KENYA · GUIDE 0872 · EDITION 4.7
Resin coaster making in Kenya: Startup Budget and Quotation Checklist
Editorial update: 28 October 2026 · Business planning reference · Review scope
Define what must be funded before the first order
Build a startup quotation schedule for Documented casting system, Moulds and finishing components, Process consumables; separate setup, operating inputs and working cash.
This is a planning reference for resin coaster making. The order below is an invented teaching case. It is not a completed customer job, an operating approval or a prediction of demand or earnings.
The example offer and its boundary
Fictional resin-craft batch: cast eight plain square drink coasters in two sets of four, using a manufacturer-documented casting system and mould cavities nominally 100 × 100 × 4 mm. Geometry gives 40 ml per cavity and 320 ml for eight, before mould shape and process losses; budget 400 ml of mixed system provisionally. Mixing, working limits, ventilation, protection and curing come from the exact product documentation, not this guide. Exclude hot-pan use, food contact, children’s products and embedded unknown materials.
A quotation checklist for this business
| Resource | Exact request to price | Check before accepting the quote |
|---|---|---|
| Documented casting system | Provisional supply sufficient for 400 ml mixed output, translated into the product’s actual pack quantities and density. | Obtain SDS, technical sheet, intended-use limits and local batch traceability; no universal volume-to-weight conversion. |
| Moulds and finishing components | Eight 100 × 100 × 4 mm cavities or a smaller mould reused after verified cure, plus thirty-two compatible underside pads if used. | Inspect mould flatness and surface damage; confirm pads adhere to the fully cured product without creating instability. |
| Process consumables | Compatible measurement vessels, stir tools, protective gloves and two set boxes. | Select equipment and protection from the exact product assessment rather than assuming every disposable cup or glove is suitable. |
Keep the budget categories separate
- Documented casting system: Provisional supply sufficient for 400 ml mixed output, translated into the product’s actual pack quantities and density. Confirm the quantity, landed quote and obtain sds, technical sheet, intended-use limits and local batch traceability; no universal volume-to-weight conversion.
- Moulds and finishing components: Eight 100 × 100 × 4 mm cavities or a smaller mould reused after verified cure, plus thirty-two compatible underside pads if used. Confirm the quantity, landed quote and inspect mould flatness and surface damage; confirm pads adhere to the fully cured product without creating instability.
- Process consumables: Compatible measurement vessels, stir tools, protective gloves and two set boxes. Confirm the quantity, landed quote and select equipment and protection from the exact product assessment rather than assuming every disposable cup or glove is suitable.
- Record equipment acquisition OR an appropriate use allocation, plus the full stock/minimum-order cash requirement; do not count both as the same per-job expense.
- Obtain actual labour, premises, transport, energy/water, rework, payment and ongoing overhead amounts relevant to this activity. Identify deposits, receivables and payment dates separately.
- Resolve the guide-specific evidence gaps listed in section 10. Any activity-specific permission, testing or specialist costs require actual scope and quotations, not an invented allowance.
What the selected teaching bill includes
| Selected line | Example quantity | Assumed rate | Selected cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed-system equivalent millilitres provisional | 400 | KSh 8.00 | KSh 3,200.00 |
| Compatible mixing vessels | 4 | KSh 60.00 | KSh 240.00 |
| Stir tools | 4 | KSh 20.00 | KSh 80.00 |
| Specified protective glove pairs | 6 | KSh 50.00 | KSh 300.00 |
| Underside pads | 32 | KSh 8.00 | KSh 256.00 |
| Set boxes | 2 | KSh 150.00 | KSh 300.00 |
| Operator and inspection hours | 4 | KSh 450.00 | KSh 1,800.00 |
These selected lines total KSh 6,176.00. They are a fictional operating example, not the full cash needed to start resin coaster making. Batch cost = KSh 6176; allocated cost per sale unit = KSh 3,088.00; assumed revenue = 2 × KSh 3800 = KSh 7600; pre-tax scenario surplus = KSh 1424. Two four-coaster sets are sale units. The KSh-per-millilitre rate is invented for arithmetic and must be replaced using a real pack quotation and yield; it is not a supplied chemical formula. Mould purchase, professional setup assessment, failed sample, tax and delivery are excluded. Do not sell for unsupported heat or food-contact uses.
Close the budget before spending
For each actual quotation, record the delivered quantity, specification, cash due date, hire/purchase option and quote expiry. Keep an unknown cost blank. Reusable equipment purchase, an appropriate use allocation and refundable deposits are different records; do not count the same item twice.
- Exact local resin system, supported coaster use, protection and cure process are unverified.
- No food-contact, heat-resistance or safety certification is claimed.
References and their limits
ArtResin: How To Make Resin Coasters
Brand-specific coaster methods; no universal resin recipe, cure time or heat rating is assumed. Reference check recorded 2026-10-26.
ArtResin: Frequently Asked Questions
Manufacturer use and care limitations for its own product; does not apply automatically to another resin. Reference check recorded 2026-10-26.
CPSC: Art and Craft Safety Guide
Art-material hazard overview; not Kenyan product certification or proof that a selected material is suitable. Reference check recorded 2026-10-26.
Sayari Crafts: Epoxy Resin & Hardener AB Glue 1Kg Pack
Observed KSh 1,500 retailer listing only; technical and safety claims require actual manufacturer documentation. Reference check recorded 2026-10-26.
Recorded references support only the scope stated beside them. They do not prove current supplier stock, a local quotation, actual buyer demand, operator competence or the feasibility of this particular business. Later editorial changes do not refresh earlier source-check dates.
Prepared by Business Starter Guides using AI-assisted drafting and desk editorial checks. Independent operator trials and specialist certification are not claimed. See the editorial method for the review scope.
Editorial method and evidence limits