[8weekly]

I've got two vans and one employee. I have another employee due to start in April and would expect another van around September. Already I don't like the intrusion into home life.  My questions are:

When did those that have units take the plunge?
What do you pay?
Do you look to get the vans undercover at night - thinking about batrery charging/heaters in the winter and so on?
How did you find your site?

[kempy]

Looking good for you .
Pull up , park up , fill up ,

Lock up and go home and relax .

In winter can be warm parked up inside .

Win win win

[alanwilson]

When we took our first unit it was a 1000sqft unit costing I think about £400 a month, as kempy says there are advantages with keeping vans inside etc but it also keeps work away from home. Having an office also helps keep me in the right business frame of mind

[supernova77]

My unit is approx 1.5 times the size of a standard garage... I pay £120 a month plus electricity and water.

I like having all the work gear away from home. It's less than 10 minutes drive from my house.

Andy 

[Tom-01]

My unit is approx 1.5 times the size of a standard garage... I pay £120 a month plus electricity and water.

I like having all the work gear away from home. It's less than 10 minutes drive from my house.

Andy 

You're a unit.

[Tom-01]

My one is in a farm whereby the farmer rents out a few business units.

It fits all our stuff plus 1000ltr tank with room for another one. I've also got another one there where the van sleeps.

It's £150 a month inc electricity and I pay £50-£70 a month for water. So for approx £200 a month and 5 mins from home it's really good.

Try going round some farms if you're near any? Costs start going up don't they as you increase staff, vans etc..

[Smudger]

We started with a small 500 sq ft. Unit which nicely fitted in 3 vans all the water storage and RO plus spares ladders gutter vac and a nice sized work bench etc...
Very lucky it's in my village and council run cost £550 p.m.
Now moved across the yard to 1000 sq ft. Costing £750 p.m

I think it's an expense I could do without at times, however all vans are inside, free from frost, any repairs can be done in the dry, all storage,spares, etc are easily accessible and dry! and for those who worry about staff moonlighting they can't because the vans are at base not on the employees drive.

Farms are a great source for cheap units, but have drawbacks in that many are not easy to access, muddy farm yards, smell of cow,pig,chicken sh!t€ and the water or more importantly electricity supply is not always the best.

Look on gumtree or daltons weekly (if it still exists) for lock ups or small units

Darran

[p1w1]

I pay £115 a month plus electric for a shipping container to store all gear and ro unit only downside is on winter is does get cold so the ro  need insulating

[supernova77]

My one is in a farm whereby the farmer rents out a few business units.

It fits all our stuff plus 1000ltr tank with room for another one. I've also got another one there where the van sleeps.

It's £150 a month inc electricity and I pay £50-£70 a month for water. So for approx £200 a month and 5 mins from home it's really good.

Try going round some farms if you're near any? Costs start going up don't they as you increase staff, vans etc..

Your van sleeps?

Does it have a name to?

[8weekly]

I'll have to keep my eyes open as there's not much about at the moment.

[Tom-01]

My one is in a farm whereby the farmer rents out a few business units.

It fits all our stuff plus 1000ltr tank with room for another one. I've also got another one there where the van sleeps.

It's £150 a month inc electricity and I pay £50-£70 a month for water. So for approx £200 a month and 5 mins from home it's really good.

Try going round some farms if you're near any? Costs start going up don't they as you increase staff, vans etc..

Your van sleeps?

Does it have a name to?

Yes.

Yes, Gertruede

[kempy]

Paying £125 to £750 a month .
Be cheaper to buy a house with a little bit of land and build a substantial garage .
However I'm like many on here and live in a basic house with no spare land to do this .

But would be worth considering for the businesses with multi vans etc

[8weekly]

Paying £125 to £750 a month .
Be cheaper to buy a house with a little bit of land and build a substantial garage .
However I'm like many on here and live in a basic house with no spare land to do this .

But would be worth considering for the businesses with multi vans etc

It's all about separating work from home though.

[Tom-01]

Paying £125 to £750 a month .
Be cheaper to buy a house with a little bit of land and build a substantial garage .
However I'm like many on here and live in a basic house with no spare land to do this .

But would be worth considering for the businesses with multi vans etc

It's all about separating work from home though.

I agree to a certain extent, but the extra cost needs to be factored.

My wife said that when we move we need a place with a garage to save the money currently being spent on the unit. If I keep it to one van I think this would be ok, but maybe I would think twice if I had more than one.

You know your business 8weekly and what works best for you. It's just all the extra costs involved in a multi van operation. After a couple of years you'll be surprised how much is being spent without really realising.

[Smudger]

+1

It'll need to be a big bit of land attached you'd be surprised how much room they take up once you need access to rear and side doors manoeuvring etc...

Darran

[lee_dewing]

You guys that employ, sorry off topic but how did you get from one man set up to employing.

What I mean is having enough work for you and an employee.

I suppose there is a training period of a month or two getting someone up to speed.

You must have to door knock like crazy to get more work otherwise the only one making any money is the employee

[8weekly]

You guys that employ, sorry off topic but how did you get from one man set up to employing.

What I mean is having enough work for you and an employee.

I suppose there is a training period of a month or two getting someone up to speed.

You must have to door knock like crazy to get more work otherwise the only one making any money is the employee

I got three weeks behind (8 weekly schedule) then just through upselling FSGs/taking on one offs and constant lealeting, by the time we caught up we had enough work quite comfortably for two.

[Mick Kent]

Id think before rushing in 8weekly, it sounds good having a unit and something different to your business that makes you feel good however say its going to cost you £500 a month, thats 30 grand blown in 5 years...a lot of money.
I was going to get a unit a few years ago but instead bought another house to rent out as 1 came out in an ideal location which is actualy next to my house where i live which has a large garage that i use aswell as my own so i guess im lucky to have 2 garages next to eachother that does me for work but all i use them for is making and storing water.
Maybe  think about doing the same sort of thing, paying for a unit is dead money unless its realy needed!
Cant you have your boys fill up at there houses by supplying them ro systems in the vans and take the vans home with them as a perk of the job??Id rather that and save 30 grand over 5 years than lose 30 grand in 5 years to keep the vans warm in winter and to make water having a computer and desk which can just as easy be done on your lap in your own home?..

[lee_dewing]

Thanks 8 weekly.

[dazmond]

We started with a small 500 sq ft. Unit which nicely fitted in 3 vans all the water storage and RO plus spares ladders gutter vac and a nice sized work bench etc...
Very lucky it's in my village and council run cost £550 p.m.
Now moved across the yard to 1000 sq ft. Costing £750 p.m

I think it's an expense I could do without at times, however all vans are inside, free from frost, any repairs can be done in the dry, all storage,spares, etc are easily accessible and dry! and for those who worry about staff moonlighting they can't because the vans are at base not on the employees drive.

Farms are a great source for cheap units, but have drawbacks in that many are not easy to access, muddy farm yards, smell of cow,pig,chicken sh!t€ and the water or more importantly electricity supply is not always the best.

Look on gumtree or daltons weekly (if it still exists) for lock ups or small units

Darran

thats £45,000 over 5 years.wow!thats a hell of a lot of money for a unit.you could buy 4 brand new vans for that outright.