[paddynick]

New here, so sorry if this is in the wrong section. I am interested in starting a stone / gravel business. You know, like the one I visit on the weekend to buy river rocks, pea gravel, and perhaps a decorative boulder.

Anyone know where these guys get their supplies? I know I could import them from China, but there has to be a few large suppliers in the USA. Hoping there's a mason in the community here who could lead me in the right direction.

Thanks!

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Just look in yer yellow pages under Quarries,.....

There All over the place, 'bout 10 within' 20 miles of my house,...

 

[de-nagorg]

Do a GOOGLE searching for wholesale stone distributors.

My local gets shipments from quarries all over the U S A , for their different types.

Or they have a quarry of their own for more local type of stone.


ED

 

[ZZZZZ]

I would suggest that if you don't know who your suppliers would be, you've got a lot of other homework to do too before even considering whether opening a stoneyard business might be a good idea for your location.

 

[paddynick]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Yes, I had already looked into quarries, but there were only two near me with websites, and they both look like they service construction firms exclusively with limestone...one asks that you have proof of at least a $1mil insurance policy, etc.

I was looking for something more along the lines of pea gravel, marble chips, river rock, goose egg stones, etc. I'll give them a call anyway to see what their available materials are.

I just wondered if I was missing a dirty little secret in the industry like (yeah, man, everyone imports from mexico and argentina...super cheap stone)

 

[bob22]

"I just wondered if I was missing a dirty little secret in the industry like (yeah, man, everyone imports from mexico and Argentina...super cheap stone)"

I think the obvious here is that stone/rock is heavy and is expensive to move from place to place. Best for a stone store to be located near the source of rock unless you are selling exotic stone like granite, marble.

 

[jimn]

A 1 mill GL policy is pretty much standard for a vendor, supplier, contractor etc to step foot on a property. Heck even in my office building, our computer maintenance firm (Oracle) is required to have a 1 mill policy . Any company that pulls up to the loading is required to have it. If you are in business and not carrying a least a million in GL you probably should not be in business . There aren't many quarries in my area, and those that are private. A good number of material vendors though that sell to contractors as well as individuals .

 

[Tscarborough]

Aggregates main cost is transportation, so other than expensive specialty products they are typically local. Also typically, quarries sell direct to builders and installers, so unless you have a quarry, you will only be selling jobber quantities to homeowners. If you want cheap international sources of stones, plan on long lead times and minimum quantities of containers. Plus you will have to go overseas to purchase the materials for any kind of real deal. Got a mil or 3 to start?

 

[joecaption]

Silly idea.
How much do you have to invest to even get started?
#1, You did not even add your location to your profile so how would anyone even be able to make suggestions on where to buy the materials, you could be anywhere on the planet.
Going to cost at least enough to buy a back hoe or a skid loader, dump truck, location to sell it, insurance, payroll, business licence.
Importing what you need is just off the wall expencive, just for the shipping.