Advice: Building a wash

[soonermajic]

I am curious , about a ball park figure on building a 5/1 Wash. ONLY the structure (pad, walls, roof, wiring, plumbing etc...). NOT the equipment to put in it. I'd like 4 or 5 SS bays, or normal size & 1 bay large enough for an IBA & 1 decent sized equipment room. ER could possibly be a little smaller nowadays, because equipment is more compact.
Could this be done for $130k, not including the land or equipment?
Could someone give me an idea of how Large the lot would need to be, to sustain 4 or 5 SS, ER, & 6 covered vacuum stations?
coach B

 

[robert roman]

Typical 5 + 1 has 2,800 SF building and 22,500 SF land.

Figure $100,000 in site work (grade, slab, stub utilities).

Now, you can put up structure.

Cheapest is metal. Figure $45.00 per SF for kit or $126,000 plus cost for shipping, sales tax and on-site installation.

Figure $10,000 for architect and civil engineer and $30,000 or so for general contractor.

Then figure about $45,000 for mechanical, electrical and plumbing work to fit out building.

So, I don’t see how $126,000 is conceivable.

 

[rph9168]

I don't totally agree with some of Robert's numbers but I agree that there is no way you can do it for $130K.

 

[Waxman]

yes your # is way too low. i built a 2/1 10 years ago for more than your figure. metal building.

 

[robert roman]

Some of you guys bark a lot but where’s the bite, your numbers?

Take assumptions enter them into calculator (i.e. RSMeans) add permits, furniture and fixtures, equipment (wands, in-bay, support, installation, FOB and sales tax) and $400,000 for real estate and 5 + 1 equals $1.0 million with metal building versus $1.2 with block and mortar building.

So, for 20 percent more, you can go first class with block instead of cheaper looking sheet metal.

It’s like comparing block with stucco and manufactured home with metal siding.

Which one is more attractive, worth more and probably would sell faster?

 

[Waxman]

Some of you guys bark a lot but where’s the bite, your numbers?

Take assumptions enter them into calculator (i.e. RSMeans) add permits, furniture and fixtures, equipment (wands, in-bay, support, installation, FOB and sales tax) and $400,000 for real estate and 5 + 1 equals $1.0 million with metal building versus $1.2 with block and mortar building.

So, for 20 percent more, you can go first class with block instead of cheaper looking sheet metal.

It’s like comparing block with stucco and manufactured home with metal siding.

Which one is more attractive, worth more and probably would sell faster?

i was simply saying my wash is metal. 40' x 60' Kirby building. numbers? building was about 100k 10 years ago.

 

[soonermajic]

22,500 sf of land is what I really needed. That's about half of an acre. Where I am , that can be bought for about $5k in country, or $10k---$15k on the loop. I won't need a Civil engineer or contractor fee.
My father-n-law is a builder/contractor & has built 5 carwashes. He thinks he can do the building for around $150k (including plumbing & electrical adds another $20,000), so about $175,000ish... That figure is brick & or split faced block, & white extrutech panel walls inside bays.
What are you guys thoughts on the Extrutech panels? Does it hold up & look good? Would it be much cheaper than brick/split faced block?
How much would it cost for 4 pumpstand w/ bay doors to include bill acceptors? Offer all regular functions (not triple foam). What's best combo vac (shampoo/vac) for the price? Will use all LED lighting. Prolly not feasible to do a refurb IBA, so I'll leave that off...

 

[robert roman]

Why did you first ask “Could this be done for $130k, not including the land or equipment?”, if you already knew:

“….father-n-law is a builder/contractor….thinks he can do…for around $150k (including plumbing & electrical adds another $20,000), so about $175,000ish...figure is brick & or split faced block, & white extrutech panel walls inside bays.”

Even in most isolated area of Texas, brick/split faced is about $180 per SF materials, F/F, and labor. Back out 25 percent for labor and 25 percent contractor profit margin is $90 per SF or $252,000 to erect shell.

“I won't need a Civil engineer…..”

How do you propose to obtain permits without professionals signing off on drawings that comply with seismic, wind load, etc.?

“Where I am , that can be bought for about $5k in country, or $10k---$15k on the loop.”

$0.22 to $0.66 per SF land doesn’t have infrastructure.

So, where do you propose to put the waste water? Maybe you drill well for fresh water but injection wells and leach beds for carwash waste are now illegal.

 

[soonermajic]

Robert, "why do you always have to be such a condescending prick"?
I'm certain some of my figures are off, just like some of your "know it all facts" are often Florida skewed. Try putting down your CarWash thesaurus, & talk /type more legibly to us common folks.

 

[cap732000]

Yep he is generally a prick! Maybe right on some things but a true A$$ with his delivery! And he don't have a clue about building in other areas as everything you said IS doable maybe low on what the total will be but we dont have the regulations like Florida! Heck your just asking for ideas not a fricking gospel sermon on how superior he is!

 

[rph9168]

I still think you might be a little on the low side but it seems like you have a pretty good handle on the project as a whole. Probably your biggest asset is your father-in-law that has experience building washes. I knew a guy that tried to save money by using his contractor friend that had never built a wash. It was a disaster. Probably ended up costing him twice what it should have and he still had many problems with the wash.

 

[soonermajic]

Yep, turns out the $130 was for 3SS/1IBA. However, that might be a better set up anyways.

 

[robert roman]

Since “cheap” seems to be the main objective around here, why don’t you build out of steel shipping containers.

Build wouldn’t even need to be painted to fit right in with $0.25/SF land.

Someone farsighted might consider this condescending as in being a snob.

On the other hand, others might consider this a potentially good idea.

 

[soonermajic]

Robert, you never disappoint, do you?

Looks like land is gonna be about $40k, for half an acre. Still, not bad, & 3 SS/1IBA, ER, 4 covered vacs is gonna be $150 + nice like new equipment is another $40k & install for $20k miscellaneous add $25k = $280,000ish , is still a pretty dang good deal. Fingers crossed...

 

[robert roman]

Robert, you never disappoint, do you?

Never.

Good luck with wash.

 

[Waxman]

Here are some mistakes i made that you should avoid:

if you're in a cold climate, pour a heated concrete apron around building. Create a separate heating zone for aprons and entry / exit pad on iba bay.

pay attention to iba doors. keep operators in dry location and use light but rugged doors.

install 4 vacs minimum. i went with 2 and am adding 2 more this year.

 

[soonermajic]

This is N.Texas, so fairly warm. I'm thinking 4 vac minimum. Should I do 2 shampoo/vac combos & if so, which would you guys suggest?
Any other suggestions?

 

[MEP001]

I like the all-in-one units rather than having shampoo/vac and fragrance/vac at different stations. Customers like to do everything at one spot without moving. Yes, you'll be picking up hoses a lot, but if you're attended it's worth it. They can make $3k a year.

 

[soonermajic]

MEP, which All In One units would you suggest? Other ideas?

 

[pgrzes]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... So I am not the only one that see's him for what he is!!!!!!
I have 2 vac islands, one that has 3 on it. Each has a frag/vac-shampoo/vac on them. Put up as many vacs as possible. Vacs are like free $$$ very little cost/maint for the income. I redid my whole wash 9 coleman combo vacs, coleman 7 bay super saver pumpstand pulled from closed wash for 15k, new ginsan ultimate doors, used high velocity with Hamilton gold line and a new a roof over automatic bay. whole project was done for $150k. If you do a lot of your own work, can put in the time you can do a nice job and create a nice functioning wash for a reasonable price. I have found the best way to learn how things work and how to work on and fix things is to be a part of putting everything together. Good luck with everything. Oh yeah if this will be a second location, try to use same equipment you have in first wash!! Keep as many things similar as possible, will make life easier and less inventory to carry.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!