Furnace parts reseller (no stock, home-based)

Maintenance and engineering firms, small manufacturers, bakeries, foundries, heat-treatment shops and facilities teams that need the right part quickly.

You buy at trade price and sell at a mark-up, plus sourcing fees for hard-to-find or obsolete parts. Repeat orders from a few maintenance contractors can form the core of the business.

• Reading part numbers and technical data sheets
• Building trade relationships
• Careful quoting and record keeping
• Patience chasing suppliers and deliveries

• Product liability and public liability insurance: check what cover you need for supplying parts that affect safety
• Make sure parts are genuine and meet the right UK safety and marking requirements, especially for gas or high-temperature equipment
• Check supplier terms on returns, warranties and who is responsible for wrong or faulty parts
• If importing, check customs duties, VAT and delivery times
• Offering credit to business customers carries a risk of late payment, so check customers and agree terms up front
• Check whether your landlord or mortgage lender allows business use at home

Startup costs are typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on your set-up, insurance and supplier arrangements. With manufacturers shipping direct, you hold little or no stock. Treat this as an estimate.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many maintenance and manufacturing customers you win and the parts you supply. The estimate starts from about 12 hours a week. It is not a guarantee.

Check product and public liability cover for parts that affect safety, and that parts are genuine and meet UK safety and marking requirements, especially for gas or high-temperature equipment. Also check supplier terms on returns and warranties, import duties and VAT, and landlord or lender permission.