Small truck repair workshop

Local haulage and freight businesses, owner-drivers, tradies with heavy trucks, councils and small fleets.

Labour charged per hour or per job, plus a margin on parts. Ongoing service contracts with fleets help keep the bays busy.

• Qualified heavy vehicle mechanic
• Quoting jobs and managing parts ordering
• Managing staff or apprentices
• Customer service with busy operators

• Council approval, zoning, noise and environmental rules for workshops
• Trade qualifications and any state licensing for the people doing the work
• Public liability, property and garage keepers insurance, plus workers compensation for staff
• Workplace health and safety duties around hoists, lifting and hazardous chemicals
• Cash flow, since parts are paid for upfront and fleet customers may pay on 30 day terms or longer
• Heavy-duty hoists, specialist tools, diagnostic equipment, fit-out, lease bond and initial parts stock add up quickly, so get firm quotes before committing

Startup costs are typically around $200,000 to $600,000, depending on hoists, specialist tools, diagnostic equipment, fit-out, lease bond and initial parts stock. These are estimates, so get firm quotes before committing.

Monthly revenue is typically around $15,000 to $70,000, depending on the number of bays, your staff and the fleet and owner-driver work you win. These are estimates of revenue, not profit, and a workshop usually needs at least about 40 hours a week.

Check council approval, zoning, noise and environmental rules for workshops, plus trade qualifications and state licensing for those doing the work. Also check insurance, workplace health and safety around hoists and chemicals, and cash flow when fleets pay late.