Starting a livery yard

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starmaker

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We are currently looking at property to buy and ideally want something with stables.

Trying to do the dreaded calculations to see how much we can afford and where we will save money, and what we could do to re-coup some money:

Saving - no longer pay livery costs

Potential income- from offering livery

Wondered really if anyone else has done the same, what costs need to be considered, guessing muck removal, insurance, maintenance...

we are looking at 15 stables, arena, walker and hacking. We would be on site have our own horses and could offer services (muck out, turn out, instruction etc.) No idea what people pay for this though?

Yard would be near Sheffield (if that helps!)

Any input would be a real help!
 
There is no money in offering DIY. You need to get all your stables assessed for business rates. Also any other facilities such as arena. DIY stables are assessed at the same rateable value as for full livery. They use the same amount of water and electric and are on the premises more than twice as long as full liveries. You will be lucky if you break even. The only profit to be made is by offering part and full livery. That too is not a lot. My liveries pay for my horses, running the car and a small amount on top. But we only have 5 spaces for liveries.
 
Your costs will include:
Staff time as you cant always do everything yourself
Employers Liability Insurance if you have staff
Care and Custody and Public Liability Insurance - goes up depending on numbers
Muck heap removal - you are not allowed to burn
Business waste removal costs - you are not allowed to throw rubbish out with domestic waste
Water rates
Business rates
(Plus you need to comply with SEPA guidelines on waste run off from muck heap and wash down areas, groundwater and land contamination, drainage etc)
Electric costs - lighting, hot shower, electric mains fencing etc etc
Maintenance and repair costs
Diesel and repair and maintenance costs for running the equipment you need - tractor and quad are a must have
Equipment and material costs for poo picking, grading arena, field rolling, seeding, fertilising, harrowing, fencing, temporary fencing, hay ring feeders, water containers, field drainage, hardcore to gates and paths, school surface etc
Hay costs and transport and offloading
An isolation paddock/ stable for new horse arrivals
You will need an insurance compliant locked tack room and an outdoor toilet

It doesn't really make money - especially DIY yards - and people don't respect your property, they don't look after your equipment, horses chew their stables and field fences and everyone makes a mess that you spend your life cleaning up! :-) People do it for the lifestyle choice mainly. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the input both, much appreciated and very interesting.

where would you stand if we just had our horses and then rented out say 5 boxes to a separate person? Assuming maintenance is covered by us, but could you put a contract to ensure they were responsible for muck removal etc.? Would you then pay business rates if not offering a service?

only saying as I used to rent an entire yard from a private house, paid them £ per month for the whole lot and they took no responsibility for anything, nor did they provide anything but water and electricity, the rest was down to me.
 
Have you taken in to account that if this is what you plan on doing with the property you will need a commercial mortgage, which is likely to be substantially more expensive than a personal one?
 
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