Sure, summer isn’t here yet and no one wants to think of it as being gone already, but the year goes by fast and October will be here in no time. For people that love Halloween and love horror movies, you may be someone that has always dreamed of running your own haunted house, whether on a small or a large scale. The thing is, there’s a lot that goes into a haunted house, no matter what the size.
You’re going to need actors, which will most often be happy to volunteer, but you may need to supply them with the FX makeup and costumes they’ll need in order to scare people. You’ll also need a venue to host this shindig at, and you’re going to need to be insured as well. Here are a few of the things you might need money for when it comes to starting your own haunted house.
The Venue
You’re going to want to find a place you can merely rent a couple months out of the year. You want to get in there in September to be able to set things up, and then run your haunted house throughout the month of October. However, you’re also going to need time to take things down, so three months may be the key number.
If you have a building you already own you can do this in then you can save some money. You’re still going to be investing in supplies to turn that blank slate into something scary. With the right supplies, including paint, you can save a lot of cash making your own backdrops and tombstones.
Staying Lawful
Even though this might be a business that is only making money one month out of the year, you still want to make sure the government is getting their cut so you don’t end up in jail for tax fraud. Know your rights and the rules.
You have people walking through a dark building with ghosts and ghouls jumping out at them. Accidents can (and probably will happen). You want to be insured so that you’re not getting sued if someone slips and falls or anything.
All That Stuff
All of the things you need for that haunted house are going to cost money, even if you’re doing it all DIY. You can dig stuff out of the “trash”, so to speak. Use old plywood, you’ll need a lot of paint, and dollar store Halloween decor can easily be made scarier for a low price.
Plus, if you want to pay your actors and actresses you’re going to need a plan, and have to have some money on hand from day one. Most people, however, are willing to volunteer because it’s fun to scare people and they enjoy Halloween!
