Site and premises guarding company

Building contractors, landlords and property managers, retail units, warehouses, car dealerships and owners of empty or vacant buildings.

Contracts are priced per guard hour or per patrol visit, often with a monthly retainer. Regular multi-month contracts give steadier income than one-off jobs.

• Sales and building relationships with businesses
• Rota planning and managing people
• Record keeping and incident reporting
• Reliable and trustworthy

• All guards on contract work generally need the right SIA licence, so check licences before every shift
• Check which business-level SIA rules or approvals apply in your part of the UK, as these can change
• Employer's liability insurance once you hire, plus employment rules such as the minimum wage, holiday pay and working time
• Lone night work carries risk, so plan check-in procedures and safe working
• Large clients often pay late and expect approved-contractor status, so keep enough cash to cover wages

Startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on licensing, insurance, equipment and how much cash you hold for wages. Large clients often pay late, so keep enough in reserve to cover your team.

Monthly revenue is typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on how many contracts and shifts you win and the size of your team. This is an estimate of turnover, before wages, insurance and other costs.

All guards on contract work generally need the right SIA licence, so check licences before every shift. Check which business-level SIA rules or approvals apply in your part of the UK, plus employer's liability insurance and employment rules such as minimum wage and holiday pay.