How much does the Toolfy starter kit cost?

Most teams keep cash outlay below £1,300 in month one, covering Toolfy subscription (£0–199), insurance, basic marketing, and equipment floats.

Do I need separate software for scheduling, invoicing, and payments?

No. Toolfy bundles CRM, scheduling, invoicing, and payments in one platform—you only add accounting software like Wave or Xero for bookkeeping export.

What metrics should solo operators track weekly?

Focus on bookings vs capacity, average job value, first-time fix rate, lead response time, and cash buffer (aim for 3+ weeks of operating costs).

2026 starter kit for solo & small crews

If you run a service business with 1–10 people (or you’re still solo but planning that first hire), you don’t need enterprise software or a back office—you need a lean toolkit that ships quotes, keeps cash moving, and proves you’re trustworthy. This starter kit shows how to launch (or reset) your operation inside Toolfy in the first 30 days of 2026.

1. Lock the fundamentals in Week 0–1

Incorporate + insure: Form the LLC or LTD, open a dedicated bank account, buy general liability/inland marine, and upload the certificates into Toolfy Documents so every job card can reference the latest proof.
Licences & compliance: Create a "Compliance" checklist template in Toolfy with renewal dates for trade cards, DBS checks, vehicle inspections, and PAT tests so nothing slips.
Single intake number: Port your mobile into a VoIP line. Forward the voicemail transcript straight into your team inbox so every missed call can be logged in Toolfy as a customer record.
Deposit-ready bank rails: Connect Toolfy Payments on day one. Enable deposits on quote acceptance so you’re not funding materials out of personal savings.

2. Toolfy-first stack under £1K

Need	Toolfy workflow	Notes / typical cost
Contacts + scheduling	Customers + Jobs board with calendar view	Included with Toolfy; add crew availability and PTO blocks.
Quotes & deposits	Invoices module with saved templates and deposit toggle	Payment fees (~2.9% + £0.20) only when you get paid.
Field paperwork	Job checklists + photo uploads	Replace paper forms; unlimited photos per job.
Messaging & reminders	Reminders → Reminder sequences (SMS/email)	Only pay carrier fees; templates reuse customer tokens.
Knowledge base	Documents + pinned SOP links on job types	Use Notion/Drive for authoring, store the share link in Toolfy.
Bookkeeping	Export payouts & jobs into your accounting app weekly	Wave/Xero/QuickBooks subscriptions (~£0–30/mo).

Most teams keep the cash outlay below £1,000 for the first quarter by renting tools only when needed and leaning on Toolfy’s bundled features instead of stacking point solutions.

3. Cash flow guardrails without a finance team

Deposits on every job >£300: set 30–50% as default in your Toolfy invoice template.
Milestone invoicing: Duplicate the job at each phase (inspection, install, handover) so invoices fire automatically from the correct status.
Daily sync: Schedule a Toolfy report each evening that emails you “cash collected vs scheduled” so you can chase stragglers before bed.
Reserve tracker: Tag expenses inside Toolfy (fuel, materials, subcontractor) and export weekly into your cash buffer spreadsheet. Aim for 3 weeks of operating expense by spring.

4. Mobile-first job flow for tiny crews

Intake script: Build a short intake form inside Toolfy jobs (problem, asset type, photos). Complete it on the phone with the customer so techs aren’t guessing.
Day-before prep: Use Toolfy reminders to send crew SMS with site notes at 6pm and a customer ETA email at 7am. Consistency builds trust even if you’re still the one driving the van.
Proof on-site: Require at least two “before” and two “after” photos per job using the Toolfy mobile uploader. They auto-store under the customer record for future quotes or disputes.
Instant payment: Tap-to-pay or share the invoice link before you leave the driveway. Toolfy posts it to the job and syncs back to your accounting file, so no Sunday-night admin.

5. Metrics that actually matter at 1–10 people

Track these inside Toolfy dashboards (or export to Sheets) every Friday:

Bookings vs capacity: total jobs scheduled next 14 days vs hours available.
Average job value: revenue ÷ completed jobs; trend it monthly as you raise prices.
First-time fix rate: jobs that didn’t need a follow-up visit. If it dips below 85%, revisit intake questions.
Response time: time from inquiry to confirmed booking—set a target under 30 minutes during business hours.
Cash buffer: bank balance minus next 30 days of payroll, rent, subscriptions. Color code green (>3 weeks), amber (1–3), red (under 1).

6. Sample 30-day budget (GBP)

Item	Cost	Why
Toolfy subscription	£0–£199	Depends on tier; covers CRM, scheduling, invoices, payments.
Tap-to-pay reader	£50	One-off hardware for instant payouts.
Insurance down payment	£350	Liability + property/tool coverage.
Google Business Profile microsite + domain	£200	Template site + domain and a basic photo shoot.
Uniforms & signage	£250	Two hi-vis sets, van magnets, 100 door hangers.
Marketing tests	£200	Local leaflet drop or boosted post to seed first 20 leads.
Fuel/tool float	£250	Backstop for unexpected repairs or rentals.
Total (Month 1)	~£1,300	Most of it is recoverable once deposits start landing.

7. 30-day action plan (save & pin in Toolfy)

Week 1: Import your contacts, set up three job types (callout, install, maintenance), and publish two quote templates.
Week 2: Launch automated reminders and deposit-required invoices. Collect three reviews via Toolfy’s review request link.
Week 3: Hire or line up your first subcontractor day—use Toolfy tasks for onboarding checklist and tool handoff log.
Week 4: Review metrics dashboard, adjust prices if the calendar’s >80% full, and document one SOP (e.g., “boiler tune-up”) inside Documents.

Keep the starter kit lightweight, repeatable, and visible inside Toolfy so every future hire can follow it. Need help cloning these templates into your workspace? Email support@toolfy.io and the success team will drop them in.