Trying to open new wash in Calgary AB Canada

[Max]

I need your help. I have come across a great opportunity to open a ss coinop in Calgary and I have a lot of questions that I need your help with.

It have read two articles discussing the positives about using Tokens. Can anyone please tell me about using tokens? Have you had success with Tokens? Please note that in Canada we use $1 and $2 dollar coins. Who should I have make my Tokens?

This will be a 6 bay wash. What is the best equipment to use for the best price? I have recieved a few quotes regarding equipment installs but I really want the best bang for my buck. I have been quoted a cost average of 22,000 per bay for equipment and install.

What should my time per dollar be? Calgary has a great economy and some of the other SS have times of 164-180 sec per dollar. I will have no competition within a 20 minute drive radius.

How do I prepare myself for the winter? We have snow from Novemeber to March. The great things about Calgary are the chinooks. This is a weather phenomenon that creates a heatwave a few times a winter and everything melts. Car washes are packed when this happens.

Are the small convenience stores that sell basic food, drinks and auto supplies worth the cost?

How many vacuums should I have? What times are appropriate?

Lastly, are Dogs wash areas worth the investment? I was quoted by only one company around 9K.

Thanks!

 

[daymus]

I would use loonies, toonies and tokens. You can sell rolls of tokens at discount and promote this for commercial accounts. This keeps your customers coming back. Get a change machine with two cash dispensers. Make one dispense tokens (25 $1 tokens for $20) and your other one can dispense change if they dont want tokens.

Charge $2 for the first three minutes and $1 for each extra minute with bonus time (we charge $3 for the first three minutes and $1 for each extra minute, the most expensive in North America because of high taxes and floor heat costs).

PD Mclaren is a good Canadian company, reasonably priced, but with our dollar high now there may be some good ones in the US.

For winter get a good floor heat system, cover the floor well and buy lots of salt (the water dripping from the cars as they leave creates a lot of ice).

Chinooks will cause big line ups.

Get at least four vacuums (two with shampoo and fragrance)

Dog washes are good but very messy and smelly.

 

[ken-pro]

Instead of tokens why not a credit / fleet card system; use this to market to fleet customers, and business people - Because we have the $2 and $1 coins in Canada, tokens have less effectiveness than in the US.

If your building in Alberta, I would highly recommend either power doors on entrance and exit to the wash, or a barn style wash with 1 entrance, 1 exit, and wash stalls inside a heated building - This is very common in Alberta, and either style will allow you to wash and stay open in the coldest of AB winters - Gotta love the Chinook though.

With six bays you need a minimum of 4 vacuums - At least 2 of these should be combo units (Shampoo or Fragrance). I'm not sure what the going rate is in Calgary, but in Ontario we are pricing these at $2 for 4 minutes. Bays are pricing $3 for 4 minutes at most locations.

Pet washes do require a fair amount of time every day to keep clean, but most owners I have spoke to say the income vs. investment is worth the mess. Most owners find if they keep it clean, customers will do the same.

 

[Max]

Heating costs?

Thanks for the great replies. What heating costs am I looking at with a 6 bay wash?

 

[bigleo48]

"Dog washes are good but very messy and smelly"

If you know it's gonna be messy, then build the room so it can been cleaned quickly and without a fuss. I can clean my very very messy dogwash in less than 2 minutes. I hose down the tub and walls and vac up the excess water and hair.

Pet washes need to be well ventilated, but smells come from bacteria. If you disinfect the room daily, there won't be any stink.

 

[ninspeed]

Run it all... Washtech here in town has great systems and great service. Why not offer your customers the ability to pay credit card, cash or set up fleet account. Plus you can sell prepaid cards. Customer love them for the convience, and if you track them well enough you can see how much free money you are making (lost cards, ect)...

As for heating costs... HUGE... Biggest complaint from customers is inbay temp in the winter, they like it 15-17, and when its -20 out, with door opening and closing, it adds up, plus it gets pricey when stuff freezes, ex. last cold snap when it droped below -40 (yes, we where closed) my heating system in the mechanical room could not keep up, the top air was warm, but the bottom foot was ice cold and i lost 1 pump manifold, and my spot free motor was damaged.