All businesses / Man with a van

Fingerprint: capital · hours · speed to income · margin · ceiling. The dashed line is mid-scale.

Start a man with a van: the real numbers

Removals, clearances, deliveries. Below is what it actually costs, how long before money arrives, and the part most guides leave out.

Startup capital

€6,000–€25,000

Hours / week

25–50

First income

~3 wks

Net margin

60%

Saturation

high

Realistic ceiling

€1,200–€3,500

What nobody usually tells you

Cash in week one and demand that never disappears — people always move and always clear houses. The ceiling is your back and your hours, and the tipping fees for waste are rising every year.

The route, in five steps

  1. Get the waste carrier licence — clearances are the profitable half
  2. Buy the van used and boring, not new
  3. Quote by the load, never by the hour
  4. Say yes to Sunday jobs early on
  5. Two people double the rate, not the cost

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories every man with a van pays for in the first month. We break down what each one actually costs at this size on the tools page.

vaninsurancestraps and trolleyswaste licence

Does it hold up for you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your capital, your hours and how long you can wait — put them in and see.

Run my numbers → See the tool stack