Marble slab and tile broker
Source marble from importers and quarries and sell it to contractors and homeowners without holding stock.
- $2k-8k
- Side hustle
- From home
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
3,736 US businesses with employees in this field, +0.4% in a year
NAICS 423320 “Brick, stone, and related construction material merchant wholesalers”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
You run a small supply business from home. You build relationships with stone importers, distributors and fabricators, then match slabs and tiles to customers' projects. Orders ship straight from the supplier's warehouse or yard to the job site or a local fabricator.
Your first three steps
- Contact several stone importers and distributors to ask about trade accounts, pricing and drop-ship terms
- Form an LLC, get an EIN and ask your state about a resale certificate
- Put together a sample board and a simple price list, then visit local remodelers and fabricators to introduce yourself
Who pays
Kitchen and bath remodelers, masons, builders, interior designers and homeowners who want a specific marble.
How it makes money
You buy at a trade price and sell at a markup, or earn a commission from the supplier. Larger orders for whole kitchens, bathrooms or floors bring in the most per sale.
Skills that help
- Knowing stone types, finishes and grades
- Sales and relationship building
- Organizing quotes, orders and freight
Watch out for
- Check your state's rules on sales tax registration and resale certificates
- Slabs can crack or arrive damaged in transit, so agree inspection and returns terms in writing with suppliers
- Natural stone varies from slab to slab, so have customers approve the exact slab before you order
- Check whether a general liability or product liability policy is advisable
- Check with your city or county about home occupation rules and any local business license
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: marble slab and tile broker
Researched with live web search for United States: 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
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Photo: North_Studio on Pixabay