Due to the fact that the number of cars in cities is constantly and steadily increasing, the demand for car-related services is growing. This applies to service stations, gas stations and car washes. But would it be a mistake to try to take a place in this niche, and what kind of income will a car wash bring to the owner?

Benefits of a car wash

Despite the fact that opening a car wash involves certain difficulties, this business is not only profitable, but also pays off relatively quickly. This business is partly profitable because many car owners are willing to pay for car wash services and today washing a car in the yard of their own home is long, difficult and unprofitable.

In addition, Russian realities are such that the quality of roads, constant precipitation and dampness in many regions of Russia do not allow keeping a car clean for more than a few days. It is interesting that even with such a high demand, there is still not enough supply, and each new car wash correct actions owner will definitely become a profitable business.

Thus, this business has the following advantages:

• High demand for car wash services at almost any time of the year;
• Business profitability;
• Lack of significant competition.

The prospects of any car wash also depend on less significant factors, for example, targeting a certain category of consumers, the ability to service both domestic cars and expensive foreign cars, additional services for customers and the level of service.

Residents of single-industry towns are interested in: besides this?

Is there profitable business With minimal investment? What knowledge and skills are needed for this? We are on this question.

Car wash franchise

Theoretically, for a car wash there will be enough space, a minimum set of equipment, detergents and several washers. However, this option will only work in small towns where the population simply has no choice. Currently, when opening your own car wash, it would be better to use a franchise.

The definition of the term “franchise” is very broad and covers a whole range of activities and actions, but in general, a franchise is a paid right to commercially use a trademark and/or business system. IN in this case the owner of the rights (franchisor) transfers them for a fee to the using party (franchisee).

Today in Russia there are several companies that are ready to cooperate with entrepreneurs and transfer rights to their business schemes and trademarks. These companies provide franchises for mobile car washes, the demand for which is constantly growing. All of them differ in terms and amount of franchise payment, but three projects can be called the most interesting for beginners.

Franchise "Mobile car wash"

This project has been running since 2010. The peculiarity of the company’s way of working is that the client does not come to the car wash: the washers themselves will arrive at a pre-agreed place to provide services. The company's operating methods do not involve the use of water - special chemicals, as a result of which there is no dirt or puddles left at the car wash site. In addition, one of the areas of work of the Mobile Car Wash is the creation of small stationary posts in various parking lots, next to shopping centers, close to cinemas.

Franchise "Fast and Shine"

When purchasing a FastandShine franchise, the car wash owner receives ready business plan and business decisions that relate to opening a car wash and effectively attracting customers. The company operates in 60 cities of Russia.

Franchise "LuxCarwash"

This is another opportunity to organize a mobile car wash, which, according to rough calculations, will cost eight times less than a stationary box.

Franchises "Autolandia" and "Autoreality" as alternatives to a car wash

The huge number of cars on the territory of our vast country requires large number burglar alarm and other related products for cars.

In 2012, the Avtolandia franchise was registered, since then more than 25 partners from Russia and Kazakhstan have joined us and together we have created an extensive network of online stores that sell radar detectors, DVRs, navigators and much more.

The peculiarity of this enterprise can be safely called a small investment of money for the promotion of its own business. For 50 thousand rubles, the franchisor will provide the buyer full information on business organization, will help launch your online store and provide and, for starters, provide a certain amount required product.

The franchisee will feel constant support from the franchisee, and he can also count on his full assistance in resolving any issues that arise.

The tempting nature of this proposal is as follows: the opportunity to make a quick profit with minimal investment, combination with any other type of activity, you can do this work for several hours a day.

A big role in the popularity of the Autolandia franchise is played by its online orientation. This means that you don’t have to look for premises for your business, hire staff, train them and pay salaries. You will save on all this. The owner himself will control the entire production, from the purchase of goods to its sale. In this case, you are not required special knowledge and preparedness.

The payback is evidenced by the following fact: more than 10 franchise enterprises of this brand have already been opened.

The demand for auto parts never falls, but in times of crisis, on the contrary, it grows, since there is not always enough money to buy new cars, and old periodic ones need to replace components.

Motorists increasingly prefer to buy spare parts themselves, without contacting service centers. The Autoreality franchise makes it possible to sell spare parts from famous companies, the buyer chooses the brand himself and receives the rights to sell its products in his city. This direction is considered quite new; running a business does not require special skills, knowledge or large investments, and profit is guaranteed from the first days of the enterprise’s operation. The franchise involves four options for cooperation, three of which are online trading with the provision of a website, one is a regular store.

Types of car washes

Choosing the type of car wash is very important point, which needs to be studied at the planning stage. The volume of cash investments, demand for car wash services and profit depend on this. All car washes are divided into several types:

• Manual;
• Automatic;
• Mobile.

Mobile car washes– the least common category today, however, given the fact that such a business will require relatively little money, and the means and equipment used make it possible to wash a car quickly and with very high quality, mobile car washes can be considered a promising area.

Manual car washes in turn, they are divided into non-contact and contact. In the first case, water and detergents are supplied using equipment, and the worker controls the process without directly participating in it.

Contact washers- the most common and least expensive type. In this case, the car is washed by a person, and despite the fact that it is very advantageous view car washes for owners and inexpensive way For clients, manual contacts are gradually losing their relevance. Manually applying detergents with a sponge if done carelessly can lead to damage to the body, and in terms of time, washing a car with this method is inferior to other types.

Automatic car washes are also divided into two types: portal and tunnel. In a portal wash, an arched automated structure moves along the car, which cleans the body either with brushes or using a system high pressure.

In tunnel-type car washes, everything happens a little differently: a car moves past the washing units on a special conveyor belt. In this case, you can also save on employees: for the operation of the sink, up to two people are enough to control the process. However, you will have to invest a lot of money in the construction of a separate room, since it is not always possible to find a suitable one.

What do you need to open a car wash?

Theoretically, opening a car wash is not so difficult if you strictly follow the instructions and soberly assess your capabilities (including financial ones). Where to start opening a car wash? First of all, you will have to choose a place and find out the rent for it. This amount always depends on the specific situation.
But the most important and very first actions of the future car wash owner are to obtain a resolution from the city administration and submit a letter of petition. This means that administration representatives should not have any complaints about opening a car wash in the selected area.

A lot of time may pass from the time you submit your application, and you shouldn’t waste it: during these few weeks you need to prepare and submit a sketch of your project to the city administration, coordinate it with municipal architects, the SES and the fire service, and after that you can calmly wait for preliminary consent from administration.

After this, all received documents for opening a car wash, along with a letter addressed to the mayor, must be submitted again to the city administration, and after the final consent, you can begin to design or construct a building for the car wash.

At this stage, the final project is developed, which is sent for examination by the SES, agreed with the labor protection service and the environmental service, and approved by fire inspectors and city architects.

The last stage is the state examination, which approves the project and issues a construction certificate.

Requirements for car washes

During the operation of a car wash, wastewater is discharged into the city sewerage system, and the owner of the car wash must enter into a corresponding agreement with the municipal water supply and sewerage utility (WSS).

According to the terms of the contract, water and wastewater services establish regulatory requirements for opening a car wash based on the composition of wastewater. Speaking in simple language, the water supply and sewage system regulates the quantity and composition of wastewater: the volume should not exceed the quantity specified in the contract and should not contain toxic or hazardous substances. environment chemicals.

Also, do not forget that water treatment equipment must be installed at the sink to purify the incoming water. These are inexpensive and compact units that do not pose any particular difficulties.

Car wash space

The profitability of such a business depends on the choice of location for a car wash. Although car washes are generally cost-effective, your choice should be taken with due care. For example, in residential areas there may be fewer clients, but the monthly rent will not hurt the pocket of the car wash owner even in “ dead season».

A car wash in prestigious areas may have a higher rent, and in such places (usually the city center) the administration is very reluctant to allow car washes to operate. But even if you find a suitable area with high traffic near the center, you can be sure of a constant volume of work. In addition, residents of elite areas are very often owners expensive cars, they can afford to regularly take care of their car and often order a whole series additional services.

It is not necessary to build a separate building for a car wash from scratch: you can find inexpensive options with a ready-made building, but when building your own building, it is very important to choose a place where not only many cars pass by, but also to which customers can freely drive up, regardless of how busy it is roads.

Construction or rental of boxing

Opening your own car wash always involves a choice: build a separate building in accordance with your requirements or rent a box and try to adapt to the proposed conditions yourself?

The answer to this question is clear. For a business such as car washes, the best option there will be the construction of their own boxes, but not everyone has such a large sufficient capital to invest part of it in construction.

If you work for the future, you can choose a ready-made option, but in this case you need to approach the choice of location very carefully: the very low cost of rent in the first place should not be a pleasant surprise, but immediately alarming. It is possible that the low price is due to the unfavorable location.

How to choose equipment for a car wash?

What equipment is needed? Any modern car wash should have:

• hot water pressure washer and water supply pressure washer (average cost $3,000);
• Compressor (costs about $250);
• Washing vacuum cleaner (from 400 to 550 dollars);
• Used water purification systems (from $5,000);
• Consumables in the form of detergents (about $300 monthly).

Typically, the cost of professional equipment depends on the manufacturer, but in this case, the car wash owner has little choice and will not be able to save much. Main suppliers on Russian market today are the companies Karcher, Carebridge, California Kleindiest, Weidner and other smaller manufacturers in Spain, Germany and Italy.

However, a good car wash is not only about equipment, but also about separate areas for staff and customers. This will attract new customers through good service, make the work of your employees more comfortable, and therefore the car wash will bring more profit.

A rest room, a room in which the cash register and an administrator’s office will be located should be provided for the staff. The conditions in these premises do not have to be the most luxurious: everything should be equipped for productive work, but nothing more.

In the case of premises for clients, it will not be possible to limit yourself to “Spartan” conditions: it has long been proven that with the same prices for a product or service, the client will almost always choose the offer where it will be comfortable and convenient for him to wait for his order or his turn.

A comfortable sofa and armchairs for clients, a TV or a standard selection of magazines in the waiting room is good, but you can go further and provide the client with the opportunity to have a snack, drink coffee or warm up in the winter.

To do this, it is not necessary to invest money in a large extension for a cafe-bar: it is enough to provide a room in which, in addition to a small sofa, you can place three or four small tables, a cooler with hot and cold water and a small selection of snacks.

Hiring staff

Recruiting personnel for a car wash is the last thing you need to do after solving all the issues regarding construction and purchasing equipment. However, this simple task also requires a responsible approach.

Becoming a car wash does not require any education or special skills: such employees are easy to train. However, candidates for this position must meet certain requirements:

• Learning ability;
• Good physical shape;
• Minimum knowledge of the car;
• Friendliness and attentiveness towards clients;
• Responsibility.

Many car washes operate around the clock, and in this case, the washer has to make such an additional requirement as the ability to work at night.

Basic and additional services at a car wash

Additional services do not mean selling hot tea to customers, but procedures directly related to car washing. And in this case, you need to be prepared for the fact that the staff will have to be additionally trained and, most likely, the salaries of the washers will be increased. Obviously, the motivation of a washer to learn how to wash an engine, use anti-pot and anti-rain products will depend on the level of salary, and additional services for the owner of a car wash are, first of all, an opportunity to attract new customers.

You should not think that most car washes only provide external body washing: the range of services is very wide, and the main thing is to be able to attract customers to such services and make the right offer.

Many modern car washes (especially in big cities) offer their clients a whole range of additional services. Below are just a small part of them:

• Blackening of wheels and bumpers;
• Washing the engine using detergent;
• Radiator flushing;
• Application of protective wax;
• Abrasive polishing;
• Cleaning plastic in the interior;
• Removing holograms.

How much does it cost to open a car wash and what is the return on investment?

When the building for the car wash has been approved and built, the equipment has been purchased and installed, and the staff are dressed in new branded workwear, it is too early to talk about the success of the business. Should you open a car wash? Yes, it is profitable to open a car wash, but every entrepreneur knows: in the best case, and if there is sufficient initial capital, the new company will work at least “at zero” for the first time, and sometimes expenses can significantly exceed income.

But this is the beauty of car washes as a business: such services are in great demand and there are very few specific features, so if everything was done correctly at the creation stage, the business will develop and generate income.

Much depends on the initial capital, and if large loans were taken out to create a car wash, the process may drag on, but it will not stop. How much does the equipment cost? All equipment will cost approximately 300,000 rubles. Consumables (at the rate of 30 cars per day) will cost $300 monthly, if you add to this the cost of building boxes of 2,700,000 rubles - it turns out that the cost of opening a car wash is 3,000,000 rubles.

But this is the case if the boxes were actually built: if the premises are rented, all expenses in the first month (including staff salaries) will amount to about half a million rubles. But simple mathematical calculations show that monthly income with an average visit to 30 transport units per day will be 300,000 rubles.

So, after paying wages, deducting taxes, and paying rent, the car wash owner is still making a profit. Naturally, it is worth taking into account the so-called “low season”: in the summer, revenue is significantly reduced, since the streets are clean and most potential clients are on vacation. But even in this case, summer losses are generally compensated for by large volumes of work in the autumn-spring period.

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Although there are a lot of problems with opening and starting a business related to opening car washes, it is still not so difficult, although at first glance it seems otherwise. There are even a lot of mobile car wash complexes that are equipped with everything necessary equipment, so they can provide any car cleaning services.

The mobile complex can be installed anywhere, which means you can choose the most profitable location for your business, and it has now become available to small entrepreneurs. You can simply first make an investment in a car wash, think through all the options for promoting it on the market and work out a list of services, and then receive your income.

But where to buy such a car wash and what exactly should be done to collect all the documents permitting the opening and operation of a mini-enterprise, and how to get regular customers afterwards - these are the questions that concern the vast majority of entrepreneurs.

Of the main steps you will need to take in this path, the first will be to resolve legal and organizational issues. It will be necessary to collect a package of documents; this applies to any future car wash, even if it is mobile.

To begin with decide on the form of your business. If this is your first time dealing with this type of business, then register as an individual entrepreneur. This way you will reduce the package of documents that you will need to run around and collect.

Choose better simplified taxation, because in this case, with a small profitability, the tax will ultimately be less than in cases where a rate of six percent of income is chosen.

There is another advantage of this choice: you don’t have to hire an accountant, you can maintain the entire simplified tax system yourself, and also make your task easier by using specially developed accounting programs.

Now you are faced with the question of documents for opening, and what’s just great is that almost all these nuances will be taken care of Manufacturers of cleaning complexes are ready to accept, they will give you the equipment and a ready-made package of documentation with most of the permits. But you would have been collecting them for months on your own.

Land plot

Now look for land, that is, the place where you want to install your complex. The simplest option here would be sublease, since it is much easier to negotiate with the tenant than with the authorities.

Electricity, water, recycling

Now make an agreement for connection to electricity, although you will have your own generator, it is always better to be on the safe side. In addition, this way you will avoid frequent equipment breakdowns and reduce the cost of services.

The next step is to conclude two contracts, one of which will connect you to the water supply, and the second for purchasing water. This is necessary, since you still need to put the recycled water somewhere. And this also includes the third agreement for household waste disposal.

Prefabricated car washes - advantages and planning stages

Prefabricated buildings can be used for a wide variety of purposes, from a car showroom to a technical inspection point, so it’s not surprising that they are often chosen for car washes, because thanks to the modular structure, owners can change the area of ​​​​the area used without unnecessary expenses, hassle and design changes. Now this is the most common purchase.

What are these buildings like? The structure of this building is made of rolled and electric-welded profiles, which are connected without welding with bolted fastenings. This feature allows you to create a car wash with an area of ​​up to 1000 square meters and on two floors, without contradicting construction GOSTs and SNiPs and almost without the help of construction equipment.

Since this is not a permanent building, much less documentation and permits are required; this type can be registered as property. If you use mineral wool for insulation and carry out all fire safety measures correctly, then fire resistance of the room will be III-IV with hazard class C0.

The standard package will include sandwich panels 10 centimeters thick (with insulation) for the roof and walls with built-in elements for sealing and doors, stained glass windows, as well as a metal frame. Everything else can be supplied to the building additionally.

The base price may include interior trim made of steel with a polymer coating. The sink must be installed on a ready-made foundation., so don’t forget to take care of this in advance, and the installation itself will not take much manpower and time; a team of three people and four work shifts is enough, provided the project area is small.

With all these advantages, such a structure will be distinguished by wear resistance, longevity and functionality. Such ready-made car washes can be used immediately after assembly.

Advantages:

1. Quick installation
2. Instantly ready for use upon completion of construction
3. Saving money and time on documentation
4. Large selection of designs
5. Functionality
6. Long service life and resistance to wear and damage

When choosing a sink made from sandwich panels, you can be sure that its construction is possible in any season and in any climate, since almost no equipment is needed, and everything is built into the panels at the factory, there are cables and pipes, you just need assemble the parts according to the diagram.

Main stages of construction

First you will need decide on a place, where you want to open the sink. To do this, you need to rely on simple factors - assess where the vehicle traffic is higher, how close you are to automobile enterprises, and whether it is possible to provide communications without wasting too much.

The next stage is creating a building project. Need to develop a sketch complete solution inevitable questions about the correct construction, placement of equipment and wiring of all communications, equipment, architectural solutions. It should also include provisions on labor safety, environmental safety and fire safety measures.

Next you need erect a building, it is better with the help of organizations with an existing license for this type of work and coordination of your business with the police department, fire department, sanitary and epidemiological station, and so on.

And only now you can install equipment.

There are also now a large number of companies ready to provide you with a turnkey construction service, which means that they are ready to take on each of these important points.

Personnel requirements

In fact, if you are wondering whether it is worth starting a business with a car wash or whether it is better to set up a car service, then we can definitely say that in any case your actions will differ only slightly. But although washing requires mandatory equipment for wastewater purification, certification of services is not needed here, and therefore there should be no special requirements for personnel, with the exception of those involved in dry cleaning the interior.

Important questions for a business project

Since, like any business, a car wash can be unprofitable if not managed correctly, it is worth thinking through most of the issues at the sketch stage. To begin with, decide which type of building would be more appropriate depending on the location, wishes, services, and so on. Decide what equipment you will need and what its placement should be. Based on this data, you need to understand how many personnel you will need and how they should move during work.

Which business model is best for you? What services will you offer to visitors? All this needs to be thought through at the planning stage if you want everything to function smoothly later.

Do not forget that the stability of a car wash depends on how correctly the constituent and permitting documents are drawn up. In order to open a car wash, you need to prepare a package of documents.

First, you should determine which form of business organization you prefer. There are two options: register as an individual entrepreneur or register legal entity. Carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Choose the most suitable shape registration.

The next stage consists of obtaining permits. It is impossible to open a car wash without them. First you need to get permission from local authorities. Write a letter of petition and submit it to the city or district administration. In the letter, state your request for allocation land plot for the construction of a car wash.

You will not receive permits without a car wash project. It is best to entrust its development to a design organization. The car wash design must comply with current fire, environmental, sanitary and epidemiological, and architectural standards. It must be agreed upon by all authorities. Be prepared for the fact that the development of the project and its approval will take some time.

As a rule, design organizations offer two options: project development and project development with approval. The first option is cheaper, but you will have to coordinate the project yourself and go through all the authorities yourself. The second option assumes that the design organization will handle the approval. Of course, in the second case you will overpay a little, but you will receive the documents much faster. Decide what is more important to you: cost savings or high speed of document processing.

Visit the architecture committee, sanitary and epidemiological station. Be sure to go to the environmental, fire and occupational safety departments and obtain permits for washing services vehicles. This point is very important. If at least one conclusion is missing, the car wash project will not be approved.

In addition to all the above documents, you need an act for temporary or permanent ownership of land. The act is drawn up after the project is approved. The land will be allocated to you only after receiving this document. You will receive a warrant for the construction of a car wash. After this, you can begin construction of the object. After completion of construction, city services must accept the car wash and issue the appropriate document.

How to open a car wash? This question may arise for many entrepreneurs who decide to start new business. A car wash is a profitable business if you approach its organization with knowledge of all the subtleties and features.

What does it take to open a car wash?

As the number of cars increases, the demand for such a service as car washing also increases. In the off-season, you can see huge queues of vehicles near car washes, so budding entrepreneurs believe that this business can bring in large incomes. And this is true if you take into account all the subtleties and know exactly how to open a car wash.

In order to open a car wash, you must go through the following steps:

1. Decide which car wash modification is right for you.
2. Find a place to build (place) the facility.
3. Prepare and submit to necessary organs necessary packages of documents.
4. Conclude contracts for electricity and water supply to the facility.
5. Purchase equipment and wastewater treatment systems.
6. Recruit staff.
7. Tell car enthusiasts about the opening of a new car wash.

But before you start doing this business, you need to realistically assess all the financial costs. A car wash is not a cheap pleasure, although with proper organization of work it will pay for itself in less than 2 years and after that will bring a good profit.

How to open a standard, automatic, dry and outdoor car wash

About 10 years ago, washing a car required:

• water;
• detergents;
• person.

Nowadays, this particular set is not always necessary for washing a vehicle, since modern technologies allow you to open different types car washes And before deciding which modification to choose, you should study all the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Automatic washing requires huge financial investments, since all the equipment is very expensive. At such a car wash, all the work is not done by a person, but by special installations: first, the vehicle is doused with water under high pressure, then hot foam is applied to the body and brushes remove all dirt with rotating movements. After this, the foam is washed off with water, protective wax is applied and the car is dried.

This type of wash can serve a large number of cars; its operation does not require hiring a lot of personnel and the quality of washing does not depend on the human factor. The main thing is to monitor the condition of the brushes so that they do not damage the car body.

Dry car washing is done using special polishes. They soften dirt and do not harm the body paint. This work can be done by the car owner himself or by a service employee. The disadvantage of such a car wash is that there is no way to get to hard to reach places. Therefore, you should not expect that there will be many people interested in this type of washing under Russian weather conditions, but it can be offered as an additional service.

At an open car wash, the car owner washes his vehicle himself. And payment is made not for the service, but for the time of use of the equipment. This type does not require large expenses, and you do not need to pay money to the staff. In Russia, open car washes have become increasingly common lately.

Conventional hand washes are still quite popular. In such services, the work is performed by a person using shampoo, water and a sponge. This is the most inexpensive option for organizing a business, since you do not need to spend money on purchasing expensive equipment. But a man washes his car slower than automatic installations, he needs to pay wages and monitor working conditions. Therefore, the income from such a car wash is relatively low.

Where is it more profitable to open a car wash, how to open a point in the right place

The location where the car wash is located will directly affect the number of customers. If, for example, you open a service in the city center, the number of clients will be quite large. But renting or buying a plot there will be expensive, and to cover the costs you will need to raise the cost of car washing. Therefore, problems may arise either with customers or with the profitability of the business.

Car washes are often located at the entrances to cities. Renting land in such places is much cheaper, and all cars heading towards the city can easily stop by to wash their car. But if the highway near which the car wash is located is too busy, then the service will not have other clients. Few people want to go to the outskirts of the city to wash their car.

The best places to locate car washes are areas near gas stations and stations maintenance. Firstly, the locations of these services have already been thought out (no one will put a gas station where there is no traffic flow). Secondly, many motorists are already accustomed to using the services of a specific car service and refueling their cars at a certain station. Therefore, there should be no problems with clients in this case.

Another option for car wash locations is new residential areas. Residents of new buildings have a lot of cars; it makes no sense for them to wash their iron horse on the way from work or on the highway if it can be done close to home. Such a business does not guarantee many customers, but they will be regular, and this will allow the owner to more accurately calculate the washing load.

What documents are needed to open a car wash?

Before you start collecting a package of documents for opening a car wash, you need to decide whether the company will be registered as an individual entrepreneur or a legal entity. But in any case, you need to register with government agencies(see: How to open an individual entrepreneur (step-by-step instructions)? Registration of an individual entrepreneur in 2018 - 2019). If you have decided to conduct business in the form of an LLC, we recommend that you read the article “Rights and obligations of LLC participants” - this information will be useful to you both at the stage of registering the company and in the future when working.

After this you will have to go through the following steps:

1. Obtain permission to open a car wash from local authorities.
2. Order a car wash project. According to the prepared documents, it must comply with architectural, fire, sanitary and environmental standards. This document is prepared by a special design organization. In this case, specialists can simply make a project, and then the owner of the car wash will deal with all the approval procedures himself. Large companies propose to carry out this entire procedure in additional fee. Which option to choose is up to the car wash owner to decide.
3. Obtain permission from the architecture committee, fire service and sanitary and epidemiological station.
4. Obtain documents confirming the right to use or own land. Despite the fact that usually the issue of land is resolved before all documents are prepared, this act can only be received in person after the project has been approved.

After all of the above stages have been completed, you can begin construction and plan the opening of the car wash.

What are the requirements for car washes and how to open a service for a long time

After opening a car wash, it almost immediately begins to make a profit. At first, the inspection authorities do not show her any attention, and the business owner seems to have every reason to relax. Being confident that everything is going well and it cannot be otherwise, he can forget about the rules for draining dirty water and other regulations. But at one point, inspection authorities may appear without warning, and all the work done will be in vain.

The sanitary and epidemiological station will not allow such a car wash to operate for even a minute and may issue a considerable fine. While the problems are being fixed, the business owner will also have to pay land rent, pay salaries to employees and incur other expenses, and all the equipment will stand idle. In addition, after returning to work, the service will have to spend a long time restoring its reputation. If the business owner does not have the money to make the necessary payments and fix problems, the car wash may not work again.

To prevent this from happening, you just need to follow all regulations, monitor the quality of your equipment and the work of your personnel. And the main thing is to control the water treatment equipment; it is precisely because of problems with water treatment that car washes most often close.

What is needed to open a car wash and how to open a service with minimal costs

It is quite difficult to say exactly how much it costs to open a car wash - it all depends on its size and type. An automatic car wash will require a large initial investment (especially if it is located in a city), a manual or open car wash will require much less.

It is important to realize what you can save on when starting this business, and what costs it is better not to avoid. In particular, you should not skimp on equipment. For example, if you use poor quality automatic car wash brushes, they can damage your vehicle. After this, the service will have to be closed until a replacement is made, and after that it will take a long time to restore its reputation. And this is a huge financial loss. In addition, you will need to repair the damaged car or pay compensation to the car owner.

Smart savings means finding good suppliers of materials. It's no secret that the same equipment in different points may vary in price by 10-20%, and if we're talking about about millions, then this difference turns out to be significant.

If the car wash is a manual type, then it won’t hurt to spend additional money on installing cameras or hiring separate staff who will deal with financial issues. This will eliminate the possibility of theft and help increase profits.

When opening your own business, the first question that arises is: how profitable is the chosen direction? This criterion is fundamental when developing a certain market niche.

Naturally, no one can guarantee the success of the event, but it is still possible to get an approximate picture.

Is it worth opening such a business?

A person who decides to organize his own car wash, regardless of the reasons that prompted him to do so (an old dream, a desire to invest funds, a coincidence of circumstances, etc.), is definitely acting far-sighted. A car wash is a stable, sustainable and quite profitable business that absolutely anyone can start, even with no business experience.

The high profitability is explained by the fact that this type of service is used at any time of the year, although it is widely believed that Peak attendance occurs in the autumn-winter period. In the summer, of course, car washes are visited less often, but everyone visits. This is especially true for owners of more expensive cars, as well as those who want to do, for example, comprehensive cleaning salon

Where to start?

Any business, and this applies not only to a car wash, should begin by writing a competent business plan that will cover all aspects of business activity: general strategy, marketing, initial capital, sources of financing, payback, etc. It is necessary to calculate the expected costs income and profitability of the enterprise. Assess possible prospects for the development of this commercial project. Before drawing up a business plan, you should also study the current economic situation in the car wash market in your city.

The financial and accounting section of the business plan depends on the location of the car wash and includes the following points:

• construction;
• paperwork;
• land rental costs;
• costs for necessary materials and technical equipment;
• repair costs;
• operation of equipment.

All of the above points need to be thought through very carefully. After drawing up a business plan, you need to decide on the form of business economic activity. You can simply obtain the status of an individual entrepreneur, or you can register a legal entity (for example, an LLC). The registration process is as follows:

• formation of a package of documents (statement of the established form, passport, Taxpayer Identification Number, etc.);
• payment of state duty;
• submission of all documents to the registration authority;
• obtaining permits after some time.

In addition to registering with the tax service, you must:

• obtain permission from local authorities to open a car wash;
• contact design organization to develop a car wash project. The project must comply with current sanitary-epidemiological, architectural, fire and environmental standards;
• obtain permission from the committee of architecture, sanitary and epidemiological station, fire protection, labor protection and environmental protection department to provide car washing services;
• obtain a certificate for permanent or temporary use of land. Only after receiving such a document is a construction order issued.

Competitor assessment

The competitive environment of a company is a set of subjects and market factors that affects the relationship between the seller and the consumer of the service. The main competitors of any organization are considered to be the companies that operate most successfully in a specific niche.

In any large settlement there are a large number of enterprises providing vehicle washing services. The location of the sinks plays an important, but not the most important, role.

You can increase the competitiveness of your car wash only by providing services high quality using modern equipment, as well as offering reasonable prices.

To develop this market segment, it is necessary to develop a competent marketing, advertising and management policies of the enterprise. The main competitors of the opening car wash will be the most successful companies on the market providing manual car washing services. As for the location, it is better to open in an area where there are no large and well-established organizations.

Choosing a suitable room

The rate of cost recovery and profitability of a commercial project directly depends on the location of the facility. As for car washes, they are best located on the sides of major city roads and along busy highways. Many car washes are located at the entrances to locality, as well as at border and customs posts.

However, opening near a major transport hub or interchange may not be the most good idea– customers will simply refuse to maneuver between the abundance of scurrying cars. As practice shows, it is most profitable to open car washes close to gas stations, car parks and service stations.

If you don’t have enough money to build your own building, you can rent a suitable space. In addition, the paperwork procedure will be simplified (for example, you will not need to obtain permission to build a new facility). When choosing a space for a car wash, you need to take into account that part of the area will be taken up by storing consumables and equipment.

Types of sinks

There are two types of automatic car washes: tunnel and portal. In the first case, the car is on a conveyor belt and moves relative to the washing device. The portal car wash has a U-shape and three large brushes - one horizontal and two vertical. The car stands in one place and the brushes move relative to it. Both types of systems allow for non-contact washing, i.e., they exclude the effects of alkaline compounds and are based on the removal of contaminants using high pressure water.

Portal car washes “fit” well into small spaces, since such a system is a single module equipped with brushes that can be adjusted to any type of body.

The entire washing process is fully automated; accordingly, a portal car wash has greater throughput than manual.

Many car owners prefer manual car washes to automatic car washes because they are afraid that the equipment may scratch the car body during the washing process. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the equipment and promptly replace or repair a failed unit. Automatic washing must be equipped with a pre-wash system.

Portal sinks have many advantages:

• do not take up much space;
• suitable for all types of machines;
• have high productivity - up to 12 machines per hour;
• do not require large investments in training;
• effectively cope with assigned tasks.

In addition to brush portal washes, there are also contactless systems. As for tunnel car washes, their optimal size is about 35 meters in length. Smaller parameters will negatively affect the quality of the services provided. The washing process is as follows: the machine is fixed on a special conveyor belt and moves forward, bypassing all the devices on the line. Such washes are the most economical in terms of time: when the car moves forward a few meters, the next car can be started.

A good tunnel car wash is absolutely safe for the car body. Negative reviews problems with such a system in most cases are caused by outdated equipment and the reluctance of service owners to service it in a timely manner. The consequence of such negligence may be damage to the paintwork of the car. Today, modern tunnel sinks are a complex of new technologies, where outdated materials are replaced with soft foamed polyethylene and safe textile materials.

Connection to all necessary networks, necessary permissions

Car washes are classified according to the type of structure capital and prefabricated. Capital buildings are an industrial building erected on a reliable concrete foundation. Utilities are supplied to the facility: electricity, water supply, heating, drainage system. Such car washes are usually built in conjunction with a car service center, a tire shop, a cafe, etc.

Opening a stationary car wash requires approval from the architecture and urban planning department of the local administration. When developing a project, it is necessary to calculate the technical indicators of energy and water consumption, as well as plan a water treatment system, fire safety. To agree on the location of the sink, you need to submit:

• lease agreement or certificate of registration of land ownership;
• certificate of registration of individual entrepreneur or legal entity;
• tax registration certificate;
• a sketch of the washing project, which includes visualization, technical description, cost of the object, etc.

Personnel selection, equipment purchase

After all bureaucratic issues have been resolved, it is necessary to start forming personnel. The following requirements can be presented to future employees:

• availability of knowledge about car washes (determined by the specifics of the object);
• responsibility;
• communication skills and friendliness - to increase the client base.

As for the work schedule, it is ideal to plan a 24/7 schedule. For a stationary wash, you need to hire several washers (five or six) and one foreman. Higher education is not prerequisite, so you can safely hire students. Wages can be proportional to the volume of work performed, and to increase motivation, financial incentives for employees can be introduced. The image of the car wash is favorably affected by the branded equipment of employees with the service logo.

Advertising your business

If you want to always have eight to ten cars parked in front of your car wash, you need to carefully consider your advertising campaign. To maintain a business, you need to constantly look for new ways to expand your customer base. The car wash business does not allow for any “random” actions, so the marketing strategy or its absence will lead to wasted money.

Ideally, it is better to seek help from a professional advertising agency. Most of the money will be spent on signs, billboards, business cards and booklets. It would be useful to place advertisements online, in newspapers, on radio and television.

Learn how to open a successful service in the following video:

Opening cost

To calculate the cost of a car wash, you must first calculate the rental costs (this expense item depends on the location) and the cost of the equipment. Equipment you will need:

• high-pressure apparatus with heated water (from 120,000 rubles to 200,000 rubles);
• high-pressure apparatus for supplying water to one workplace (from 33,000 rubles to 85,000 rubles);
• compressor (from 15,000 rubles to 18,000 rubles);
• professional washing vacuum cleaner or dust extractor (from 26,000 rubles to 36,000 rubles);
• used water purification system (from 250,000 rubles to 400,000 rubles).

Most car wash owners prefer imported equipment. Most of all, German, Italian and Danish equipment is quoted. Of the domestic equipment, the most common are systems for technical purification of used water.

Consumables you will need: car shampoos, polishing and dry cleaning compounds, cleaning products for rims, engines and bumpers. All this costs about 18,000-20,000 rubles monthly (provided that the car wash services forty cars every day).

Approximate calculation of income and payback period

As an example, we can cite four separately standing car wash non-garage type. The wash will serve 200-300 cars daily. The average check amount is about 300 rubles. The remaining income items come from the cafe and tire service. Thus, the monthly turnover of the complex will be about three million rubles.

Of the expenses, the most will have to be spent on employee salaries, taxes and purchases consumables. Large turnover does not allow the use of a simplified taxation system, which means that you will need to report using the regular system. Every month up to one million rubles can be spent on employee salaries and taxes. It turns out that the net profit will be one or two million. The payback period for these indicators will be approximately two years. The above calculation is, of course, approximate, since the service’s activities depend on the time of year.