InkKiln Chair Rental vs Studio Ownership Estimate — 21 June 2026
Chair Rental vs Studio Ownership Calculator
Compare weekly, annual and 3-year cumulative net P&L for renting a chair in someone else's studio versus opening your own fixed-premises studio in the UK.
Your scenario
Default for Major regional city: £2,750/mo.
Comparison
| Chair rental path | Studio ownership path | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 net | £276,000 | £207,000 |
| Year 2 cumulative | £552,000 | £462,000 |
| Year 3 cumulative | £828,000 | £717,000 |
| 3-year total | £828,000 | £717,000 |
At 15 clients per week and Major regional city, chair rental beats studio ownership over three years by £111,000. Studio ownership does not pay back within 36 months at this booking rate.
VAT note. Chair rental income is standard-rated at 20% under HMRC VATLP19820 once turnover crosses the £90,000 registration threshold. Figures shown are gross. If you are VAT-registered, apply VAT in your own books.
Sources
Figures are UK 2026 industry averages drawn from InkKiln Phase A research (UK 2026 Tattoo Studio Setup Cost and Chair Rental dataset, 19 May 2026). Source inputs: Princelet Tattoo, The 27 Club London, Hammersmith Tattoo London, UnorthoDOXX, Fat Badger Tattoo, UK Therapy Rooms, Reddit r/TattooArtists threads (Dec 2021 to Mar 2025), Lyvi UK salon chair rental data, Clarkslegal commercial rent deposits overview, HMRC VATLP19820, Bookedin Tattoo Studio Profitability 2026. Verify rates with the studio and your accountant before committing. Information, not legal advice.