Making things · idea 11 of 52
Build and install raised garden beds each spring
Every March, people decide to grow vegetables and find a good raised bed costs a fortune or arrives as a flimsy kit. You build them, delivered and filled.
- Who pays you
- Homeowners pay you per bed, by size and whether it's delivered and filled with soil, by transfer or cash on installation. Timber and soil are bought by you and priced into the quote.
- Outcomes
- 0 receipts. Nobody's reported back on this one yet. Receipts open when accounts launch.
How it works
A well-built cedar or larch raised bed with proper corners, delivered and installed with soil, is something most people can't make themselves and don't want to buy from a garden centre at their prices. You post in February with a photo of one, three sizes, and a price. Build them in batches in the garage, deliver on weekends, and offer a soil-fill option with a bulk delivery. The season is short and the demand is reliable.
What it actually takes
- A saw, a drill, exterior screws and a source of rot-resistant timber. Minimal if you already own the tools.
- A trailer or van for delivery, or a delivery fee that covers renting one.
- Three standard sizes with materials costed and a fair markup.
- A photo of a finished bed in a real garden.
Where it goes wrong
- Treated timber with the wrong chemicals for food growing. Know the rules and use the right stuff.
- Underpricing soil. Bulk soil is cheap; moving it into a bed by wheelbarrow is not.
- Building on demand instead of in batches. Batch the cuts, batch the assembly.
- It's a two-month season. This pairs with any other outdoor idea on the site.
Published 26 Aug 2026