# What should I do?



## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

As many of you may know, I've been planning for my 09 haunt ever since last October. I've got almost everything planned out already, and am just waiting until July to actually start putting everything together. However, we recently looked at possible building locations for the haunted house... and we might get a building as soon as maybe a couple weeks.

Do you think I should stick to my plans and stay home for this year? Or, if one of the buildings works out, should I scrap the plans for this year and go pro?

I understand that going pro opens up a big can of worms... But if we get it soon enough, we could have it up and going for this year I would think.

What are you thoughts on this?


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

Would you really have enough time and money to go pro with 178 days minus opening night date?


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

My only concern would be having to cut back on the haunt due to time or budget. This would be your first year as a pro haunt and future years success may be affected by your first outing, good or bad.

I think it's definitely getting close to go no go time for a pro haunt. If you've got the resources, finances, location, help, and feel you can pull it of then go for it.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Hauntiholik said:


> Would you really have enough time and money to go pro with 178 days minus opening night date?


We would obviously take out a loan for the building, so depending on how much we qualify for, I don't think we'd have to worry about money. The only things it needs are fire walls and a coat of paint and we'd be set.

And time is always an issue for us, but I actually think having it indoors would give me LOADS more time to work on it considering most of my haunt is outdoors... So at night I'm unable to work on it.



joker said:


> My only concern would be having to cut back on the haunt due to time or budget. This would be your first year as a pro haunt and future years success may be affected by your first outing, good or bad.
> 
> I think it's definitely getting close to go no go time for a pro haunt. If you've got the resources, finances, location, help, and feel you can pull it of then go for it.


Well even if I set up the exact same haunt as last year, it'd be a good show. We've had people tell us we are better than some of the pro haunts they'd be to.

Plus, I'm going to start small, and build up every year.

And as far as help... You're all invited to come help!
.

Keep your comments coming!
.


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## joker (Sep 25, 2007)

Front Yard Fright said:


> Well even if I set up the exact same haunt as last year, it'd be a good show. We've had people tell us we are better than some of the pro haunts they'd be to.
> 
> Plus, I'm going to start small, and build up every year.
> 
> ...


We get that too and hopefully I'll be teaming up with a local charity to see what kind of turn out a little advertising and better location and open more nights will do.

I'd love to be involved but commute may be a little far.


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

I agree with Joker, if all your ducks are in a row....plus have a good idea on what hoops you'll need to jump for any inspections you'll need to do.


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## Spartan005 (Mar 13, 2007)

I would say wait another year. Like joker said, your first year going pro is going to have to leave a big impression on people especially with the large amount of pro haunts around that have been open for several years already. That way you'll have a full year to plan out what you want to do when the time comes.

by the way if you really think your getting to a professional level than maybe you could actually charge people to go through your haunt (at home) and not donate to charity so you can build up money for the next year. Although I don't know how the charity would feel about that, and it could mean you would have to build it as if it were pro.... taking fire codes into consideration etc.


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## Don Givens (Dec 2, 2008)

Even in good times starting up a new haunt can be a risky venture due to weather conditions and competition from established haunts. 

In addition to the challenges already mentioned, please consider that you would be starting this venture in a very unfavorable economy - a recession which could very well last into next season. 

As hard as it is for us sensible people to believe, there are others out there who don't think Halloween is such a big deal so there will be a lot parents telling little Johnny "we can't afford to go to the haunted house this year". 

I have been an accountant for twenty years and my experience is when even an experienced business person starts up a new business venture they tend to underestimate their expenses and over estimate their revenue. The inexperienced often have no clue what they are getting into. Even those who take great pains to plan ahead and educate themselves will find many expensive problems they didn't consider. (Insurance, handicap accessability requirements, security, legal & accounting, asbestos or mold removal, etc, etc etc...........) 

Are you financially secure so that you have expendable resources to finance your start up costs and absorb losses for one, two, maybe even three losing seasons? If you don't and have to put your house up as collateral, dip into your retirement or kids college fund, or worst of all use credit cards to finance this venture -these would be huge red flags telling me that you should wait until the economy turns around.

Man, I hate to sound so negative but since you don't have a lot of time to prepare and the economy is so unfavorable right now, I'd just hate to see your love for halloween cause you to rush into something you may not be prepared for.


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## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Good advice Don.


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## HauntDaddy (Apr 14, 2009)

Go for it man!!!! Even in a time of a troubled economy people spend there money on fast food, liqour and entertainment. Look at how well Mcdonalds and the movies are doing. People want fast cheap food. A good cry in thier beer and entertainment(to escape there problems.....at least for a while). Live the dream and do it. If you don't take a risk there can be no reward. If you live in an area where there isn't a haunted house no matter how crappy or great it might turn out you will still have long lines next year. DO IT!!!!!


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

And although there are many risks involved, if we get the building we are looking at, I'm going to go for it!

The building I'm looking at is 3,000 sq feet. Downtown Waverly... maybe a mile or so from my house. Recently refurbished after last year's flood (no mold problems, it's like new!) Two apartments up top with tenants already living in there to help with the mortgage. It has a wooden floor and a basement so electrical and rewiring will be simple and easy. Parking in back.. Front and back entry/exit.

It's pretty much PERFECT for what I want to do. The queue line will be inside, so no weather worries. And I'm thinking about maybe even doing a gift shop in back so they exit the haunt, right into the gift shop.

As far as fire safety. For our county, we either have to have a sprinkler system, OR fire walls. and since firewalls will be a hellofalot cheaper, we'll go that route.

No word back from the Realtor, but I'm hoping to get back in there to take some pictures of our (hopefully) future home!
:jol:.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Just got off the phone with the realtor... We are going back to the location I'd like to get, but are also going to look at some other possible locations. I will be sure to let you know what we find!
.


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Not that it's official yet... but it doesn't hur! What do you think?

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/frontyardfright/frighthouse-1.gif


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## shadowopal (Aug 9, 2007)

Nice! Is that going to be your standard logo? Waht all are you using it on? Got any other formats?


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

shadowopal said:


> Nice! Is that going to be your standard logo? Waht all are you using it on? Got any other formats?


If we get the haunt up and running this year (and I think we will) we will have a HUGE banner on the building up front with our logo on it. Also, we will have t-shirts with the logo on them, and some other promo stuff.
:jol:.


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## HauntDaddy (Apr 14, 2009)

Excellent!!!! Congrats even if it doesnt work out you will have tried and have gained a lot of knowledge. You will have done what many of us only fantasize about. Live the dream man!!!!!


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## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

Mom talked to someone from the bank today... Turns out we need to come up with 20% of whatever we buy the building for. SO if we were to go for CrawDaddy's we'd have to come up with over 20,000... Which we don't have what so ever! SO what I'm going to do, is contact the owner of Big Blue and tell him what I want to do with the space and hopefully work something out. Like we could rent out the building for this year, and after October, we could work something out as far as a down payment for the building.

I'll let you know what I find out.
:jol:.


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