Have a truck and are looking for an easy way to make some money and capitalize on owning that vehicle? And want to get a solid workout in the process? You should think about starting your own trash removal business. It’s actually a lot easier than it sounds.
A trash removal business can make anywhere from $50 to $100 an hour — and you don’t need a dumpster or a garbage truck to get started. People have lots of junk piled up in their homes, garages and basements — everything from old clothes to broken furniture — and are more than happy to pay somebody a good chunk of change to do all the work of picking, carrying, hauling and dumping all that junk for them. Learn more about the types of things junk removal companies haul.
There are a few steps you’ll need to take to set up the business properly and safely, but the work itself is pretty easy. Here’s what you need to know about starting your own trash removal business.
Have the Right Vehicle
As mentioned, you don’t need a giant truck or dumpster to haul trash. A pickup truck or van will work fine; the larger the better of course, but don’t sweat it if you’ve got a small truck bed. You can even get away with a large SUV with the seats removed, though a van would likely be a better choice.
Get Some Insurance
This isn’t as daunting as it sounds. You just need to get the right kind of insurance for using your car for commercial purposes; your regular insurance likely won’t cover this. You can likely do some shopping around online or ask your car insurance agent to help you find the policy and coverage you need. Ask them what other policies you need to comply with. You will also likely need at least some form of business liability insurance just for safety when hauling objects on other people’s property.
Tech Stuff
This is the easiest part. You will need a good smartphone and laptop. Both are essential for running your own business. You probably already have them, so you can just use the ones you have to do double-duty.
You’ll need them for contacting customers to set up appointments, keeping track of records and invoices, and doing your taxes. Some basic accounting software can help with that.
Another reason for having a cell phone is having the built-in GPS, which will be immensely helpful for getting around and to your customers’ destinations.
What About Advertising?
Getting paid customers is always the hardest first step, but it doesn’t have to be. It can start with making some simple flyers (they don’t have to look amazing) and distributing them all around your neighborhood and around town. You could also go take an ad in the local paper or in the local online classifieds. If there are social media groups for advertising local businesses, those work too.
Just don’t forget the most important and effective source for landing new customers — referrals. Ask all your happy customers and even potential customers who they may know who is looking for a junk removal service. Have some business cards with your name and business info printed out and give a couple to every customer, letting them know to pass them along as needed.
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