Advice Buying/Building/Running a Timber Lorry

[rovers90]

Inspections, depending on mileage are every 6 to 12 weeks.

I don't think you have to be a qualified mechanic but you will need reasonable amount of knowledge.

If you inspect the lorry and something goes wrong, you will be held accountable.

 

It only takes a couple of hours to inspect the lorry, so shouldn't be overly expensive.

 

Pretty sure you need a transport manager cpc, but yeah, you can ne your own manager.

Again, alot of responsibility, if something happens your help accountable.

 

Not sure if this is true. My friend is an owner operator with a hook loader truck which goes to local garage every 6 weeks for checks. If they find anything wrong, it has to be put right, he doesn't get an option, they just replace or repair. When MOT time comes, they have the truck for 2 to 3 days as they go over it with a fine tooth come as if it fails the MOT it is a black mark against them. I know the MOT test alone cost him £700+ and a new tyre was £300 so it is not cheap running a truck. Most people have said they know hauliers who are flat out - they have to be to pay their expenses! The ones we deal with charge between £8 and £10 per ton for delivery so bear in mind if you are only able to haul 10 ton at a time, would £100 make it worth while?

 

Why not ring some local hauliers for quotes and that should give you an idea.

 

Not being negative, just there are a lot of costs to bear in mind and unless you are carrying a lot and running max hours available you may struggle.

[Marc Lewis]

An ex utility may serve your purpose.

[Marc Lewis]

Ex utility vehicle

[briquette_seller]

Not sure if this is true. My friend is an owner operator with a hook loader truck which goes to local garage every 6 weeks for checks. If they find anything wrong, it has to be put right, he doesn't get an option, they just replace or repair. When MOT time comes, they have the truck for 2 to 3 days as they go over it with a fine tooth come as if it fails the MOT it is a black mark against them. I know the MOT test alone cost him £700+ and a new tyre was £300 so it is not cheap running a truck. Most people have said they know hauliers who are flat out - they have to be to pay their expenses! The ones we deal with charge between £8 and £10 per ton for delivery so bear in mind if you are only able to haul 10 ton at a time, would £100 make it worth while?

 

Why not ring some local hauliers for quotes and that should give you an idea.

 

Not being negative, just there are a lot of costs to bear in mind and unless you are carrying a lot and running max hours available you may struggle.

 

Which bit isn't true?

[rovers90]

The bit about doing it yourself!

[briquette_seller]

The bit about doing it yourself!

 

I spent a fair bit of time looking into running a 6 tonner for doing log deliveries.

Never did I read that you cant do the inspections yourself.

As I stated, you will need a fair amount of mechanical knowledge.

 

Sounds to me like your mate is getting taken for a ride.

 

Tests don't cost anything near to £700+, as stated!!!

 

MOT test fees | nidirect

[treequip]

You can do your own inspections, the powers that be like you to have suitable premises.

 

There is nothing to prevent you doing your own inspections and getting any work needed by a contractor.

 

The vehicle has to be maintained in safe condition but the law makes no requirement other than that they should be suitably qualified, experience is also a suitable qualification.

[treequip]

 

Not sure if this is true.

 

If they find anything wrong, it has to be put right, he doesn't get an option, they just replace or repair.

 

 

Most places wont sign a maintenance contract unless you agree to this but that doesn't exclude doing any of your own repairs or maintenance

 

 

 

When MOT time comes, they have the truck for 2 to 3 days as they go over it with a fine tooth come as if it fails the MOT it is a black mark against them.

 

Unless they are doing major unexpected works, that's a piss poor turn around. There is no black mark system and any black mark would reflect on the preparation

 

 

I know the MOT test alone cost him £700+ and a new tyre was £300 so it is not cheap running a truck.

 

I think that must be test plus any works

[woodsmanmatt]

Wow, thanks for all the advice guys! There is certainly more to consider than I first thought!

 

The key for me seems to the balance between payload and size, and I like the idea of a tractor unit or smallish rigid and trailer. Not sure I'd want to go down the fasttrac route, although it certainly has it's advantages in terms of flexibility.

 

In terms of earning potential, I can see that there is definitely a market, and know that having a smaller lorry that can access difficult sites may be worth a premium to the guys I have been working with. I know they are currently paying around £13-15/t plus VAT when they can get hold of a small lorry. If I had a 15t capacity and could do 3 trips in a day then that would give an earning potential of £675+VAT/day, which seems reasonable.

 

What I need to work out is what my running costs are likely to be, and then how may days per year it would need to work before I started making any money.

 

As far as I can tell I need to take into account:

 

Initial Purchase/Depreciation

Training/CPC costs

Insurance

Vehicle Tax

Fuel

Operators Licence

Maintenance and Repairs

MOT

 

Anything I've missed?

[Johny Walker]

Wow, thanks for all the advice guys! There is certainly more to consider than I first thought!

 

The key for me seems to the balance between payload and size, and I like the idea of a tractor unit or smallish rigid and trailer. Not sure I'd want to go down the fasttrac route, although it certainly has it's advantages in terms of flexibility.

 

In terms of earning potential, I can see that there is definitely a market, and know that having a smaller lorry that can access difficult sites may be worth a premium to the guys I have been working with. I know they are currently paying around £13-15/t plus VAT when they can get hold of a small lorry. If I had a 15t capacity and could do 3 trips in a day then that would give an earning potential of £675+VAT/day, which seems reasonable.

 

What I need to work out is what my running costs are likely to be, and then how may days per year it would need to work before I started making any money.

 

As far as I can tell I need to take into account:

 

Initial Purchase/Depreciation

Training/CPC costs

Insurance

Vehicle Tax

Fuel

Operators Licence

Maintenance and Repairs

MOT

 

Anything I've missed?

 

get yr sen a 6,wheeler with drag attachment ,then if needed you can take a trailer ,

Edited April 25, 2015 by Johny Walker