Average profit for a man with a van

[Danvansmit]

Am thinking of starting one and could do with all the information possible.I wouldn't mind if it just give me the living wage after expenses . Is that a difficult task ?

 

[Opinion87]

Too many variables to give any sort of answer.

 

[Mr D]

Am thinking of starting one and could do with all the information possible.I wouldn't mind if it just give me the living wage after expenses . Is that a difficult task ?

At some point it might.
Or could be paying you a fraction of the minimum wage for an 80 hour week.

You don't want average profit, you want the profit you can make. When you reach the income level you want then maybe you stop working so hard that year.

Lots of competition, some of whom will undercut you to get the work.

 

[MBE2017]

Am thinking of starting one and could do with all the information possible.I wouldn't mind if it just give me the living wage after expenses . Is that a difficult task ?

How much do you need to earn, not forgetting the cost of a van, various insurances, depreciation, fuel and repairs.

I used to run something similar for a decade, but the simple answer is most guys do not make much since they all go on price only, even more so today.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

How much do you need to earn, not forgetting the cost of a van, various insurances, depreciation, fuel and repairs.

I used to run something similar for a decade, but the simple answer is most guys do not make much since they all go on price only, even more so today.

Only 10 % of starts ups last the first year
You would have to be a mug unless you really know what you are doing
Sorry I cant offer more help maybe someone that knows more about it than me will be along later
Hope this helps

 

[Danvansmit]

Thank you all for your honest advice

 

[MBE2017]

Do you have a van?
Money to live on?
A way of getting customers?

It’s not impossible to make a living, but unfortunately almost every guy who is made redundant or laid off thinks how nice it will be to drive around making lots of money.

Once you allow for those people who fail to pay you on time, and very often not at all, things start to become tougher. Then there are the customers as well. Forget the posts on the web about making £3/800 a day being a courier, those are simply there to help sell waste of space manuals on how to make it work. Once they have your £25-50, they forget you on the spot.

 

[Danvansmit]

Do you have a van?
Money to live on?
A way of getting customers?

It’s not impossible to make a living, but unfortunately almost every guy who is made redundant or laid off thinks how nice it will be to drive around making lots of money.

Once you allow for those people who fail to pay you on time, and very often not at all, things start to become tougher. Then there are the customers as well. Forget the posts on the web about making £3/800 a day being a courier, those are simply there to help sell waste of space manuals on how to make it work. Once they have your £25-50, they forget you on the spot.

I got 7k starting capital to get a van And another 3k for tools and all the extras

My expenses are low so money to live on is fine.

Getting customers not at the moment but I haven't done any marketing yet.

I got a 1st class business degree so got some theoretical knowledge of getting customers but obviously theory and actually doing it is another thing.

Do you think having a degree in business would give me any sort of competitive advantage in this line of work ?

 

[MBE2017]

Do you think having a degree in business would give me any sort of competitive advantage in this line of work ?

No, not at all IMHO. No-one ever asked myself in ten years if I had a degree, but many asked for testimonials.

Before starting and wasting your seed money, I would suggest you research and decide what service(s) you plan to offer, and to who. Find out what is not covered, or done badly, and look to fill the need.

Are you going to find your own clients, or sub contract to other companies?
You need to find out the kind of rates your competitors will be charging, by the hour, a minimum charge, a daily rate etc. and see whether you can compete and still make money. Just as private companies fail to pay, so do joe public, so how to mitigate that risk?

Are you going to be a man in a van moving local deliveries, national sameday courier, removal service etc. All require insurances, different methods of obtaining clients.

Most importantly, you want to find why someone will want to use yourself, and return as a client. You don’t necessarily have to re invent the wheel, but when 90% quit within the 1st year, doing it the same way as everyone else might not be such a good idea.

Best of luck.

 

[Danvansmit]

No, not at all IMHO. No-one ever asked myself in ten years if I had a degree, but many asked for testimonials.

Before starting and wasting your seed money, I would suggest you research and decide what service(s) you plan to offer, and to who. Find out what is not covered, or done badly, and look to fill the need.

Are you going to find your own clients, or sub contract to other companies?
You need to find out the kind of rates your competitors will be charging, by the hour, a minimum charge, a daily rate etc. and see whether you can compete and still make money. Just as private companies fail to pay, so do joe public, so how to mitigate that risk?

Are you going to be a man in a van moving local deliveries, national sameday courier, removal service etc. All require insurances, different methods of obtaining clients.

Most importantly, you want to find why someone will want to use yourself, and return as a client. You don’t necessarily have to re invent the wheel, but when 90% quit within the 1st year, doing it the same way as everyone else might not be such a good idea.

Best of luck.

Brilliant advice thank you

Have you done a business like a man with a van before ?

 

[Mark T Jones]

TBH, for someone with a business degree I’m pretty shocked by The naivety of the question

What sort of average are you looking for and why do you feel it will be relevant to your business?

 

[paulears]

Surely in the degree you had modules on the viability and procedure for starting up businesses?

You have an awful lot of expensive costs just to get ready to work. You also need something unique to make you stand out among the others in your area. Where you are is very important. city or rural, and the location also sets the fees you can charge. How much do other in your area charge?

 

[MBE2017]

Brilliant advice thank you

Have you done a business like a man with a van before ?

I used to specialise in small house/flat removals for a decade and made a good living at it. Plenty of others did the same business and lost a load of money at the same time.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

TBH, for someone with a business degree I’m pretty shocked by The naivety of the question

What sort of average are you looking for and why do you feel it will be relevant to your business?

It just goes to show you need more than just a degree

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Without experience, I would suggest looking up the courier services web sites and see what they offer, it full time work straight away

NOTE the hours are long the turnover of staff is high (there must be a reason), your licence is on the line with rushing to complete the job, and from what others tell me the risk of being overloaded is high and roadside checks do happen

Maybe try getting a full time job with them, no cost of van , fuel , insurance etc and if you don't like it you can leave

If you want a less pressure driving than companies like Motor Factors have drivers of small vans running spare parts around there area, might be jobs there

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Without experience, I would suggest looking up the courier services web sites and see what they offer, it full time work straight away

I wish you my solicitor

 

[MBE2017]

Without experience, I would suggest looking up the courier services web sites and see what they offer, it full time work straight away

By all means look, but work on such exchanges tend to be offered for two reasons.

1 - You have a good reputation and the company knows and have used you in the past, remember it is their reputation on the line using yourself.

2 - The other end of the spectrum, back loads or simply work issued on price, I know of drivers who have driven a full artic from Scotland to London for £40. They have to return south, so many feel a few pints is better than nothing.

Exchanges are not full time work unless you like to work for free.

 

[Mark T Jones]

By all means look, but work on such exchanges tend to be offered for two reasons.

1 - You have a good reputation and the company knows and have used you in the past, remember it is their reputation on the line using yourself.

2 - The other end of the spectrum, back loads or simply work issued on price, I know of drivers who have driven a full artic from Scotland to London for £40. They have to return south, so many feel a few pints is better than nothing.

Exchanges are not full time work unless you like to work for free.

Very true. An Acquaintance runs an exchange he has to keep reminding novice or desperate operators that it only works for backloads, not as primary income