How Much Does It Cost To Operate a Car Wash?

How Do I Start a Local Car Wash Business? Starting a car wash involves many of the steps you would take when opening any new business.

Find a Location

Perhaps most importantly, you need to find a location that positions you for success. You could purchase an existing car wash that the current owner wants to sell. Alternatively, you could find a plot of land and construct a new building. The option you choose will likely depend on opportunities in your area.

Research Competitors

You also need to research competitors to determine where they succeed and fail to meet customer demands. You can dig a little deeper to discover how well other car wash businesses perform in your area.

Do some of them have a lot of debt that could prevent them from lowering their prices? If so, you might use low prices to push them out of the market.

Is there an area of town that other businesses aren’t serving? You could use that as an opportunity to establish your new car wash and gain a loyal customer base.

Write a Business Plan

Your car wash needs a business plan that helps you prepare for the future and establishes goals. Your business plan should include:

• Approximate startup costs.
• Estimated operating costs.
• A long-term revenue management strategy.
• A description of what sets your car wash business apart from competitors.

The business plan will become a critical resource when you look for financing and seriously consider whether you want to enter the market.

Prepare to dedicate a good deal of time and effort to this stage. It’s worth it in the end.

Explore Your Financing Options

Most new businesses rely on financing. Start reviewing your options now. You might need to borrow money or find investors. The more time you have, the more likely it is you will find helpful partners with reasonable expectations.

This part of the process also involves getting your financial documentation in order. Lenders will want evidence that you can repay a loan. Investors will want to see that you know how to handle personal and business finances like an expert.

Apply for Permits and Licenses

In most states, you will need to get a business license from the secretary of state. You will also need to trademark marketing materials and register your corporate name.

Your municipal government might also have permit and licensing requirements. If you’re uncertain, contact a lawyer familiar with your local laws.

What Items Do I Need To Start A Car Wash Business?

The items you need to start a car wash business vary depending on the level of service you plan to offer. Self-service car wash businesses require considerably fewer items than a full-service business.

Items for Self-Service Car Wash Businesses

If you want to open a self-service car wash business, you should plan to invest in:

• Meter boxes that accept payments and give customers specific amounts of time to use cleaning equipment.
• Coin boxes that protect money from theft.
• A plumbing system capable of moving thousands of gallons of water per day.
• Durable spray guns that practically anyone can use without instructions.
• Spray gun fittings with differing levels of water pressure.
• Foam hoses that apply cleansers to vehicle exteriors.
• Brushes customers can use to scrub stubborn dirt.
• Hoses that connect wands to your plumbing system and detergents.

You might also want to give customers access to industrial vacuums, tire inflators, and a vending machine that dispenses drying cloths and other necessary items.

Items for Full-Service Car Wash Businesses

A “touchless” full-service car wash will need considerably more equipment. Plan to invest in large systems that offer:

• Automatic brushes for wiping debris from vehicles.
• Low-pressure wax dispensers.
• Spot-free rinse systems.
• Fragrance dispensers.
• Wheel and tire cleaners.
• Stainless steel containers to hold cleansing chemicals.

You will also need a computer that coordinates every piece of the automatic car washing system. Some companies sell complete packages that come with hardware and software, making it easier for customers and employees to get reliable results from the services they select.

How Much Does It Cost To Start an Automatic Car Wash?

The costs of starting an automatic car wash go far beyond purchasing equipment. You also need to pay for a high-traffic location that’s easy for drivers to access. Ideally, you want a location that also attracts impulse customers who see your car wash and quickly decide to clean their vehicles.

You will also need to pay for:

• A waste management system that conforms to local laws.
• Insurance.
• A security system that protects your investment outside of business hours.
• Permits and licenses.
• Electricity, water, and other utilities.
• Employees.

Obviously, these costs will vary depending on your location and the size of your car wash. On average, you can expect to spend somewhere between $2 million to $8 million to get started.

How Much Does It Cost To Operate a Car Wash?

Once you start your car wash, you will need to pay some ongoing costs to keep the business running. For example, you might spend:

• $500 per week for basic maintenance.
• $2,000 per week to pay employees.
• $1,000 per month for electricity.
• $6,000 per month for water and sewer.
• $400 for telephone and internet service.

If you rent your location, you will need to pay the owner monthly. That’s probably your biggest ongoing cost.

Even if you manage to purchase a building, though, you will probably need a loan, which means you pay your lender each month.

The amount you spend on real estate varies dramatically by location. A car wash in a small town with low property values might cost $5,000 per month. If you open your car wash in an urban area with higher property values, you could easily pay 10 times that amount.

How Profitable Is a Car Wash?

Profitability depends on a lot of variables. You have control over some of those variables, such as where you establish your car wash and how well you serve customers. You don’t have nearly as much control over other factors, such as the weather and property rates in your area.

A well-run self-service car wash will probably generate about $1,250 in revenue per month. Adding more bays could give you more opportunities to increase your revenues. With three bays, that $1,250 might grow to $3,750.

A full-service car wash should make considerably more money. Each bay should bring in approximately $140,000 per year. Three bays makes it possible to triple that amount.

Of course, you reach a point where it doesn’t make sense to add more bays. Only a certain number of people want to wash their cars at any given moment. Ten bays is probably too much for most areas because several of them will sit unused.

Is Running a Car Wash Worth It?

Running a car wash is a great investment as long as you do a lot of research, choose a location that attracts customers, and position yourself for financial success. It takes a lot of hard work, but some owners find that they start earning profits fairly quickly.