I have been baking for 2 years now and I would love to open a bakery. As of now, I just bake cakes for friends and family, but I know that I could do well with a bakery. I heard that if I build a separate structure to my home, that I could use it for my bakery. This are would only be used for making cakes,does anyone know the details?

I figured it would be cheaper to add to my home than to buy or lease a commercial business, at least in the long run. Thanks in advance for your help and advise!

You are correct. I can't remember the one part, but the bakery cannot be accessed from your home. I'm not sure if it can still be attached. We have a home in WV (where my current separate commercial kitchen is located). My other home is in MD on Kent Island. My husband wanted to build there too, like I could actually run two bakeries two hours apart from each other. That house has an attached double garage with no entrance to the house. I think this scenario would work, but I didn't dig deep enough to remember.

I serve Hagerstown, MD from my WV bakery. I am only about 10 minutes away and it is my primary market because of the higher income levels. I have to comply with all of their codes and am subject to md HD inspections. The two HD requirements were the same anyway. I can't remember because I have them, but I think floor drains are required. This is the one requirement that stops most home kitchens.

Any other questions, just let me know. MD HD depts are very helpful if you are serious. They tend to blow off the casual inquiry because they get so many and their code is very expensive to build. If it is raw space, plan on about $50,000 to build. We had up to code finished space, the restroom and a floor drain. We have contractors' licenses so we bypassed all contractor fees and just had laborers, and could pull our own permits. With this ideal situation, we still have $25,000 in it.

You have very helpful sources in your county HD and there is a state HD in Annapolis that is very knowledgeable.

Good luck. PM me your location if you don't want to share publicly. If we are close, I'll be happy to show you my bakery and share demographic information. I am business friends with most of the bakeries in our area. Everyone is different and there is plenty of business to go around. Susan

Thank you so much for all of this information! I will PM you my location, but we are not far away from each, but not very close either. Is there a list that they have because my husband and I have been talking to contractors and the extra space will not be accessible from the house. Will love to know details! Thanks for your help.