Run a Rural Ice Delivery Service

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I've found that prefab models, which are usually made of sheet metal, range in cost from expensive (at least $1,500 for a 6' X 6' unit) to very expensive (up to $5,000 for a 10' X 10' cooler) . . . and although the price does include delivery and setup, refrigeration compressors are extra. What's more, nearly all the readymades I've seen are designed strictly for interior use—in a grocery store's stockroom, for instance—so if you don't have a suitable place to install such a unit, you'd probably have to add both insulation and exterior weatherproofing before you could use it outside.

Therefore, I honestly believe you'll get more value for your money by building your own icehouse. And you'll not only save cash by doing so, but also be able to design, equip, and insulate the structure as you see fit. In addition, there's a certain amount of satisfaction in adding a permanent asset to your business with your own two hands.

AN INSIDE TIP

I can give you the secret of successful icehouse construction in just two words: Plan ahead. First, check out your local building and zoning codes, just to be sure that what you have in mind is legal, and to see whether you'll be expected to meet any special requirements.

Now, consider three factors before drawing up a set of plans: the size of the ice blocks produced by your supplier, the capacity of your truck or trailer, and the volume of business you anticipate doing (both now and in the future). These points will help you approximate the floor space your building should have.

For example, our shed is truly tiny . . . only 6' X 7' on the inside, providing us with a scant 42 square feet of storage area. We buy our ice in 300-pound blocks that measure roughly 1' X 2' X 4' each, and we stand them on end so that each cake occupies only two square feet of floor. The cooler's total capacity, then, is 21 cakes or approximately 6,300 pounds.

During our first few years—when we were using our pickup to haul ice—we could fit only seven of those 300-pounders in the truck's bed . . . so we always bought a full load, never a partial one, and knew that our icehouse held exactly three trips' worth. Later, however, when our business began to grow, we bought a stake-body truck that carries 24 blocks (about 7,200 pounds) . . . which is more than our little cooler can hold. Therefore, to replenish our inventory, we must either wait until the stock is nearly sold out to be able to accommodate close to a full load, or make frequent (and expensive) half-load trips to and from the supplier.

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