Mobile scale sales and servicing business
Sell, install and service weighing scales at shops, labs and warehouses from your van.
- £3k-12k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
What it is
You supply trade scales such as shop counter scales, bench scales and platform scales. You also visit customers to install, check, repair and arrange calibration of the scales they already own.
Your first three steps
- Contact a few scale wholesalers or manufacturers about trade accounts and ask about training for service engineers
- Price up a basic kit of test weights and tools, and decide whether you will calibrate yourself or work with an accredited calibration lab
- Visit local shops, farm shops and small industrial units to ask who services their scales now and what they pay
Who pays
Butchers, delis, greengrocers, farm shops, small factories, warehouses, workshops and labs that need accurate weighing.
How it makes money
Profit on scales you sell, call-out and labour charges for repairs, and annual service or calibration visits that bring repeat work.
Skills that help
- Practical and good with small mechanical and electronic equipment
- Careful, accurate and happy with paperwork
- Comfortable selling to business owners
Watch out for
- Scales used for trade must usually meet legal requirements and be approved and marked correctly, check with Trading Standards before you sell
- Accredited calibration certificates normally need UKAS accreditation, check what your customers actually require
- Public liability insurance, and product liability cover for what you sell
- Vehicle insurance that covers business use and carrying equipment
- Test weights need to be looked after and checked regularly to stay reliable
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: mobile scale sales and servicing
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 scale sales and servicing business?
Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £12,000, depending on your van, stock of scales, test weights and tools, and the insurance you take out.
How much can a mobile scale supplier earn?
Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around £1,500 to £7,000, depending on how many customers you serve and your mix of scale sales, installation, repairs and calibration arrangements.
What rules should I check before selling trade scales?
Scales used for trade must usually meet legal requirements and be approved and marked correctly, so check with Trading Standards before you sell. Also check whether customers need UKAS-accredited calibration certificates, and your public liability, product liability and vehicle insurance.
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