How Much Starting Capital Did You Have When Building Your Haunt?

[Evernight]

Started Small -

We started extremely small - I mean no walls....mostly hand made props, we had access to a gymnasium and made it more of a haunted "walk around the gym" - The next year we moved on to a pavilion that we covered the outside in black plastic, our walls were black plastic and clothesline.....

The next year we managed to get a larger space and add some more props.....still black plastic walls - This went on for a few years, tucking away a little money here and there with the goal of getting "SOLID" walls - Eventually we worked our way up to solid walls and started getting a larger following.

It just grew and grew each year - Now we have been voted one of the best haunts in Northern Michigan, this year we will have 5 haunted Attractions. a Hayride, and Haunted Trail.

So you can start with any budget as long as you love what your doing and don't get frustrated easily.

I can't stand people that say you have to have MEGA BUCKS to start a haunt - Yes maybe if you want to just jump right in full on professional....but not everyone needs to start that way.

[Spikerip]

There are a lot of variables. We’ve invested about $300,000 so far and after 6 years, haven’t made a profit yet (last year we were close to breaking even), but this will be our third year in our current location. We’ve had to setup/move three times over 7 years and with each move we spent about $40,000 moving and setting up the new location to meet codes. Every time we’ve moved our numbers declined the first year and then doubled the second year.

We went big from the start, our first building was 50,000 sq feet, our second building was 30,000 sq feet and our current building is 40,000 sq feet. We didn’t want to move, but our first two landlords would only give us a one year lease and then only renewed it once. They wanted more per sq ft than we could afford and eventually someone offered them more money than we could spend on a lease (they saw how many people we brought to their dead shopping center). Our current location is under a 4 year lease with a 3 year option so we can finally build a good customer base.

If you are the only haunt within a 30 mile radius, then you could start small (10,000 – 20,000 sq ft building) and put on an 8 - 12 minute show. Our haunts combined cover about 25,000 sq ft and they take about 30 – 40 minutes to traverse. The rest of our space is used for indoor cue line, makeup and costume rooms, offices and storage. We also built two of the 3 minute escape rooms and may build at least one more. We have the space to expand.

Outdoor haunts cost much less, especially if you already own the land and you don’t have the strict fire code issues to deal with. But you are outdoors and the weather has an impact on your attendance. Again, a lot depends on what type if any other haunts are in your area.

If you are talking a pro haunt where you charge for admission; I wouldn’t get started in this industry if you don’t have at least $200,000 - $300,000 cash to bank your business. It’ll take several years before you see a return and you’ll need the start-up funds to cover your expenses. Worse case scenario; you run out of money and can’t get a loan and then have to sell everything at a loss.

I highly recommend you take one of the “Getting started in the haunt industry” classes at MHC or Transworld. You don’t know what it is that you don’t know and these classes will provide lots of great information to help you plan your business. This is not a business to rush into.

Kelly Collins
The ScareAtorium Columbus

[drfrightner]

The first haunt I did was around 1500.00 dollars true story. The first real all out attempt was right around $160,000.00 and if I was going to do one today from scratch it would really depend on the size of the building but probably in the area of $500,000.00

Larry

[monsterwax]

<<I can not see how anyone who said up to 25,000 has any type of quality haunt or a professional one. Our advertising costs more then twice that.
I would say 25000 would get a start on a home haunt...but not a top notch one....>>

You're not taking into account custom made props, years of growth, and reinvesting profits. Anyone who does their own work, has a generous lease agreement (like splitting the profits in lieu of rent), volunteer labor help, and re-invests the profits for 5, 10, or 15+ years can grow a LOT. In fact, the best business advice for any business is to stay in business. If you're turning a profit and growing, year after year, you're clearly doing something right and more than likely are going to succeed as your experience and company assets expand.

[austind]

Your are just a dumb dirt farmer Mark I know that for sure considering you my friend (only people that will be my friends have to be dumb), but you do work hard and that is the secret to most business, hard work pays off. So I guess moral of this story is no mater how much money you have it still comes down to hard work to be successful.

[wickedfarmer]

Figures don't lie....

..but liars know how to figure. What was my start up investment? Good question. I already had the farm land. I signed my name to a land contract to buy neighboring farm of my dads while going to Michigan State. Really; I took inventory of what I had. I had pretty good location as Interstate 96 sliced off the back of our farm in 1960's and cut off some 20 acres and a work ethic handed down through the 6 generations farming in this township. It was time to make that "enemy" highway into a friend and put my billboards on it. Home made painted things at first that had the "classic old time farm look". I had all the equipment needed to plant a corn field as it was my occupation...a dumb dirt farmer. I started out as a corn maze only with no haunting. Then another corn maze operator we put out of business 15 miles away in the middle of no where down a severely rutted dirt road wanted to know if we wanted to form a partnership and they haunt part of field. I had the location, parking lot customers etc. they supplied haunting man power and "old school" scares and decent make up etc. Had to part ways with them when they tried to change agreement for following year in mid Aug. Found this cool website called Scare Factory and called them.

Now here is where story gets unbelievable; but true. A guy named Dave answered the phone. (Ok everyone...stop saying "Bullshit!") Told him I had a large farm truck and wondered if I could come down next week and pick up a Slayer on the Pediment, a Tombstone Reaper, and a couple mossy skelrectors. Went down the next week and picked them all up. (stop screaming BULLSHIT!...honest it was that simple....Ok yes in 2012 or 2013 I wrote an order with them and never got my props and never got through when calling probably 50 times later in summer. ) Guessing $15,000 went to Scare Factory that first year many years ago. News crews came out to see Slayer and never looked back. Keep adding and changing stuff every year.

My biggest assets to start up were location, being a workaholic, and being known from get go as the best corn maze around. The haunt started out meager but very soon realized I had to ramp up the haunt to match our corn mazes reputation.

Wicked Farmer

[Darksidestew]

Good point Austin,

I started with walmart props in my yard and not a pot to piss in. lol

Stew

[austind]

Stew you have to start somewhere and if you don't do it smart you are out of business. If you look a few post above you will see $400 from Sean at Wells Township Haunted House and they are low budget charity haunt that can rival a lot of pro haunts. Yes to go big time you need lots of cash and when you think you have enough you are only half way there. I won't say exact numbers but I was in the upper level of the scale for start up money and spent $40,000 on advertising. The real thing is, did I make my money back my first year? No not even close but I am looking at year three to start making any money that I may be able to put in my pockets. You know me and you know that I have been buying stuff for 7 or 8 years so that I could come out of the gate with a bang, but I some times wish that I had just started smaller years ago and built the haunt from a smaller investment.

[Darksidestew]

I can not see how anyone who said up to 25,000 has any type of quality haunt or a professional one.

Our advertising costs more then twice that.

I would say 25000 would get a start on a home haunt...but not a top notch one....


stew

[knettles]

Not us

You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Butcher Barn, are you? If so I know who you are.


On this venture we're starting out with a few old props left over from various haunted yard events etc, about a $1,000 to buy a few 48' van trailers, free pallets, yardsale doors at $5 each, free wood from tearing down a old barn, donated cloth, sheets, clothing, paint etc. $110 5 gallon pales of paint at charity pricing of $25 each, donated power drills, donated screws etc.

We'll be at a total investment of way less than $10,000. Most likely around the $6k. This number fluxuates, but it's pretty steady. All we are looking / hoping for is to get about 750 lbs of can goods / etc and some of our investment back, just to reinvest it to make it bigger.

We go by Nightstalkers Haunted Attraction and Eye Fright 3D.

[Hacksaw]

You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Butcher Barn, are you? If so I know who you are.


On this venture we're starting out with a few old props left over from various haunted yard events etc, about a $1,000 to buy a few 48' van trailers, free pallets, yardsale doors at $5 each, free wood from tearing down a old barn, donated cloth, sheets, clothing, paint etc. $110 5 gallon pales of paint at charity pricing of $25 each, donated power drills, donated screws etc.

We'll be at a total investment of way less than $10,000. Most likely around the $6k. This number fluxuates, but it's pretty steady. All we are looking / hoping for is to get about 750 lbs of can goods / etc and some of our investment back, just to reinvest it to make it bigger.

[knettles]

Thrift stores and free pallets!!

I had the owners of a pumpkin patch help get our haunt started. It was actually on the pumpkin patch's property so we already had the perfect spot. They allowed me to use their cornfield, woods, and a 4,000 sq ft barn. Having no rent and an initial investment of about $6,000, I was able to buy a couple nice props such as a claustrophobia jr, 2 air blasters, and a set of ankle ticklers. The first year we were only open in the barn the next two years we opened up about 1/2 mile outdoor haunt where they ended in the barn which was all done in 3D. We bought a lot of discounted plywood, paneling, and a got lot of free pallets for our maze in the barn. We did a lot of dollar store shopping and thrift store shopping as well. We have been able to pay our helpers a little bit plus pay back half of our initial investment. It is growing and I feel we may be able to be in the black next year thanks to a good turnout last year and word of mouth! For whatever it is worth...hope this helps!

[sean]

$400.00, lol

[haunter1313]

Borrowed money from relatives and used some money we had from selling a few things. its worked out paid everyone back. I'd say around 125,000.00 to start our haunt.

[monsterwax]

Had zero dollars and a credit card with a $10,000.00 limit. Reinvested the "profits" each year. Those for the good old days!