Small groundworks for homes and extensions

Homeowners, small builders, landscapers and self-builders who need ground prepared before other trades arrive.

Fixed price per job or a day rate for you and the machine, plus charges for muck away, materials and skip or tipper hire.

• Safe operation of a mini digger
• Reading simple plans and setting levels
• Estimating and quoting jobs
• Physical fitness and reliability

• Public liability insurance with cover for plant, plus insurance for your own machinery and tools
• Check for buried services (gas, water, electric) before digging, and use cable avoidance tools and plans
• Waste carrying: if you take soil or rubble away in your own vehicle as part of your business, you will probably need to register as a waste carrier before trading. Check current rules with the Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA in Scotland or NIEA in Northern Ireland. Alternatively, use a registered carrier or a skip company, and always use a permitted tip or waste site
• Operator cards such as CPCS or NPORS are training and competence proof, not legal licences, but many sites and insurers expect them
• Towing a machine on a trailer may need a driving licence with the right category (for example B+E), depending on when you passed your test and the weights involved. Check your licence entitlement with DVLA
• Drainage and foundation work may need Building Regulations sign-off, check with your local council building control

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £8,000 to £30,000, depending on the mini digger, trailer or tipper you buy, and your insurance. Plant and machinery insurance should be part of your budget.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £2,500 to £10,000, depending on the jobs you win and how often you work. The estimate assumes at least about 25 hours a week.

Check for buried services before digging, and whether you need to register as a waste carrier if you take spoil away. Also check your driving licence entitlement for towing, Building Regulations sign-off with building control, and insurance with plant cover.