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  Andy May 16, 2014 at 3:01pm

  Good for you. All the best in your new venture. Unasked for advice?...,..don't buy all the kit in the shop buy what you need to start (mower, strimmer, hedge cutter etc) and add as you go. Things like blowers, mulching mowers, flymos, platform ladders chainsaws sprayers etc etc etc can all be added later. Van choice is a a tricky one.....me, initially, I went for a Vauxhall combo/transit connect size as everything fits in it and it's cheaper to run, however if I had a big job on I had to empty it to get in the materials, a straight forward transit van fits everything plus some but more expensive to run. However everyone differs and I'm sure you'll hear contridictory advise. So go with what you can a. Afford and b. need.
  Good luck to you
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  Lee Watkinson May 16, 2014 at 4:32pm

  Thanks for the advice and I had that it mind. Read a few posts about buying tools and to start off with only the neccessities. I drive a little corsa now and I was looking at the corsa vans! I think I'd prefer a van with 3 seats in the front just incase the need arises. Also read about mowers like the Etesia and such. And I recently purchased Paul Powers 3rd addition of the gardening business book and it's a brilliant read so far!
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  Colin Hunt May 16, 2014 at 4:55pm

  Have a chat to local firms and see if they want any part time help. This time of year most are run off their feet and would welcome an additional pair of hands. You will then quickly pick up the pace and quality of work you will need to produce to become a pro. There is a big difference between working for relations and working for yourself.

  Good luck, it's a great way to earn a living!
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  Peter May 16, 2014 at 5:50pm

  When I started I had an 1997 Vauxhall combo 1.7 d, it cost me £700 and it was a great little van, there's still a few about on ebay. I've got a transit connect now, it's a bit of a squeeze when I've got all the tools in but it's big enough for now.

  As someone else said to start up just get the essentials and maybe 2nd hand off ebay, unless you have a bit of capital to start up then maybe worth getting decent mower.
• PRO

  Andy May 16, 2014 at 6:34pm

  Equipment is key buy the best you can afford now. Hunt around on eBay, free cycle and in the local papers. You'd be surprised what people give away or sell off cheap. When I started a fab customer gave yep gave me a used hayter . It's not the quietest mower I have ever owned but it's still going strong after a lot of work and humping about. I treated myself to a husky strimmer after a year of struggling with a cheapo strimmer. Buying good quality hurts the bank balance but It's worth it in the long run. My kit has paid for itself several times over because it's quick, reliable and fit for purpose. Once again good luck and don't forget to save for the tax man!
• PRO

  Gary RK May 16, 2014 at 7:17pm

  And don't buy tools that could be rarely used - go hire them and include costs in your quote. If that 'type' of work takes off, then consider purchasing - either a godd seceond hand item or new.

  We all suffer 'shiny new tool' syndrome at times ;-)
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  Colin Hunt May 16, 2014 at 7:30pm

  On a similar thread, pop into your local mower supplier/agricultural dealer and have a chat with 'The Mower Man' - look to buy good second hand rather than 'cheap and new from B&Q'. Even though we often buy new, our local man rings me up when he has a good trade-in for sale.
  
  Gary RK said:

  And don't buy tools that could be rarely used - go hire them and include costs in your quote. If that 'type' of work takes off, then consider purchasing - either a godd seceond hand item or new.

  We all suffer 'shiny new tool' syndrome at times ;-)
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  Paul McNulty May 16, 2014 at 7:43pm

  Good points above, you will only ever regret buying poor-quality tools.

  Be a bit wary of pro gear second-hand as well. Very few people sell commercial power tools unless they are pretty well-used, but the prices on ebay for things like Stihl can be almost the same as a new one with some trade discount!

  As Colin says, your local supplier is the guy you need to be friends with. There's no point saving a few ££s buying used, or online, then he tells you it's 6 weeks for a small repair. Buy from him, and be at the front of the queue.

  Gary's point about hiring is good as well: it gets you in the habit of charging a real cost for the tools you buy. For maintenance, all you need to start is a good mower, a strimmer and a blower.

  With vans, I can't see a smaller one being that great: A few tools and a mower, and there's no room for bags of grass, bins of cuttings etc. I find my mid-sized van too small some of the time, but it's a good compromise. Hiace, Transporter, Vivaro, that sort of size seems pretty perfect for working, but not too big to get serviced easily or park.

  One thing, check the insurance for the van. It can be silly money when you start a commercial vehicle policy, and you are quite young!
• PRO

  Seth Burgess May 16, 2014 at 8:07pm

  I've got a combo B.

  They suck.

  Get something else car derived like a similar aged Caddy. If you want 3 seats a Citreon dispatch (and its peougot and fiat rebadges) are the smallest 3 seaters I'm aware of and I think they're cheaper to insure than a transit size.

  
  But most importantly the van will never make you money like a tool will, as long as your van starts every morning and gets you home again ready to do it tomorrow it's the right one.
• PRO

  Andy May 16, 2014 at 10:28pm

  Lee, keep posting if you have any questions. As you can see discussion here range from basic accounting advice to how to deal with cat poo! Bizarre as it may seem these are all questions we wonder about when you're on your Jack Jones in some garden somewhere. This forum is a great place to ask it because someone somewhere out there has an answer of sorts for you. The more serious the question the more serious the answer.
  
  In the meantime have fun and enjoy yourself, we do. (We certainly don't do it for the money ;( )