Topsoil Yard with Screening and Delivery

Landscape contractors, builders, groundworkers, garden centres and householders with larger projects.

You sell topsoil by the tonne or load and add a delivery charge. You may also sell related materials such as sand, compost or aggregates.

• Operating a loading shovel and screener, or willingness to learn
• Pricing and managing stock
• Building relationships with trade customers

• Check with your council whether you need planning permission for the site
• Check with the Environment Agency (or the equivalent body in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) whether you need a permit or waste exemption, especially if the soil comes from construction sites
• Check operator licence and driver rules if you run lorries above 3.5 tonnes
• Check insurance for public liability, employer's liability if you hire, and plant and machinery cover
• Dust, noise and lorry movements can upset neighbours, so check conditions on your site
• Equipment is expensive, and sales are seasonal and weather dependent

Startup costs are typically around £15,000 to £70,000, depending on your site, the equipment you buy and how much stock you hold. Equipment is expensive, so these estimates are worth testing against real quotes.

Monthly revenue is typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on volumes sold and whether you deliver. Sales are seasonal and weather dependent, so plan for quieter months. These are estimates, not guarantees, and you should expect to work at least around 30 hours a week.

Check with your council whether you need planning permission. Check with the Environment Agency, or the equivalent body in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, about permits or waste exemptions. Also check operator licence and driver rules for lorries above 3.5 tonnes, and your insurance.