Start a plasterboard trade counter

Plasterers, dryliners, small builders and keen DIYers, mostly from within a short drive.

You buy from manufacturers or distributors and sell at a margin, with delivery charges and add-on sales of fixings and tools.

• Product knowledge of boards and finishes
• Stock control and ordering
• Building good trade relationships

• Big merchants compete hard on price, so check you can offer something extra such as service or local delivery
• Plasterboard is heavy and easily damaged by damp, so check storage, manual handling and lifting equipment
• Delivery vehicle, load securing and driver rules, check what applies to your van or lorry
• Business rates, lease terms and whether the unit's permitted use suits a trade counter, check with the council
• Offering credit to trade customers risks late payment, so set terms and consider credit checks
• Public liability and stock or contents insurance, plus employer's liability once you hire
• Disposal of plasterboard offcuts and waste, check council and waste carrier rules

Estimates typically run around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on the unit, stock and any lifting equipment or delivery vehicle you need. Lease terms, business rates and insurance are further costs to plan for.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £8,000 to £40,000, depending on your trade customers, stock and delivery range. Big merchants compete hard on price, so check what extra, such as service or local delivery, you can offer. Expect at least 35 hours a week.

Check with your council whether the unit's permitted use suits a trade counter, plus lease terms and business rates. Also check manual handling and storage for heavy, damp-sensitive boards, delivery vehicle and load securing rules, insurance, and waste carrier rules for offcuts.