There is no specific national licence required to cut and style hair in the UK, though most local councils require registration for any premises offering skin-piercing or special treatments, which does not usually cover standard haircutting and colouring. Salons offering additional treatments such as ear piercing or certain beauty services may need a separate special treatments licence from the local council, typically £150 to £400.

How much does salon equipment cost?

A styling station (chair, mirror, trolley) costs £300 to £900 per unit, and a backwash basin with a reclining chair costs £600 to £1,800 each. A hood dryer or steamer adds £150 to £500 per unit, and a full reception desk and waiting area setup costs £800 to £3,000 depending on finish.

What insurance does a hair salon need?

Public liability insurance is essential and costs £150 to £350 a year for a small salon. Treatment risk/professional indemnity insurance, covering chemical treatments like colouring and perming, costs £100 to £300 a year. Employer's liability insurance is a legal requirement if hiring any staff, typically £150 to £400 a year, and contents/buildings insurance for the premises adds a further £200 to £600 a year.

Is chair rental cheaper than opening a full salon?

Yes, significantly. Renting a chair inside an existing salon costs £80 to £250 a week with no fit-out, lease deposit or equipment cost, making it a low-risk way to build a client base before committing to a full salon. The trade-off is lower control over branding, hours and pricing, and typically lower long-term margin than owning a salon outright once client volume is established.

How long before a new hair salon becomes profitable?

Most independent salons take 12 to 24 months to become consistently profitable, since building a loyal client base from a standing start takes time even in a good location. A salon converting an existing base of clients from a previous chair-rental or mobile business can reach profitability faster, sometimes within 6 to 12 months, since the client relationships already exist.