Container yard with sales and hire

Builders and contractors, retailers needing extra space, event organisers, farms and households during moves or renovations.

Profit on each container sold, plus weekly or monthly hire fees and delivery and collection charges. Hire brings repeat income from the same containers.

• Managing stock and bookings
• Handling vehicles and lifting safely
• Pricing sales and hire
• Dealing with trade customers

• Planning rules for yard use and for siting containers at customers' sites, check with your local council
• If you run your own lorry, check operator licence rules, driver qualifications and rules on lifting equipment inspections
• Insurance for public liability, goods in transit, vehicles and stock, and employer's liability once you hire staff
• Containers can be damaged or go missing on hire, so use a hire agreement, deposit and condition photos
• Money tied up in stock, so start small and avoid buying more containers than you have orders for

Startup costs are typically around £20,000 to £80,000, depending on your yard, how many containers you buy and how you handle delivery. Starting small and avoiding more containers than you have orders for can help. This is an estimate.

Monthly revenue is typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on the balance of sales and hire, and how much stock you hold. The estimate starts from about 30 hours a week. It is an estimate, not a guarantee.

Check planning rules for yard use and for siting containers at customers' sites with your local council. If you run your own lorry, check operator licence rules, driver qualifications and lifting equipment inspections. Also check insurance for liability, transit, vehicles, stock and staff.