Local bark and mulch delivery

Local gardeners, landscapers, garden designers, allotment groups, schools, councils and small garden centres.

You sell per bag or per cubic metre and add a delivery charge. You earn the margin between your bulk buying price and your selling price. Regular trade customers add steady repeat orders.

• Comfortable driving and loading a vehicle
• Pricing by volume and working out delivery costs
• Building trade relationships
• Physical fitness for lifting

• Motor insurance that covers carrying goods for hire and reward, plus public liability insurance
• Vehicle weight limits and the driving licence category needed for heavier tippers, so check before buying
• Whether you need to register as a waste carrier if you collect wood chip from tree surgeons, check with the Environment Agency or your national equivalent
• Where you store stock: check planning, landlord and council rules, and fire risk for large heaps
• Business is seasonal and weather-dependent, with spring and summer usually busiest

Startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on your vehicle or trailer, how much bark you buy in bulk, and storage and insurance. These are estimates, so price up your own setup first.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on how many customers you serve and your delivery costs. These are estimates, and the business is seasonal and weather-dependent, with spring and summer usually busiest.

Check your motor insurance covers carrying goods for hire and reward, plus public liability, and the vehicle weight limits and driving licence category. Also check whether you need waste carrier registration for collecting wood chip, and planning, landlord, council and fire risk rules for storage.