Concrete blocks and paving yard

Landscapers, small builders, masons and homeowners doing patios, walkways and retaining walls.

You buy in bulk and sell at a markup per unit or per pallet, plus a delivery fee. Repeat contractor accounts give steadier sales than one-off homeowners.

• Product knowledge, so you can advise on what suits a job
• Sales and customer service
• Organising stock, orders and deliveries
• Comfortable with heavy, physical work

• Zoning and business licence rules for a storage yard, check with your municipality
• Commercial general liability and commercial vehicle insurance, plus WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire (rules vary by province)
• Equipment to unload and load pallets safely, such as a forklift or truck-mounted crane, and any operator training your province requires
• Heavy loads, so check your vehicle's weight rating and licence class
• Winter slows outdoor building in much of Canada, so plan cash flow for the off-season
• Contractors often pay on account terms, so check customers' credit before extending it
• Check that the products you sell meet the standards that apply in your province

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $25,000 to $120,000, depending on your yard, stock levels, handling equipment and delivery vehicle. Monthly revenue is estimated at around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your local customers and how much stock you can carry.

Check zoning and business licence rules for a storage yard with your municipality. Also check commercial general liability and commercial vehicle insurance, WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire, operator training for lifting equipment, your vehicle's weight rating and licence class, and provincial product standards.

Estimates start at about 40 hours a week, since you handle sales, stock and deliveries. Winter slows outdoor building in much of Canada, so plan cash flow for the off-season. Check customers' credit before offering account terms to contractors.