Small roof truss workshop

Local builders, owner-builders, carpenters, roofing contractors and small project home companies.

You charge per truss or per job, based on timber, plates, labour and delivery. Repeat orders from a handful of builders keep the workshop busy.

• Carpentry or timber industry experience
• Reading building plans
• Quoting and job scheduling
• Safe use of saws and lifting equipment

• Truss designs usually need engineering certification, so check what your plate supplier and local building certifiers require
• Check timber grading, Australian Standards and building product requirements that apply in your state
• Industrial zoning and council approval for your premises
• High risk work licences for cranes or similar equipment, and safety around saws and heavy timber
• Public liability and product liability insurance, plus workers compensation once you hire
• Cash flow risk: timber is paid for upfront while builders may pay late, so check payment terms and security of payment rules in your state

Estimates suggest startup costs typically sit around $120,000 to $300,000, depending on your premises, jig tables, saws, lifting equipment and timber stock. It needs real capital, so plan for cash flow as timber is paid for upfront.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $25,000 to $120,000, depending on the number of builder clients, job sizes and capacity. Builders may pay late while timber is paid upfront, so check payment terms and security of payment rules.

Check what your plate supplier and local building certifiers require for engineering certification of truss designs. Also check timber grading and Australian Standards, industrial zoning, high risk work licences, and insurance including product liability.