Registered daycare for under-fives. Below is what it actually costs, how long before money arrives,
and the part most guides leave out.
Startup capital
€40,000–€100,000
Hours / week
45–65
First income
~28 wks
Net margin
20%
Saturation
low
Realistic ceiling
€0–€8,000+
This ceiling is not a wall
The figure above is what this earns in the shape described — you, running it. Past that it keeps
going, but by hiring people or adding units, not by you working more hours. That is a different
job from the one you would be starting, and worth knowing before you start it.
What nobody usually tells you
Demand that never falls, parents who stay for years, and waiting lists in most cities. It is also the slowest and most regulated start here: a year before you open, staff ratios you cannot cut, and margins that only work when nearly full.
The route, in five steps
Registration and inspection take six to twelve months — start there
Staff ratios are law and they are your entire cost base
Waiting lists are normal: fill from one catchment, not a wide one
Government funded hours are reliable but priced below cost
Ninety percent occupancy is where it becomes profitable
What you'll need to buy
These are the categories every childcare setting pays for in the first month.
We break down what each one actually costs at this size on the
tools page.
registration and inspectionpremises and safety worksqualified staffinsurancecurriculum materials
Does it hold up for you?
These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on
your capital, your hours and how long you can wait — put them in and see.