How to Start a Carwash Business

Carwash

There are many challenges that every person may face when it comes to doing business. As a matter of fact, even the process of choosing the type of business venture to undertake is already difficult. This can become problematic due to the fact that almost all industries are congested with several companies or organizations. Your goal is to be able to choose the right business that will stand out from those already existing in the market. At A point, it is important to emphasize the needs of conducting a feasibility study before you start your investment.

With respect to the task of choosing the business, always keep in mind the importance of supply and demand. Of course, there must be a high demand for the product or service you want to offer to your target market. Make sure that your business will be able to meet the demands of these individuals. At the same time, you must also see to it that you select a business location wherein there is only a little competition for the business you want to build.

A good example of this is the business of managing a car wash. In this article, our primary focus will revolve around this interesting business concept. First of all it is important to note that the demand for car wash service keeps on rising every single day. Many people own automobiles, which they value deeply. The owners of these vehicles want to keep their cars clean all the time. However, due to their hectic schedule, they could no longer wash it on their own. As such, they always end up finding the most convenient car wash shop in their area.

 

Carwash

Car Wash As A Business

As you start a business, the first thing that you need to consider is the amount of money that you are willing to use as a capital. Once you already have the budget, the next thing to do is to think of the right business venture that allows you to get a high and fast return on your investment. As already mentioned above, the car wash business could be the perfect choice for you.

These are the steps that you need to undertake in order to start your own business:

Find the capital required to put up the car wash.
Take note that the key to kick starting the business is through investing a good amount of capital. The amount depends on how big you want the car wash business to be. At the same time, you also need to take into consideration the cash needed to purchase the equipment as well as the salary to be paid for the employees.
Build the car wash area in a good location.
The ultimate goal here is to create a shop that is accessible to a large target market. Car owners must not find it difficult to avail of the car wash service that your company offers. Most importantly, make sure to check with the local water district in your chosen location. It is necessary that there must be an adequate and strong supply of water.
Obtain the necessary business registration.
To make this happen, you must come up with a good business name first. You must have at least five alternative names that you can choose from. It must be noted that some firms or organizations have already acquired the business name you want. This is why it is really necessary to list down many names as much as possible. After getting an approval for the business name, the next step to take is to go to the Business Bureau to acquire a registration.
Buy the equipment and stock up on supplies.
Since you already have the capital needed for the business, it is time to focus on making the necessary purchases. Of course, you need to buy a pressure washer, vacuum cleaner and repair tools. At the same time, you also need to buy car shampoo, microfiber towels, tire black supply and others. Keep in mind that you must only get the equipment and other supplies from a trusted distributor or manufacturer. This is to ensure that you will not encounter major problems in the future. It is also highly recommended to look into the availability of warranty for the tools and equipment.
Train all the workers before opening the car wash shop.
In order to become successful in your chosen field, it is significant to point out that you must have a high rating for customer satisfaction. In order to achieve this, you need to train the workers or employees of the shop. Do not open the shop without giving them the right training classes or seminars. There is a need to give proper instructions as to the proper procedure in rendering service.

 

Carwash

What to Buy

In this section, we will list down some of the must-have equipment for a start-up car wash shop. You really need to invest in these machines or tools in order for your business to be successful. Make sure that you only buy them from trusted suppliers. Otherwise, the equipment can be destroyed easily which may lead to a business downtime. As a result, your company may start losing some potential income or earnings.

High Pressure Pump This is the most important equipment to buy for your car wash business. It is responsible for dispensing water to clean vehicles. There are many types of pressure washers that you can choose from. Some of these include electric pressure washer, trailer sprayers, hydraulic pressure washer and gas powered pressure washer. The choice really depends on your preferences. Make sure to inquire about the product first before making an actual purchase.

Soaps and Detergents. These are used for cleaning purposes. The supplies that you will choose must be proven to easily remove dirt on cars. Always keep in mind that different car owners have varying needs. The goal is to ensure that you will be able to satisfy these needs of all your clients. In order to make this happen, you must use effective soaps or detergents;. Some of the options available are truck wash or aluminum wash liquid soaps, automatic or tunnel wash products, foam brush detergent or tire cleaners.

Vacuum Cleaner and Accessories. When it comes to cleaning automobiles, you must not only focus on the exterior area but also on the interior of the vehicles. As such, you have to acquire a good vacuum cleaner that will enable you to remove the dirt and dust on car mats and other important areas of the automobile. You can choose between dry or wet vacuum.

 

Carwash

Advantages of Car Wash Business

The car wash business has become popular in the market due to many advantages that it provides to the entrepreneurs all over the world. Some of these benefits being enjoyed by car wash shop owners are as follows:

Low capital requirement. If you do not have a large amount of savings to build a big company, then you can start small by building your own car wash shop. You do not really need to spend an expensive investment in order to won this type of business. Instead, all you have to do is to have an estimate of around $1,500 to $2,000 and you can already start your own car wash business.

Availability of option to buy. Another option available to you is to simply buy a car wash business. This is a good alternative especially if you have no time to start the business from scratch. When you choose this option, you will no longer need to shop for equipment since everything is already available. Moreover, there is no need to incur expenses for building a shop. All that needs to be done is to re-open the car wash and inform the public that it is under a new management.

High demand. As already emphasized above, there are quite a large number of people who own vehicles or automobiles. These owners are always interested to keep their car clean. As such, there will always be a high demand for car wash services. Many people will keep on looking for the nearest shop that can give their cars a good wash. This is definitely the type of business that will be visited by consumers on a regular basis. The demand for car wash services also increases during the weekend.

High net income. The goal of every business is to generate high amount of profits. This is very possible if you own a car wash business. You can expect a high net income for your monthly operation due to the fact that there are low operational expenses. Once you already incur the car wash equipment cost, there is no longer a need to spend for it again. That means that the monthly expenses will only comprise of the other car wash supplies and salary payments for the workers. Therefore, only a low amount will be deducted from your gross income.

Types of Car Wash

As early as now, you need to be aware of the fact that there are different types of car wash options that you can choose from. Unfortunately, you cannot offer all to your target clients unless you are willing to shell out a large amount of capital or investment. Each has its own pros and cons, which is why you must know the proper types to offer in your car wash shop.

Hand Washes

This requires your staff to wash vehicles or automobiles manually. It is considered as the traditional type of car wash. Many consumers prefer this wash because it provides deepest clean and best detailing. However, this is considered as one of the most difficult type since it requires more manual labor or work.

Self-Serve Car Washes

By the name itself, it implies that the customers will do the job of washing their own cars. These clients will just use the equipment available in your shop as well as the other supplies. This is quite convenient on your part since the customers will do the dirty work. Your staff will be mainly concerned in receiving the payments and checking the equipment. However, take note that there can be a downside to this due to the fact of lesser customer supervision.

Tunnel Washes

In this type of car wash, the vehicle is moved through a tunnel on a conveyor belt. This is also another convenient way of operating a car wash business because of the lesser work on your part. The tunnel has different cleaning tools and other important equipment. It also has rollers and cloths that are responsible for wiping and washing the car. Some tunnels can also have an additional pressure washer for removing chemicals off the car. If this is what you want to offer, make sure that you have a bigger space for the shop.

Automatic In-Bay Car Wash

With this type of wash, the customers can simply purchase a ticket and pull their automobiles inside the car wash bay. What is amazing about this is that the car will simply stay in place while the car wash moves back and forth. Most customers prefer since this type of car wash requires less work from them. At the same time, this is also recommended for new car wash entrepreneurs. The automatic in-bay car wash can be operated even if the terminal that issues ticket is unattended by a staff.

Now that you have known some of the basics about the car wash business, you are already ready to start your own. Just remember that this is not a race. Take your time in planning the business thoroughly before entering the market. Learn all the things that you need to do before starting the operations. Know your competition so that you can be able to improve your services to your target market. Most importantly, always put your customers on top priority. When they are satisfied with your services, then you can get a high guarantee that they will patronize your company. In the long run, your car wash business will be an ultimate success.