Start a farm machinery repair workshop
Run a rural workshop where farmers bring tractors and machinery for servicing, repairs and fabrication.
- £15k-60k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
5,811 UK companies in this field, 21% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 33120 “Repair of machinery”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A rented or owned unit or farm building with space, lifting gear and equipment to service and repair larger jobs that are hard to do in a field, such as gearbox, engine and welding work.
Your first three steps
- Look for a rural unit or farm building to rent, and ask the council whether your intended use is allowed
- Cost up the core equipment, such as lifting gear, welder, compressor and diagnostic tools, and compare buying second-hand with leasing
- Talk to local farmers and contractors about the repairs they struggle to get done, and agree a first few jobs
Who pays
Farmers, contractors and smallholders who can bring machinery in, plus local landowners and grounds teams.
How it makes money
Workshop labour charged by the hour, parts sold at a margin, and fixed-price annual services. Collection and delivery can be an optional extra.
Skills that help
- Agricultural or heavy vehicle engineering experience
- Welding and fabrication
- Estimating jobs and pricing parts
- Managing a workload and customer expectations
Watch out for
- Planning permission or change of use for the premises, check with your local council
- Public liability insurance, plus buildings, contents and customers' property cover while machines are in your care
- Employer's liability insurance if you take on staff or an apprentice
- Safe lifting, welding and workshop health and safety, including fire risk
- Waste oil and chemical storage and disposal, check what rules apply to you
- Rent, utilities and equipment costs are fixed, so build up regular work before committing to a long lease
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: farm machinery workshop
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a farm machinery workshop?
Startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on the premises, lifting gear and equipment you need. Rent, utilities and equipment costs are fixed, so build up regular work before committing to a long lease.
How much revenue can a farm machinery workshop make?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £4,000 to £18,000, depending on the mix of servicing, repairs and fabrication jobs and how steady your workload is.
What should I check before opening a farm machinery workshop?
Check planning permission or change of use with your local council. Also check insurance, including employer's liability if you take on staff, safe lifting, welding and fire risk rules, and what applies to waste oil and chemical storage and disposal.
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