Smokeless fuel and log delivery round

Households with stoves or solid fuel heating, especially in rural and off-gas areas, plus small pubs, holiday lets and campsites.

You earn the margin between wholesale and retail price per bag or per pallet, plus a delivery charge. Repeat orders through autumn and winter build the round, and you can add logs and kindling.

• Comfortable with heavy lifting
• Reliable driving and route planning
• Friendly, trustworthy customer service
• Basic bookkeeping and stock control

• Rules on selling house coal and wet wood have changed in England and differ across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check what is allowed where you trade
• Smoke control areas limit which fuels customers can burn, so check and advise customers accordingly
• Public liability, goods in transit and motor trade or goods vehicle insurance, check with a broker
• Fuel sold by weight needs to be accurately measured and labelled, check weights and measures rules with Trading Standards
• Heavy lifting and dusty work, plan for back strain and use proper handling methods
• Stock needs to be stored dry and safely, and your storage site may need landlord or council permission
• Startup costs depend mostly on the vehicle: a used van keeps costs low, while a small lorry with a tail-lift costs much more

Startup costs are typically around £8,000 to £30,000, depending mostly on the vehicle. A used van keeps costs low, while a small lorry with a tail-lift costs much more. Initial stock and storage also add to the total.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on the number of customers, order sizes, the season and how many days you run the round. Fuel, stock and vehicle costs come out of this.

Check which fuels you can sell, as house coal and wet wood rules differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Also check smoke control areas, weights and measures with Trading Standards, insurance, and permission for your storage site.