How to pull £140 straight out of a skip
How one creative idea can turn into a massive money-spinner...
Are you one of those people who like to do things by the book? Or are you one of those people who like to be a bit quirky: to add a twist? Someone capable of thinking outside the box, someone prepared to make a go of something just a little bit different?
In short, are you someone who is not afraid to try something new?
I'm asking because I recently received a rather interesting email from one of my readers who, through sheer ingenuity, has managed to capitalise on the economic downturn.
I'm going to pass you over to Paul, the brains behind the idea, to explain...
"By pure chance I found a market and a product that people were looking for in times of economic hardship...
A neighbour of mine works as a surveyor and one day, he was on a site and noticed a UPVC door thrown in a skip.
Having sold different items on eBay before he thought there was a chance that he might make some money from the door by salvaging and listing it on the site.
I must mention that this door was in no way new. It was in fact absolute rubbish! It needed new locks and hinges and the UPVC was not too good either. Still, we thought it might make around £20 to £30.
So, with nothing to lose, we listed it...
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Fast-forward to the end of the auction: this door actually sold for £140! Yes, £140 for a second-hand item straight out of a skip!
When we asked the winning buyer why he had bid so high, he told us that he owned a rented property and that a brand new door would have cost him between £800 and £1000. By buying second-hand and paying for new ironwork and to have it fitted the total cost to him was only £340: £450 less than a new door!
Hearing this gave me an idea...
I contacted a couple of my mates who own double glazing companies and offered them a 50/ 50 deal on any sales I made from old doors that they had removed and could supply to me - remember these were originally destined for the skip!
As you can imagine they were a bit sceptical, but then they realised they had nothing to lose. So, on future jobs they carefully removed old French, Patio, front and back doors and I listed them on eBay.
I sold the first lot of French doors for around £250 and guess what? This happens every time! It's the same with windows, which often sell for around £60.
I couldn't believe that such a simple idea could be so lucrative and I had no idea that used windows and doors were in such demand. But it makes sense really - landlords want to make savings and when you pay someone for items they are literally throwing away, the incentive is there for them to find more to sell which gives you a steady supply of stock.
I found a local man and a van, (or I use Pallet Line) for deliveries so everything is pretty straightforward.
Most of the doors I sell go into rented properties where the landlords want to save money so there's plenty of opportunity here in all areas. A typical set of new French doors costs around £1,200 including fitting, so by buying from me at say £300 and then paying a tradesman £200 to fit, landlords are making a real saving."
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