Possible to Have High Pressure Soap Added After Pump

[scottlee]

I'm looking to lease a 6 bay SS car wash - the motor room is across the parking lot with the vacuums. The high pressure water, low pressure soap, and electric from motor room to bays is buried under parking lot. Owner says the customers complained it took too long for soap to dispense so he recommends we close one bay and move the motor room there. That would leave 5 bays for washing. I would rather keep all bays open if possible but I would also like the customers to get soap quickly.

Is there a way to bury the high pressure soap under the parking lot and have it added to the high pressure hose at the swivel at the top of the bay? I have to replace the buried water lines anyway because they are leaking so I'll be tearing up some of the parking lot anyway.

 

[MEP001]

You could use injectors at the bays, but that will greatly decrease reliability. You'll also have a whole new challenge to figure out how to get soap to the bays in a separate line.

You could use a dump solenoid in the room on a return line to fill the line with soap or water when those functions are selected. A similar option would be to have two high pressure lines and two solenoids so one line is always filled with soap and the other is filled with water.

In either of these setups, I would recommend running wax at a low pressure.

Is there not existing plumbing underground to pull hoses and tubing out to the bays?

 

[Greg Pack]

The two high pressure line sounds like the easiest solution. No way would I go to the expense of relocating an equipment room on a leased project.

 

[scottlee]

You could use injectors at the bays, but that will greatly decrease reliability. You'll also have a whole new challenge to figure out how to get soap to the bays in a separate line.

You could use a dump solenoid in the room on a return line to fill the line with soap or water when those functions are selected. A similar option would be to have two high pressure lines and two solenoids so one line is always filled with soap and the other is filled with water.

In either of these setups, I would recommend running wax at a low pressure.

Is there not existing plumbing underground to pull hoses and tubing out to the bays?

I like the two high pressure lines idea - that would be much cheaper and easier than moving the motor room!

The existing underground plumbing was direct-buried. We'll put in sleeves/chases this time to make replacement much easier in the future.

 

[scottlee]

The two high pressure line sounds like the easiest solution. No way would I go to the expense of relocating an equipment room on a leased project.

That's how I feel about it - plus the additional lost time to get up and running, plus the potential lost revenue of closing one bay.

 

[eckert16]

If you are willing to improve a carwash at your own expense and with your own time... and pay the owner of the wash whatever lease payment he wants... you will be a very sought after person.

You are improving a sef-serve carwash property that you are going to lease from the owner. The carwash has fundamental plumbing issues that you are going to pay to repair. The plumbing repairs require you to dig up the pavement, and then you will replace/repair the pavement at your expense.
Then... you have "additional lost time to get up and running". Apparently the wash is currently running? Will current wash income cover the lease prior to your repairs? Will current income cover the plumbing repairs? Will it cover the pavement repairs? If sales improve, are you in a solid lease to buy the property or at least retain your monetary advantage, or is the carwash property owner free to drop your lease once you fix all the issues for him? Just sounds very one sided...at this point.

 

[Randy]

In 40 years of being in the car wash business I’ve only encountered a wash like what your describing once and it was a maintenance disaster, my best advice is don’t lease it, it’s not in your best interest, the person who is going to win on this one is the owner. If that’s what you really want to do, you could pressure feed the soap, wax and tire cleaner from the equipment room to the bays. But I’d walk on this one. Where’s this car wash located?

 

[scottlee]

If you are willing to improve a carwash at your own expense and with your own time... and pay the owner of the wash whatever lease payment he wants... you will be a very sought after person.

You are improving a sef-serve carwash property that you are going to lease from the owner. The carwash has fundamental plumbing issues that you are going to pay to repair. The plumbing repairs require you to dig up the pavement, and then you will replace/repair the pavement at your expense.
Then... you have "additional lost time to get up and running". Apparently the wash is currently running? Will current wash income cover the lease prior to your repairs? Will current income cover the plumbing repairs? Will it cover the pavement repairs? If sales improve, are you in a solid lease to buy the property or at least retain your monetary advantage, or is the carwash property owner free to drop your lease once you fix all the issues for him? Just sounds very one sided...at this point.

After meeting the owner today, he doesn't want to leave the equipment room where it is - he wants to move it. He is giving me lots of free rent to move the equipment room so I'm doing the math to make sure I come out enough ahead to justify the delay in opening the car wash.

It is not currently running - he shut it down about a year ago after the previous tenant got too old to keep it up and he took it over for a few years. He said it takes 2-3 minutes for the HP soap to reach the nozzles and another 2-3 minutes for the soap to stop. Too many complaints. He's not interested in multiple HP hoses either.

 

[scottlee]

In 40 years of being in the car wash business I’ve only encountered a wash like what your describing once and it was a maintenance disaster, my best advice is don’t lease it, it’s not in your best interest, the person who is going to win on this one is the owner. If that’s what you really want to do, you could pressure feed the soap, wax and tire cleaner from the equipment room to the bays. But I’d walk on this one. Where’s this car wash located?

Located in North Texas. I've been looking for car washes to lease and they aren't too easy to find. I'm pretty new so I am excited for just about any opportunity - this is the first one that's come through. I've seen a couple others around that have the same setup with the equipment room far away.

I agree the owner will win but I think I can win too. He is offering lots of free rent and a long lease - 15 years (5-year lease with two 5-year options).

I'm currently pricing out the cost to move it and if it makes sense, I think it could work.

What am I missing or not thinking of? I understand my excitement is affecting my judgement so I'm trying to be as unbiased and skeptical as I can.

 

[MEP001]

After meeting the owner today, he doesn't want to leave the equipment room where it is - he wants to move it.

I would let him pay to move it, unless he will give you enough free rent to pay for everything. The water and electric will have to be re-routed and that will cost a lot, as well as reducing capacity by one bay. Is there possibly space to add a small room to one end of the bays? There will still be a delay problem with the lines being 100', but it won't be nearly as bad as it is now.

He's not interested in multiple HP hoses either.

It works. I've seen it done, the extra cost is minimal. I would try to get him to reconsider.

What am I missing or not thinking of? I understand my excitement is affecting my judgement so I'm trying to be as unbiased and skeptical as I can.

Don't let your excitement run away with you. This wash has had dissatisfied customers its whole life. It's going to be very hard to recover from that. If you don't have the perfect trifecta of a wash in an area with easy access, lots of homes and apartments nearby, and in an underutilized market, you will be losing money every month for several years even with free rent. This is going to sound weird, but if there isn't a McDonald's less than 1/4 mile from this place, I wouldn't touch it.

 

[eckert16]

Still not seeing what's in it for you. I've heard of people buying into a franchise, essentially buying a job for themselves... and still not seeing your description the equivalent here.
If you go thru with this...there are plenty of shut down, run down, out of commission, self-serve carwash location owners across the country that would love to get in contact with you. It sounds like you'd be in demand. The service you are offering is simple: you redo their washes on your dime and your time...and now it sounds like according to their preferences as well. And that is not a good recipe for your personal success.
Unless of course this is just a 'proof of concept' for your business idea. Maybe you are the planning on offering a service such as "Carwash Rehab". I've heard of TV shows like Restaurant Rehab and Hotel Rehab... and even they charge the owners for the work they do to get the businesses up and running. You are doing it for free ? Actually, you are paying them once the lease payments start.

 

[MEP001]

Maybe you are the planning on offering a service such as "Carwash Rehab".

That's something I've considered if I ever win the lottery. I'd be the Gordon Ramsay of the car wash industry. "You idiot! Why have you put your foam brush pickup into a wax bucket?"

 

[scottlee]

I appreciate everyone's input here. Certainly some very good food for thought. I will update everyone with how it is going in a couple weeks.

 

[Blanco]

The words "lease" and "car wash" do not work together. Whatever excitement you have now will turn into regret if you do this. Car wash equipment is not cheap. Do you really want to spend money fixing up someone else's property and equipment. He's hustling you and he knows it. Hate to be blunt but its the truth. If he wants the equipment room moved then let him do it. At the end of the day you own NOTHING but a contract to pay a certain amount every month for the next 15 years!

 

[MEP001]

At the end of the day you own NOTHING but a contract to pay a certain amount every month for the next 15 years!

And a five-year note renewable every five years does not protect you if he sells it. A 15 or 20 year note does.

 

[scottlee]

The words "lease" and "car wash" do not work together. Whatever excitement you have now will turn into regret if you do this. Car wash equipment is not cheap. Do you really want to spend money fixing up someone else's property and equipment. He's hustling you and he knows it. Hate to be blunt but its the truth. If he wants the equipment room moved then let him do it. At the end of the day you own NOTHING but a contract to pay a certain amount every month for the next 15 years!

I prefer the bluntness - much easier to understand. The excitement is wearing off after reading this and other comments. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[scottlee]

And a five-year note renewable every five years does not protect you if he sells it. A 15 or 20 year note does.

Is that right? I thought options survive the sale.

 

[Dan kamsickas]

Do. Not. Do. This.

Here's a simple analogy: A landlord offers you 6 months free rent on a house, but you have to remodel the house. He gets to pick every aspect of the redesign but you get to pay and do the work. A year later you've really made the place nice, the property value is the highest it's been in decades. He sells and you're back to living in your van down by the river.

 

[MEP001]

Is that right? I thought options survive the sale.

They can, but it's so easy to slip in a loophole that it's harder to trust. A solid lease is locked in.