[SeanK]

Smurf is spot on, unless it works out cheap then that money would be better spent on a new home with better
facilities to suit your business.
I separate work from home life as soon as I get into my van and drive off, you could understand that being a reason if
you worked all day at your property.

[Scrimble]

if your turning over proper money i.e more than 200k per year then you will need a unit and the cost is well worth it but if your a small 1 man or don't plan on growth then no,

true unit costs are rent, electric, water and insurance,

[mlscontractcleaner]

What about telephone/Internet connection?

[mlscontractcleaner]

And business rates???

[Scrimble]

I don't pay business rates, and my mobile phone bill is still the same unit or not, I don't have internet at my unit either, I can get on bt openzone so no extra cost there either

[Mick Kent]

Wanting a unit to feel your 'going to work' that is madness! I'm sure that novelty would soon ware off.
I couldn't think of a much better way to waste £6000 odd a year to feel special having an office to update work in with a toilet and space for a van to keep warm in winter. Myself Id rather update work whilst comfy on my sofa and  having a poo in my own toilet parking my van out front of house on road.
Each to there own i guess. Just my view on renting a unit if not realy needed.

[Smudger]

That's precisely it, each to their own, everyone has different needs/requirements, you have to do what you feel is right for your business, the guy did say he lived in a flat so couldn't fill up there, so for him a small unit 'lockup' is an essential part of his biz.

Likewise for me, I can not keep 5 vans on the drive or on the street I also can not put that money towards a place to own, so catch 22 I have to have a unit.

It's great if you can park one or two vans at home, I'd say do that for as long as it's reasonable possible.
But sometimes a growing biz needs a commercial unit

Darran

[Smurf]

That's precisely it, each to their own, everyone has different needs/requirements, you have to do what you feel is right for your business, the guy did say he lived in a flat so couldn't fill up there, so for him a small unit 'lockup' is an essential part of his biz.

Likewise for me, I can not keep 5 vans on the drive or on the street I also can not put that money towards a place to own, so catch 22 I have to have a unit.

It's great if you can park one or two vans at home, I'd say do that for as long as it's reasonable possible.
But sometimes a growing biz needs a commercial unit

Darran

Sorry I don't mean to pry into your personal/financial affairs but I don't understand why you have to pay out rent for somewhere to live. On top of that have to pay out rent for a unit to operate your business from if you can afford to have 5 vans on the road.

[Walter Mitty]

I'm a sole trader and I rent a place.
It's about necessity.  It's relatively cheap as it's a storage place that has a water and electricity supply.
I live in a flat and circumstances prevent me running electricity or water out to the van - I often have to park in another road.  An on board RO would prevent me from using my vehicle in the evening - it's my only vehicle.
Sometimes renting a work place is the best option.

I'm in the same sort of situation but use a twin di in van and customers tap water. £150 for 2 sacks of resin lasts about 3 months got to be a lot cheaper than renting?

The rent and water bill works out about £1,700 a year, give or take.  I suspect that my tap TDS (and/or my water usage) is higher than yours and  £75 a month for resin would be a conservative estimate.  That would be £900 a year.  I'm unsure what my RO maintenance costs exactly but say £75 a year for pre-filters, £75 a year for resin to polish up after the RO and, maybe, £40 a year average to replace membrane.  So £1,700 + £190 = £1,890 a year as opposed to £900 a year for resin; a difference of maybe £1k a year.
So, for £1k a year, I have independence from my customers' water supplies (tricky in winter when taps might be frozen or shut off) and a place to store any tools/containers/resin bags/broken trolleys   I'm not using.
For me, that is worth £1k.
Rates aren't an issue because it's storage rather than a business address.

[Smudger]

There are tens of thousands of people that have to rent, many reasons for that.

Darran

[NWH]

10s of thousands rent that earn good money and have multiple vans on the road,10s of thousands bankrupt or have been though lol.

[David Kent @ KentKleen]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/8ea42442-cade-11e3-9c6a-00144feabdc0.html

[cgh window cleaning]

The two from dragons den are still about.
like most large cleaning companies they see the money more in cleaning.I am fairly shure that industrial cleaning is more there major work like deep industrial kitchen cleans and supermarket fridges etc.
They also offer training courses and have a shop.
It's worth having a unit if  you have plenty to put in it .my friends in construction have them  as they have a lot of plant and stock.they also have staff so for them it's essential but it costs them 2k a month.