How to open a Reformer Pilates studio: steps and budget

To open a Reformer Pilates studio, first decide your format and client, then check that the space and number of machines can carry the budget. Only then sign the lease, buy equipment and open bookings. The order matters, because machines and a lease are the hardest things to change.

The order to make your decisions in

Which format to choose for your studio

Start with who you want to come: beginners who want small groups, clients referred by a specialist, or people used to the gym. The answer changes group size, the instructors you need and what you can charge per session.

Also decide whether to offer only Reformer or to add mat and private sessions. An extra format can use the room better, but it complicates the timetable, memberships and what you have to explain to clients.

How to check a space before you sign

• Ask the supplier for the machine’s dimensions and the recommended working space around it.
• Mark the machines on the floor with tape, then check where the instructor stands and how clients get through.
• Ask about floor load, machine delivery, noise and neighbours before signing the lease.
• Check changing rooms, toilets, ventilation and access at peak hours.
• Ask the town hall whether the activity in that space needs permits or authorisations.

Do not work out the number of machines from total floor area alone. Columns, doors and access routes can remove a machine, and that place is then missing from every class.

How many machines to buy at the start

The number of machines sets how many clients can work in one class, and so your maximum revenue per hour. Ask several suppliers for quotes that include transport, assembly, warranty and spare parts, because the machine’s price is not its full cost.

How to build your budget

We found no credible Romanian benchmark for the total cost of a studio, and budgets published by US vendors do not apply here. Fill in the table below with real quotes from your city rather than general estimates.

With the monthly total, work out your cost per place at several occupancy levels. If the plan only works with a nearly full studio from month one, change it before you sign.

What to check legally and for tax

In CAEN Rev.3, code 9313 includes Pilates studio activities, while sports instruction by individual coaches is referred to code 8551. Settle your company form, invoicing, cash register and instructor contracts with an accountant.

How to find instructors and build a timetable

Decide which certifications you require and who covers a class when an instructor is absent. One BestJobs listing for a full-time role in Bucharest asked for a completed or in-progress Pilates or Reformer course and, on the date we checked, showed a platform estimate of 915–1,010 EUR a month for similar roles.

At first, a shorter, consistent timetable is easier to fill than a wide one with many empty hours. Then track occupancy by time slot and add classes where the waiting list shows demand.

What to prepare before opening

1. Define two or three clear memberships, with sessions, validity and included classes.
2. Write your cancellation deadline and terms, and show them before purchase.
3. Create the timetable for the first weeks, with an instructor and capacity for each class.
4. Prepare an offer for new clients, limited to one use.
5. Put your booking link on Instagram, Google and your website, then book from a phone like a real client.
6. Open bookings before day one, so you can see early which hours fill and where places remain.

A booking system is easier to introduce before your first client than after balances have built up in a notebook. The guide to choosing software shows what to test, and the comparison of platforms for studios in Romania helps you build a shortlist.

TimeNow has RON plans starting at 99 RON monthly, with classes, memberships and a public booking page for Pilates studios. Ask for a demo using the timetable you are planning, even before you open.