Cost of building a automatic car wash
- Thread starter ANDYS
- Start date
Buzzie8
Member
It's hard to answer without knowing what you want to do. Self-serve with In-bay automatics, Full Serve, Flex Serve. Order my recently published book Car Wash Business 101 available at Amazon. It should answer a lot of your questions about getting into the car wash business:
http://www.amazon.com/Car-Wash-Busi...7966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327625195&sr=8-1
Buzz
http://www.amazon.com/Car-Wash-Busi...7966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327625195&sr=8-1
Buzz
Buzzie8
Member
Still not clear of all the variables. I have an older 5 bay plus a dog wash at my older wash. If I wanted to build out a bay and install an automatic I would put a ballpark cost of $150k for equipment, and a minimum of $30k for the build out. I think the $150k should get you an autocashier and a decent in-bay automatic. Probably need to budget an additional $15k if you want polycarb doors. This is just a ball park though.
Reds
Member
Add to those costs - spot free water, is your compressor big enough? water service big enough? electrical service big enough. Site work will be expensive too - paving, aprons, heated aprons (boiler big enough?), grading, sewer connections, site lights, signage, etc. I spent 250 to add one IBA bay (block building) without needing bigger electrical service nor bigger water lines/meter, nor spot free.
Also check with your local building permit people, and ask what, if anything, they might want. Don't offer any suggestions to them, but they may want you to add a water reclaim or higher utilities fees for a bigger water line. When sizing the building don't make it just big enough for the machine you choose, but allow for bigger things in the future.
captain cw
Member
Probably between $250,000-$300,000 nicely done. Less if you cut corners. A good distributor can be a big help.
Tom Thumb
Active member
Don't forget the impact fees you will have to pay.
what do you mean by impact fees
Buzzie8
Member
Many communities will require a traffic impact fee when building new construction that can be substantial (I paid $18k for a new wash). There could also be sewage tap-in fees that are estimated based on your water usage, These could also be substantial. They would be hard pressed to charge me for these in my area for just adding an automatic bay but you should know about them just in case.
robert roman
Bob Roman
Not knowing what development impact fees are may imply several things.
1) Your community does not have such fees associated with developing an income producing property
2) You bought the carwash from someone else and do not understand the carwash development process
3) You do not actually own a carwash business
Assuming the latter does not apply, you have options to consider.
1) Convert one of the existing wand-bays to a slow in-bay, high-speed in-bay or mini-tunnel
2) Go through the potentially laborious and more expensive process of seeking approval to develop another stand-alone facility on your land
As suggested by one of the other members, I agree that you might want to begin by contacting an authorized equipment dealer in your area and/or find a qualified industry consultant.
The true merit of a dealer and/or consultant is having the ability to actually help someone.
Either way, you want good direction and not just another payroll expense.
1) Your community does not have such fees associated with developing an income producing property
2) You bought the carwash from someone else and do not understand the carwash development process
3) You do not actually own a carwash business
Assuming the latter does not apply, you have options to consider.
1) Convert one of the existing wand-bays to a slow in-bay, high-speed in-bay or mini-tunnel
2) Go through the potentially laborious and more expensive process of seeking approval to develop another stand-alone facility on your land
As suggested by one of the other members, I agree that you might want to begin by contacting an authorized equipment dealer in your area and/or find a qualified industry consultant.
The true merit of a dealer and/or consultant is having the ability to actually help someone.
Either way, you want good direction and not just another payroll expense.
Thanks for the great advice
