Self employed van costs

sevenhills

eamon wrote: »

Leeds city council has a wealth of information regarding their waste disposal sites and associated charges.
https://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/bins-and-recycling

The RERF(incinerator), managed by Veolia, uses state-of-the-art technology and engineering to recover recyclable materials and energy from the city’s black bin waste
I don't like burning waste myself, but I would have thought an incinerator company would be happy to have any waste which will burn and help their profits. I guess I will learn as I go on, how easy and how much it would cost to dispose of things like a mattress.

sheramber

I don't want goods in transit insurance or public liability, at least for the first year.

What if you damage someone's property when doing their garden? You should have public liability cover for that.

forgotmyname

sevenhills wrote: »

I am now almost ready to buy a van. I don't want goods in transit insurance or public liability, at least for the first year. I believe a waste licence is free if its not your main business.
/QUOTE]


Oh dear, not fully insured, hope you have had a really good read on the bankruptcy boards. When someone decides the £50 item they want moving suddenly becomes thousands of pounds in value after you scratch it.

Waste sites seem to put under 3 tons now which is a small van, standard transit would be3.2 / 3.5 tons.

2 ton van will have fairly limited carrying capacity, you maybe able to carry more weight in an estate car.

Dont forget being overloaded carry's fines. You need to know what weight your carrying and what the van is legally allowed to.

Herzlos

For man-and-van stuff you're also going to be up against folk who already have a company van doing spare runs at the weekend and almost certainly not insured or licensed for disposal.


It's a totally different matter if you're doing garden/odd job work and using a van to carry tools / waste you're producing, but again there are plenty of odd job guys in any market, most of whom aren't paying the appropriate tax and insurance.



Another suggestion, if you're looking at buying a van and already have a reasonably large car, is to buy a box or goods trailer - your £3k van budget will get you something pretty decent and new - like this 1 year old model: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ifor-Williams-BV84-Box-Trailer/233169420357
That gives you van dimensions, less maintenance, 2000kg load (car dependent), you'll still be able to sell it on for almost what you paid for it, and it'll be a lot nicer for almost everything else than driving a van.

Mercdriver

You are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think you can just set yourself up as a charity. Who will be your trustees? Remember that a charity trustee is not an honorary position and carries financial responsibilities, much like being on the Parochial Church Council of your local church does.

sevenhills

Mercdriver wrote: »

You are living in cloud cuckoo land if you think you can just set yourself up as a charity. Who will be your trustees? Remember that a charity trustee is not an honorary position and carries financial responsibilities, much like being on the Parochial Church Council of your local church does.

It is just an idea to get around the red tape and charges, if I took a salary of £20k it would be just a wage like many charities pay.

AdrianC

forgotmyname wrote: »

Waste sites seem to put under 3 tons now which is a small van, standard transit would be3.2 / 3.5 tons.

No, most Transit-sized vans are <3t. Even the full-size "Transit" starts at 2.9t GVW, while the far more common "Transit Custom" is 2.6t GVW upwards. 3t GVW+ falls into a different MOT class, too.

2 ton van will have fairly limited carrying capacity, you maybe able to carry more weight in an estate car.

A Transit Custom 260 has a payload just shy of 700kg, after allowing 75kg for the driver.

Dont forget being overloaded carry's fines. You need to know what weight your carrying and what the van is legally allowed to.

This is very true - but I think the OP's far more likely to fall foul of a lot of other problems first...

motorguy

sevenhills wrote: »

My earnings are less than £500, car running costs and tools, almost zero profit, that is not a business.

sevenhills wrote: »

It is just an idea to get around the red tape and charges, if I took a salary of £20k it would be just a wage like many charities pay.

sevenhills wrote: »

I don't want goods in transit insurance or public liability, at least for the first year.

sevenhills wrote: »

I would have thought an incinerator company would be happy to have any waste which will burn and help their profits.

Sorry but this whole thing seems like an ill thought through fantasy.

Many many people have this little dream of being self employed and driving about in a van doing odd jobs here and there and making £££s. The reality is very very different - as outlined by pretty much everyone on here.

The only thing i think your doing "right" is by attempting this in the evenings, weekends and holidays first, so at least you'll have your job to fall back on when this fails.

AdrianC

sevenhills wrote: »

My earnings are less than £500, car running costs and tools, almost zero profit, that is not a business.

If you are earning £500 after costs, then that's £500 profit.

If you are taking £500 before costs, and making £0 profit after costs, then you are earning £0.

HHarry

I think that buying a decent van for £3k will be tricky.

Last weekend we had 2 guys drive to Lymington, pick up a 3 piece sofa from a 1st floor flat, drive to Reading and drop the sofa off in a 2nd floor flat - all for £100.
That can't be any more than minimum wage after running costs.