I would like to get your opinion on this property design. The property is only 109 feet wide, but it is located in a high-traffic area with no turning restrictions. The traffic count is around 16,000 cars per day and it is accessible from two roads with 23,000 cars per day. We are planning to install a high-speed Mark VII Choice Wash. The self-serve stations are positioned sideways to comply with the strict landscape requirements of this location. Could I get your opinion on what kind of volume it would do and any ideas you might have? Additionally, there are 2 small glass doors for Iclean dog washes and the third door is for a vending area.
Car Wash Forum
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
New Carwash and Detail Building
- Thread starter dfido456
- Start date
There will be four vacuums.
Attachments
GoBuckeyes
Self-Serve and Automatics
Don't know what part of the country this is in but is it a cold climate? If so, where are you going to push snow? Our lots can get real small, real quick if and when we get heavy, prolonged snowfall.
What about a dumpster? Front load garbage trucks are 35' long and quite heavy. If they have to snake all the way to the back of your lot and try to somehow turn around good luck. Your asphalt is going to take a beating. Maybe consider shifting your detail building to the other property line so you have a straight shot to the back of your lot. Just a thought.
What about a dumpster? Front load garbage trucks are 35' long and quite heavy. If they have to snake all the way to the back of your lot and try to somehow turn around good luck. Your asphalt is going to take a beating. Maybe consider shifting your detail building to the other property line so you have a straight shot to the back of your lot. Just a thought.
AnalyticWash
Well-known member
Why not just make this a 140' tunnel and kill the detailing building? I think you will make more money with the same headaches.
I would guess that when this goes to planning you will find out you can't do the layout you would like with the drive access. Two way traffic is likely a min 20-25' width plus your landscape buffer. There are numerous issue here with how traffic flow is going to impact operations and customer access. What happens when you have 4 people queued up on each self serve and they are blocking traffic to detail, auto bays, and dog wash?
I'd remove the glass in the auto bay.
Vacs & trash are missing and something your customers are going to want.
Why Mark VII? Is this a gas station car wash...?
find a couple more distributors to talk to.
I would guess that when this goes to planning you will find out you can't do the layout you would like with the drive access. Two way traffic is likely a min 20-25' width plus your landscape buffer. There are numerous issue here with how traffic flow is going to impact operations and customer access. What happens when you have 4 people queued up on each self serve and they are blocking traffic to detail, auto bays, and dog wash?
I'd remove the glass in the auto bay.
Vacs & trash are missing and something your customers are going to want.
Why Mark VII? Is this a gas station car wash...?
find a couple more distributors to talk to.
Why not just make this a 140' tunnel and kill the detailing building? I think you will make more money with the same headaches.
I would guess that when this goes to planning you will find out you can't do the layout you would like with the drive access. Two way traffic is likely a min 20-25' width plus your landscape buffer. There are numerous issue here with how traffic flow is going to impact operations and customer access. What happens when you have 4 people queued up on each self serve and they are blocking traffic to detail, auto bays, and dog wash?
I'd remove the glass in the auto bay.
Vacs & trash are missing and something your customers are going to want.
Why Mark VII? Is this a gas station car wash...?
Thank you for your input, but the building will remain as it is. We are a wholesale detailing company specializing in dealer work, cleaning 800-1000 cars a month across 15 dealerships. This property is being built for the detail shop, and the car wash is there to cover the property taxes and expenses. Currently, we own a car wash and facility in a smaller rural area with minimal expenses, using a Mark VII choice wash that handles 1000-1200 car washes a month. The property taxes alone on the new property will be 30-40K per year, plus a city water bill of 3-8K per month. There are currently 3 tunnel washes within an 8-mile radius, but they are not next to Target and Walmart as we would be. Another car wash company tried to put a tunnel on the lot, but it wouldn't work because they use the same layout and plans for all their designs and didn't want to create plans just for this site. In the township, there are very stringent rules on landscaping and building materials with no variances on these two items. The current design layout has been submitted to the township, and we are now at a point where we have to do a Final Development plan, which, of course, is very detailed, down to the size and kind of trees we are planting. Does anybody know a design consultant or architect who can create a functional and practical layout? I also included a drawing with some measurements.
Attachments
Why not just make this a 140' tunnel and kill the detailing building? I think you will make more money with the same headaches.
I would guess that when this goes to planning you will find out you can't do the layout you would like with the drive access. Two way traffic is likely a min 20-25' width plus your landscape buffer. There are numerous issue here with how traffic flow is going to impact operations and customer access. What happens when you have 4 people queued up on each self serve and they are blocking traffic to detail, auto bays, and dog wash?
I'd remove the glass in the auto bay.
Vacs & trash are missing and something your customers are going to want.
Why Mark VII? Is this a gas station car wash...?
Before adding the cost of carwash equipment, our valuation stood at 2.5 million. We run a wholesale detailing business, handling 900-1200 cars monthly for 21 auto dealerships with a team of 18. We also own a small shop with 4 bays and an IBA, averaging 700-1000 carwashes a month, which we intend to keep. The venture started as a search for a new detailing facility but evolved into building a carwash to help with property costs. We shifted our property search from industrial areas to high-traffic locations and secured a spot near Walmart, overcoming some red tape with our connections. This site has the added advantage of existing water retention systems, cutting down our costs. While we're detail pros, we're new to the carwash game, with experience limited to Mark VII IBAs. The site's in a high-tax zone, with expected annual taxes of $40K. We're looking at financing options, but we could cover the costs with our reserves if needed.
Last edited:
There aren't any 24-hour car washes nearby, so we've compared demographic numbers from two car wash companies and a third-party firm. The consensus is a respectable annual range of 71,000 to 84,000 car washes. We're leaning towards an express tunnel and an in-bay automatic (IBA) for after-hours service. We're financially stable enough not to have to stretch our funds to make payments, and I'm not boasting. People must realize the importance of not overextending themselves and maintaining a solid cash reserve. This is why we often see new car washes on the market. Frankly, buying a car wash franchise on leased land is the craziest thing I've ever heard of, typically, the developer is the one who benefits. I will post an updated layout when I get it done for your guy's opinion. We're ditching the self-serve bays but I'm keeping the dog washes does anybody have experience with Iclean Dog Washes with the urban planning they're putting in the area.
Here's some info to get you started.
sonnysdirect.com
chain conveyor
pros
- tried and true industry standard
- economical
cons
- customers have to aim tire into a 12" wide track.
- perceived wheel damage
belt conveyor
pros
- easier for customers to get onto/off
- no perceived wheel damage
cons
- expensive
- high maintenance
- did I mention expensive
Mini Tunnel Car Wash Systems
Mini Tunnel Systems - In-Bay conversion to mini tunnel
sonnysdirect.com
chain conveyor
pros
- tried and true industry standard
- economical
cons
- customers have to aim tire into a 12" wide track.
- perceived wheel damage
belt conveyor
pros
- easier for customers to get onto/off
- no perceived wheel damage
cons
- expensive
- high maintenance
- did I mention expensive
AnalyticWash
Well-known member
You are going to need more than 4 vacs.
I know we’re changing the whole design what’s your opinion on free vacuums?
