Propane refill and exchange shop

Households with barbecues and patio heaters, RV and camping owners, cottage owners, tradespeople and small businesses.

Margin on refills and cylinder exchanges, plus sales of appliances and accessories. Summer barbecue and camping seasons are busiest, and winter heating and heaters add some steady demand.

• Safety-minded and careful with procedures
• Customer service
• Basic stock and cash handling

• Provincial technical safety rules for filling, storing and handling cylinders (check your regulator, and in Quebec the provincial building regulator)
• Zoning, fire code and set-back distances for cylinder storage
• Commercial general liability and property insurance, and whether your insurer covers propane handling
• Staff training and certification requirements, and WCB/WSIB coverage once you hire
• Cylinder inspection and expiry dates, and safe handling in cold weather
• Seasonal swings in sales, so plan cash flow for slow months

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $20,000 to $100,000, depending on your premises, filling and storage equipment, and the stock of cylinders and accessories you carry.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on your location, product range and season. Sales swing seasonally, so plan cash flow for slow months. This is revenue, not profit.

Check provincial technical safety rules for filling, storing and handling cylinders with your regulator (in Quebec, the provincial building regulator). Also check zoning, fire code and set-back distances, staff training and certification, insurance coverage for propane handling, and cylinder inspection dates.