Thoughts for a new/rare business...

[Kingsford]

So, I found this building by me that it pretty good shape and its a pretty good size and not much money. So I had an idea, here it goes...

 

You know how most Car Washes say "NO HAND WASHING" and you freeze your butt off in the winter (if you choose to use them)?

 

Well I thought why not make a place inside with like stalls in it and welcome hand washing and heat it in the winter. That way you can clean your car up year round. I was thinking ya know charge $10 an hour to rent a stall but I dont know what I would do about water, maybe pay by the gallon or something.

 

I think the two big things here are heat in the winter and hand washing.

 

In the summer it would be nice and just open all the doors and stuff.

 

There is an office type area that I thought MAYBE I could stock Adam's supplies and become a dealer.

 

I dont know I'm just kicking around ideas in my head...

 

 

What do YOU think?

 

-Jason

[hondarider]

Sweet good idea

[EricJ]

If I still lived in Coal City (lived there till I was 9) I'd come work for you.

[Cygnus]

Bad idea, forget about heat in the winter. It's too beautiful that time of year to do it inside.

 

Now if you say you're going to do it, but have the place air conditioned for the summer, then I'm all over it.

 

I'd actually be happy just having a coin-op place around me that I can do a bucket wash at. Scottsdale must have some sort of zoning against them since the closet one to me is about 15 miles away in Phoenix. It makes the HOA's no car washing rule even more of a pain. So I'd love to have a place that I can get a stall and a hose.

[StormChaser]

Very cool idea from Brad.

 

I sincerely hate having to go to someone's house to use a water hose (i live in an apt with no wash area) but then I also hate going to the car wash places too b/c you have to put 5.00 in before the water will even flow and it doesn't really allow for me to take my time with the water, etc. It's a waste of money for me.

 

Heat in the winter and a/c in the summer would make it rock.

 

When I lived in AK we had heated auto car washes. I always took my truck through the touchless wash to get the glacier soot off and as you enter in the bay warm water would greet your vehicle and after your vehicle is full inside the bay the doors shut on both sides. It stays heated throughout the whole process. I loved it!

[TR6speed]

Sounds like a great idea, as I once lived in Chicago and know the winters there. The biggest issue will be calculating how much the heating bill will be and also the water usage. I am assuming that you are not going with the standard coin operated machines. If you are, then all you need to do is contact the local water department and see what they charge by the gallon, and then set your machines accordingly. You will need to add a profit margin in on that also.

 

One suggestion is doing some marketing research and see if there is an interest in it before you go too far.

[Derelict]

I'd go. Like many of the others, I have no hose/driveway.

 

I'm not sure how big of a demand there would be. I'm guessing most people who detail their own cars have them garaged. Heat and A/C would get expensive. There could be environmental issues. I think around here car washes have requirements on waste water.

 

I guess it all comes down to how many bays you can get out of it and average occupancy vs your costs. Are there lots of car nuts/clubs around you?? Big car shows??

 

The vendor idea is great, you could advertise how-to clinics to get people stop by and into detailing (even if they have their own place to do it).

[11chevz71]

Just depends on the demand. And how long it would take to turn a profit. Lot of number to run. All i will say is make sure you will make money. Use also have to think about liability insurance etc.

[dabigbratj]

doit heck id come up that way to give my truck a good cleaning in the winter

[Chris@Adams]

One thing to consider the heating bill for a large building would be costly.

Good luck on your endeavor!

[DieselDude]

You could put meters on the water line going to each stall.

 

To help on heat you could use Waste Oil to heat it with.

[Kingsford]

One thing to consider the heating bill for a large building would be costly.

Good luck on your endeavor!

 

I thought about that... On the Fire Department we have a 10 bay station and we use 6 radiation gas heaters that hang from the ceiling. We leave them set at 60-65 degrees and its pretty warm and comfortable to wash your car inside in the winter. The bill we get isnt too bad ether. Plus I could turn them off over night and turn them down on slow days.

[Kustom_FX]

I thought about that... On the Fire Department we have a 10 bay station and we use 6 radiation gas heaters that hang from the ceiling. We leave them set at 60-65 degrees and its pretty warm and comfortable to wash your car inside in the winter. The bill we get isnt too bad ether. Plus I could turn them off over night and turn them down on slow days.

 

I would not turn them off, it will cost more to reheat than to just turn them down to say 50. Plus all that water would cause you a freezing issue. Thats another thing I thought of, your INS could be OUTRAGEOUS due to wet conditions and the chance of a customer falling. I love the idea A LOT, but I see a TON of pitfalls to cross and things to investigate. Keep us posted!

[StormChaser]

Yea in AK for my heated garage I kept the temperature at like 38 degrees when I wasn't in it and when I was in it....I'd bump it to 50 ....

[SteveB]

I agree, sounds like a great idea. Just looks at your costs and what mark up you could use to see if there is potential for profit. Ask around and see what price people would be willing to pay to have an indoor place with water and electricity to clean their car. I do have a drive way but during the cold of winter and heat of summer it sure would be nice to have a place inside where I could detail the car.

[70'sChevyGirl]

One thing to consider the heating bill for a large building would be costly.

Good luck on your endeavor!

:iagree:

[Chewy]

Sounds like a neat idea, but remember we're in the minority. Most people don't care about hand washing their cars in the summer, let alone in the winter. Most of the "garage queen" owners out there drive a beater in the winter anyway. I'd love a place like that, and I'd use a place like that. I just don't see it being a money maker.

[Doug123]

and advertise and use soft water?

[turbohcar]

Consider the size of a town like Kankakee too (25,561 people roughly). Even if you could get a business up on it's feet here in Bloomington, IL (74,975 people and a large population of Corvette owners) I'm afraid your costs for a large building would still outweigh the benefits.

 

I would personally keep the idea and look for a smaller location. One that fits maybe one or two bays and start there. Less to heat = less to pay utilities wise, less to insulate, less to clean. What I'm saying is don't stop dreaming, but start a little smaller so that you can gauge whether you need to grow or not. There's no sense in getting a huge building right off the bat.

 

Also, look at how many automatic washes are in town to how many people you see washing their cars this time of year. The auto washes are your competition. ALSO, big thing here, offer something that people can't get at the autowash or at home! That will surely have them knocking at your front door.

 

Good luck!

[floraneg]

Sounds like a good idea

[Captain Slow]

I toyed with this exact concept last winter. One thing I had thought about for heating was radiant heated concrete floors. Same floors could be coated with some of that fancy no slip stuff we have in our lab. Instead I am going to insulate the garage this fall and use the heaters like last winter when I do my ONR wash. Last winter I was able to get the garage up into the mid 50's which was warm enough for wax...and short sleeves!

 

Good luck with your idea. I'll definitely be a customer.