Costs & business
Budget for the workshop, not just the machine
A machine price is not a setup budget. Record every system, service and unknown needed before the first useful job, using exact documents and current quotes rather than an invented industry average.
The direct answer
Start with the machine, then add only the items its exact installation and your work require: extraction or filtration route, cooling, air assist, enclosure or workholding, electrical/building work, software/computer, initial materials and testing, training, spares and fire-planning provisions. Put uncertain items in an unknown—not £0 column.
This page deliberately gives no average setup figure. Machine classes, rooms and work differ too much for one total to be honest. The useful output is a quote-backed worksheet you can compare across candidate systems.
Build the setup as a stack
| Budget row | Evidence to collect | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Machine and included equipment | Exact quotation, configuration, delivery and VAT basis | That every advertised accessory is included |
| Extraction, duct route or filtration | Manufacturer requirements, room/route survey, competent advice where needed | That an enclosure or filter label settles the exposure question |
| Cooling and air systems | Exact manual and configuration | That every machine needs the same chiller, compressor or air assist |
| Workholding and specialist accessories | Your project dimensions and process needs | That rotary/pass-through/conveyor equipment belongs in every setup |
| Electrical, building and room work | Exact load/services and competent quotations | That a plug, vent route or room alteration is trivial |
| Software and computer | Supported software, licence and workflow requirements | That the machine includes the workflow you already use |
| Initial materials, tests and waste | Known materials, supplier documents and trial plan | That the first sheet/job will be saleable |
| Training, support and spares | Supplier offer, warranty and downtime plan | That headline warranty equals usable UK support |
| Fire planning and housekeeping | Exact risk assessment, manufacturer instructions and applicable competent guidance | That a generic online checklist proves the workshop safe |
| Contingency/unknowns | Named unresolved decisions and quote dates | That an unknown has zero cost |
HSE’s LEV buying guide says an off-the-shelf system should be fit for purpose and capable of adequately controlling exposure.1 That is a procurement and verification job, not a reason to guess an extractor price or performance from a generic page.
Use a quote-backed worksheet
| Item | One-time | Monthly/annual | Per job | Source/date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machine/configuration | Quote / Unknown | ||||
| Extraction/filtration/duct | Quote / Unknown | ||||
| Cooling/air/services | Quote / Unknown | ||||
| Accessories/workholding | Quote / Not required / Unknown | ||||
| Software/computer | Verified / Unknown | ||||
| Materials/testing/waste | Estimate with assumptions | ||||
| Training/support/spares | Quote / Unknown | ||||
| Room/electrical/building work | Competent quote / Unknown | ||||
| Contingency | Named basis |
Compare systems in this order
- Define the work. Materials, process, largest piece, volume and room come before brands.
- Write exact requirements. Use the buying questions and the Requirements Builder.
- Read exact documents. Identify required extraction, services, software and accessories for each configuration.
- Obtain comparable quotes. Match VAT, delivery, installation, training and included equipment.
- Separate cost types. One-time setup is not the same as monthly fixed cost or per-job cost.
- Keep unknowns visible. Ask the supplier or a competent person rather than filling a cell from plausibility.
After the setup exists, cost the job separately
A complete setup budget helps decide what must be funded before the workshop can operate. It does not tell you what one product costs to make. For that, use the job-cost calculator and worksheet, which handles labour, materials, waste, fees and fixed-cost allocation as a separate decision.
For extraction, room planning and evidence boundaries, continue with Where the smoke goes.
Sources
- HSE, Clearing the air: A simple guide to buying and using local exhaust ventilation (LEV), INDG408. Checked 3 October 2026. Used for the fit-for-purpose/adequate-control procurement principle; not as a remote design or quotation.↩
- Trotec UK, laser FAQs. Checked 3 October 2026. Used as manufacturer evidence that buying decisions can span machine choice, materials, software, installation/training and maintenance/safety. It is not independent product selection.
- HPC Laser, buying guide. Checked 3 October 2026. Used as a UK supplier example of material, machine and support considerations. Supplier content is attributed and not treated as independent proof.