Anyone convert a wash to something else?

[wash12]

I have a 100' by 30' bay with 14' by 14' doors. Also detached I have 6000sq ft of industrial space with 16' ceilings and 14' doors for a total of 9000sq ft of rentable space. I know car wash will make more but I am considering just turning it into flex industrial for passive income.

It is set up perfect for a flex industrial space. Most car washes couldn't convert without serious changes but this site the only major issue I see is the conveyor in the tunnel. Once I remove it I am thinking instead of filling it with concrete as I am sure that would require me to address drainage and many other issues. Just have a welder fab a metal crate to cover the entire length of the tunnel in say 5' sections.

Am I missing anything else here that would be required for me to do this based on others experience? It is zoned for basically whatever I want so opens up many uses such as auto repair, boat repair, car sales, restaurant, industrial warehouse, ect..

 

[washnshine]

I have a 100' by 30' bay with 14' by 14' doors. Also detached I have 6000sq ft of industrial space with 16' ceilings and 14' doors for a total of 9000sq ft of rentable space. I know car wash will make more but I am considering just turning it into flex industrial for passive income.

It is set up perfect for a flex industrial space. Most car washes couldn't convert without serious changes but this site the only major issue I see is the conveyor in the tunnel. Once I remove it I am thinking instead of filling it with concrete as I am sure that would require me to address drainage and many other issues. Just have a welder fab a metal crate to cover the entire length of the tunnel in say 5' sections.

Am I missing anything else here that would be required for me to do this based on others experience? It is zoned for basically whatever I want so opens up many uses such as auto repair, boat repair, car sales, restaurant, industrial warehouse, ect..

You will want to check the pitch of the concrete and see if there is slope for drainage. Depending on the intended use, you may need a perfectly level floor and that may not be the case with your conveyor trench. Also - not sure if metal crate will be the preference to support machinery etc. depending on future use.

 

[wash12]

You will want to check the pitch of the concrete and see if there is slope for drainage. Depending on the intended use, you may need a perfectly level floor and that may not be the case with your conveyor trench. Also - not sure if metal crate will be the preference to support machinery etc. depending on future use.

It has a slight slant but very minimal. I think I could get away with the pitch how it is. I am thinking a metal crate like you would put in a SS bay. I would think those have a pretty high payload.

Just trying to think of anything else that may need to be changed that I am not thinking of.

 

[Roz]

We are probably converting a 5 self serve bay wash into retail office space and combining two largest bays into one large garage for the company vehicles. Adding AC Heat Walls a Bathroom Windows Bricking up three SS bay entrances plus a lounge area all on a new concrete floor so it is level and nice. all in we will have a 3000sf brick retail space.

 

[Keno]

Never done it, but have considered it. Just saw a tunnel that was converted into offices in Tampa while visiting

 

[Greg Pack]

 

[Roz]

That reminds me. There were two SS/IBA washes owned by the same person one town apart in Maryland that I looked at but could not make the numbers justify the ask. They both sold for their ask and were repurposed. One converted into a Dunkin donut place with the IBA used for drive thru purchases and the other was converted into garage and offices similar to what I may do.

 

[wash12]

That reminds me. There were two SS/IBA washes owned by the same person one town apart in Maryland that I looked at but could not make the numbers justify the ask. They both sold for their ask and were repurposed. One converted into a Dunkin donut place with the IBA used for drive thru purchases and the other was converted into garage and offices similar to what I may do.

What did you do with your drains in the bays? And pit separator tanks?

Did the city make you do anything unusual to convert besides obviously permits.

 

[TMoliver]

there was a tunnel in Philadelphia that converted to a Turkish Bath with tyle walls and floors.

 

[Roz]

What did you do with your drains in the bays? And pit separator tanks?

Did the city make you do anything unusual to convert besides obviously permits.

We had steel plates fabricated and placed over the pits after they were emptied and filled with sand.

No separator as the wash was from 1960 and we do not have bathroom.

Permits. Have to talk with town council to get permission to rezone the real estate. Hopefully just a formality but one never knows for sure with some towns.

The steel plates where we are converting to office space will be covered by a several inch layer of new concrete so the floor is level and true.

 

[wash12]

Sounds like you aren't planning on ever making it a wash again being you filled the pits with sand. I want the option to make it a wash again if needed. I am trying to figure out what gauge steel we need for the grates. Would you have a pic by chance?

 

[Roz]

I will get pics when there next. The sand in the pits can be sucked up by a wet dry vac if you wanted to covert back to a wash. That said conversion back is not in the cards for us as we are taking down some internal walls and adding drywall to make office space.

The pits are 3’x3’x18” deep so really too small for a carwash. Back in 1960 I suppose they did not expect many customers or the original owner would clean them out often.

The plates are 3’x3’x3/8” so they are strong. Not expensive. I think about $260 each

The reason we added sand is to prevent any odor from potentially coming thru the pipes from the sewer system. Just a precaution.

 

[OurTown]

The reason we added sand is to prevent any odor from potentially coming thru the pipes from the sewer system. Just a precaution.

You should have capped the open pipes in the pits but I do like the idea of filling with sand. Pea gravel would have been good too.

 

[Roz]

You should have capped the open pipes in the pits but I do like the idea of filling with sand. Pea gravel would have been good too.

We did but seal was not tight so the sand added a layer of protection.

 

[OurTown]

We did but seal was not tight so the sand added a layer of protection.

Was it rusty, crusty cast iron? Did you put plastic sheeting over the sand?

 

[Roz]

Was it rusty, crusty cast iron? Did you put plastic sheeting over the sand?

Plastic but not much pipe extended out if the floor so cap was a challenge. No sheeting. We did seal the edges of the steel plate with a type of bond that adheres to the steel and the concrete floor. I will post pics whenever I get back to the building.