Home-Based fire protection parts reseller

Fire protection installers, plumbing and building contractors, and facilities maintenance companies.

A margin on each order, the gap between your trade price from the manufacturer or wholesaler and the price you charge the installer. Regular accounts with a few busy installers bring repeat orders.

• Reading plans, quotes and parts lists
• Building trade relationships
• Careful order and paperwork tracking

• Check that every product you sell is certified or compliant for its use, for example against the relevant Australian Standards, and keep the paperwork
• Product liability and public liability insurance, since faulty parts can have serious consequences
• Late payment risk in the building trade, so set credit limits and payment terms before trading on account
• Check with your local council whether you need approval to run a business from home
• Gas cylinders or certain suppression agents may have storage and transport rules, so check with your state's dangerous goods authority

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your insurance, systems for quoting and ordering, and marketing to installers. You carry little or no stock, which keeps the upfront cost lower than a trade counter.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on how many installers and contractors you supply and the size of their orders. This is revenue, not profit. Expect at least about 15 hours a week.

Check that every product is certified or compliant for its use, such as against relevant Australian Standards, and keep the paperwork. Check product and public liability insurance, council approval for a home business, and state dangerous goods rules for gas cylinders or suppression agents.