For self-serve car washes, it costs around $17,000 to build a single bay. For automated businesses, building expenses run at a rate of approximately $42,000 per bay. Click to see full answer. Beside this, how much does it cost to build an automatic car wash?
How much does it cost to start a self serve car wash?
14/06/2020 · How much does it cost to build a self service car wash? For self - serve car washes , it costs around $17,000 to build a single bay. For automated businesses, building expenses run at a rate of approximately $42,000 per bay.
How much do car washes make a year?
26/10/2021 · Although in many urban settings, the financial return indicates that stand alone self-service carwashes do not cash-flow for the short term. How much does it cost to build your own car wash? A typical site of one Automatic In Bay Car Wash & 3 Self Serve bays will cost anywhere around the $700,000 mark to build & approximately $400,000-450,000 in equipment costs.
How much does it cost to start a mobile detailing business?
The minimum startup costs for a self service car wash: $12. The maximum startup costs for a self service car wash: $37,876. The average startup costs for a self service car wash: $19,815. Here's a detailed list of a self service car wash startup costs:
How long does it take to build a car wash?
Self service car wash machines can be very expensive; some cost as much as $5,000 to $10,000. The bulk of your capital will probably be spent on acquiring these machines. You can get some people to partner in your business start up as investors if the cash you have won’t be enough to get the business started.
Are self service car washes profitable?
Self-Serve Carwash Compared to the aforementioned car wash types, it doesn't have high business traffic and its profit isn't very high. ... This is a low-cost business that can earn $1,489 per bay every month and an average annual income of $41,000.6 days ago
Is owning a car wash a good investment?
Among the many advantages to owning a car wash, one of the most attractive to new business owners is the amount of profit one can generate. Small-scale, self-service car washes average just over $40,000 per year in profit while larger luxury car washes can net owners more than $500,000 per year.
How much profit does a car wash make?
According to information from the U.S. Census Bureau, the average in-bay automatic car wash makes $139,000 in annual revenue, which translates to $86,531 in profit. Generally, this type of car wash charges $6.34 per wash and will profit $4.35 per wash.
How do I start a carwash business?
Start a car wash by following these 10 steps:Plan your Car Wash.Form your Car Wash into a Legal Entity.Register your Car Wash for Taxes.Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card.Set up Accounting for your Car Wash.Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Car Wash.Get Car Wash Insurance.Define your Car Wash Brand.More items...•08-Mar-2021
What is self service car wash?
A self service car wash is place where people come to wash their cars. As the name implies, car owners do the washing themselves. They can pay with their credit cards or by inserting coins into the cash washing machine before they can use it for car wash. The car wash industry is competitive as you get to see a car wash bar at almost every turn in ...
How much does a car wash machine cost?
Raise Capital for Your Business. Self service car wash machines can be very expensive; some cost as much as $5,000 to $10,000. The bulk of your capital will probably be spent on acquiring these machines. You can get some people to partner in your business start up as investors if the cash you have won’t be enough to get the business started.
Is car wash business competitive?
The car wash industry is competitive as you get to see a car wash bar at almost every turn in the city. You can still start the business and make good money out of it. This article will discuss importance of investing in a self service car wash business and steps on how you can set up your own self service car wash bay.
How to attract people to your car wash?
One way to attract people to your car wash bay is by offering discounts; you can run the discount for the first three months after you start your business, and revert part to normal price later. Print and Distribute Fliers.
Is self service car wash a passive income?
You set up the bay and car wash machines; while car owners pay to use the machine. It is a good source of passive incomes; that is a means of income where you can be away and still make money from it.
Who is Tony Martins?
Ajaero Tony Martins. Founder / Publisher at Profitable Venture Magazine Ltd. Ajaero Tony Martins is an Entrepreneur, Real Estate Developer and Investor; with a passion for sharing his knowledge with budding entrepreneurs. He is the Executive Producer @JanellaTV and also doubles as the CEO, POJAS Properties Ltd.
How long does it take to build a car wash?
The average time that it takes to completely build a car wash is around 6 months. This means that you will need extra money during the building of your car wash. Keep in mind that you are still not earning money during this time.
Is it possible to earn money without hard work?
It is known to be the best way to earn money without doing any hard work . Because of this, there are now a lot of small businesses that opened up. This means that you will have to compete with a lot of business owners if ever you want to enter the world of business. Luckily, there are still some businesses that only have a little competition.
How much does it cost to buy a car washed land?
However, the cost of the land in this area may be more expensive. Buying a land usually cost around $3 per square foot and this varies from one location to another.
Is it profitable to own a car wash?
Owning a car wash is really a profitable business. However, you will need to invest a lot of money whenever you are planning to open one. The investment you will need will also depend on the type and the size of your planned car wash. You will also need to consider the land, whether you already own a vacant lot or not.
How big is a car wash?
The average size of a typical car wash usually runs around $1,000 square feet, but there are some that exceed more than $2,500 feet. It may be best to build a small car wash first, but a lot of professionals recommend you to build a larger car wash. The reason for this is that you can expand your business whenever it becomes very successful.
How much does it cost to open a car wash?
The average cost of car wash usually runs around $30,000 up to $40,000 per bay. The cost depends on the brand, the type of equipment you want to have, and the type of car wash you want to build (Automatic or self-serve).
How much does a permit cost?
Permits, architectural engineering, traffic studies, and appraisals can cost around $50,000 up to $100,000. Other site works such as earthwork, landscaping, asphalt, and foundation can cost around $200,000 up to $300,000. Electrical and Plumbing can cost around $350,000 up to $500,000.
Why is reclaiming water important?
Reclaiming water is important. This requires capturing the water and pumping it through a filtration system to clean it before it is used again. Automatic car washes use a lot of electricity as well. Labour is paid at the minimum wage because the workers also get tips.
What is automatic car wash?
Automatic Car Wash is the type of car wash that you will normally see at a convenience store or gas station, because it generally requires less space and labour than other car wash formats. When you use this type of car wash, you will pay for the type of wash you want, your vehicle will be pulled into the car wash from a starting point, ...
How much does an automatic car wash make?
The owner of a modestly successful automatic car wash would make around $6,600 per month in profits after paying all the expenses. In really busy areas, it is possible to make up to ten times this amount.
What are the variables to consider when opening an automatic car wash?
For instance, the size of your building, the type of construction and even development expenses can vary significantly.
How much does it cost to build an automatic car wash?
Advertising campaigns can cost $2,000 – $5,000 on average. Signage costs roughly $15,000 – $25,000. From the detailed breakdown above, the estimated cost to build an automatic car wash is $500,000 – $1,400,000 ...
What are the fees required to start a business?
To successfully start this business, some of the required paperwork and professional fees that you need to pay for are: architectural fees, engineering fees, studies and appraisals (e.g. impact, traffic), construction permit, business license, and environmental and safety permit.
How much does labor cost?
Labour will cost about $60 per hour so for an eight – hour shift, that is $480 plus $120 more for employment taxes paid by the employer. Electricity will be about $200 per day and water about $75 per day and supplies about $25 per day. Insurance will cost $2,000 to $3,000 per month.
How deep is a 4 bay wash lot?
(Typical 4 bay self-serve wash would need a lot 100'-120' deep x 100' wide minimum). Good access from both directions of traffic flow is also very important. Ideal traffic speed should be under 40 mph.
How many vacuums should I have in a 3 bay wash?
The ideal number of vacuums to have is 1-1/2 vacuums per 1 bay of self-serve. (i.e., a 3- bay wash should have 4-5 vacuums placed somewhere on the lot). National average of revenue per vacuum is approximately * $200 - 300 per vacuum per month in gross revenue. (Incomes can and will vary.)
How wide is a truck bay?
Truck bays should be 17-18' wide and 28' long. (Smaller bays will work but are not recommended.) Typical pump room is 10'-15' wide x 28' length. Typical bay height is 10' for car bays and 12'-14' for truck bays.
How much revenue does an outside bay bring?
However, as a rule an outside bay will bring in only about 40-50% of the revenue of an inside bay. It is always better from a revenue standpoint to enclose all bays and build one larger if you feel you will have adequate truck traffic. This bay then can also be used for cars if other bays are busy.

Location
Permits, Licenses, and Professional Fees
- Some of the required paperwork and professional fees that you need to pay for are: architectural fees, engineering fees, studies and appraisals (e.g. impact, traffic), construction permit, business license, and environmental and safety permit. The cost of permits and licenses is $150-$200 on average. Including professional fees, the total of this part of the cost to build a car wash alone c…
Waste Management System
- Environmental authorities require car wash facilities to have an integrated system to collect, process and reuse wastewater. The more contaminants in the wastewater, the more you’ll spend on your wastewater recycling. A closed-loop system that can restore water for reuse right in the car wash facility costs from $35,000-$100,000.
Equipment
- Different types of car wash systems need different equipment. Self-serve car wash equipment costs $8,000-$10,000 per bay. For automatic units it can go as high as $31,000-$49,000 per bay. Make sure to do a canvass of equipment costs with your local distributors, so you can compare prices for the equipment and the brand you want. You may also want to consider buying used ca…
Insurance, Safety, and Security Systems
- You should protect your business from potential risks and accidents that will cost you money. Types of insurance coveragethat are recommended for car wash businesses are those that cover general liability, professional liability, and commercial property. You’ll need to prepare at least $500 up to $15,000 for insurance coverage alone. It will help to research what specific insuranc…
Advertising and Promotion
- As a new business, you’ll want to put the word out to attract potential customers. Advertising campaigns can cost $2,000-$5,000 on average. Signage costs roughly $15,000-$25,000. Out of all the types of car wash businesses, mobile detailing will cost the least at startup. This is so because it saves on money needed to purchase/rent land and to develop a car wash establishm…