Start a local plant and tool hire yard

Local trades, small contractors, landscapers, homeowners and sometimes local councils or housing groups.

Daily and weekly hire charges across many items, plus delivery, consumables like blades and fuel, and optional damage waiver.

• Machine servicing and basic repair
• Customer service at the counter
• Stock and asset tracking
• Safe use advice for customers

• Planning permission and permitted use for the yard or unit, check with your council
• Public liability and hire fleet insurance, plus employer's liability once you take on staff
• Inspection, servicing and record-keeping duties for certain equipment, check what applies to each item
• Unpaid hires, damage and theft, so use deposits, ID checks and clear hire terms
• Fuel, oil and waste storage, check local rules and any environmental requirements
• Large upfront stock costs, so start with the items that earn most before widening the fleet

Our estimates put startup costs typically around £30,000 to £120,000, depending on the size of your yard or unit and the fleet you buy. Upfront stock costs are large, so it can help to start with the items that earn most.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £5,000 to £20,000, depending on your fleet, your location and how many local trades and DIYers hire from you. This is revenue rather than profit, so your running costs still come out of it.

Check planning permission and permitted use for your yard or unit, public liability and hire fleet insurance, and employer's liability once you take on staff. Also check inspection, servicing and record-keeping duties for each item, and local rules on fuel, oil and waste storage.