Business plan for a self-service car wash with calculations: how to open from scratch, how much it costs, how much you can earn

What is one thing that a self-respecting motorist definitely won’t do? Right! Will not drive a dirty car. Self-service car wash is a promising business project. If properly organized, such a business will not only quickly recoup the investment, but will also allow you to achieve a stable income in a short time. But there are a number of hidden nuances, and you need to be prepared for them.

On the Internet you can find a lot of information, examples, interviews with owners, the essence of which boils down to the following: a car wash of this type is an automated system with a minimum staff of workers and the absence of dissatisfied customers. And you will learn how things really are from the materials in the article.

The essence of business

The number of car wash posts directly depends on the number of city residents. For a city with a population not exceeding 1 million people, a car wash for six posts will be enough. Despite the prevailing opinion that this niche is already oversaturated, experienced players in the car wash business do not share it. Attracting customers and making them regulars is the basis of any business. And in this area it depends only on two factors:

favorable location;
quality sign.

About investments

Please note that a self-service car wash will cost an entrepreneur several times more than a manual car wash.

Clients

Hand washing is an interconnected system of numerous factors. The circle of regular customers is limited. It depends on the cost of the service, the availability of qualified personnel, location, external and internal appearance of the building. If a business owner sets an inflated price for services, there will be few people willing to visit the establishment.

The majority of hand wash clients will be owners of business class cars. This service will not be available to the middle segment. It will be necessary to introduce special offers and promotions. Search for the most profitable suppliers. It is unlikely that one will have all the necessary nomenclature.

High-quality, expensive advertising. Also, do not forget about the human factor. The main cost item is personnel. The costs of washers are sometimes significant and are not always justified. And these funds could be used to develop and promote the business. Of course, you can raise the cost of services, but you may not be able to withstand the competition.

As for the self-service car wash . The client is offered a standard set: a vacuum cleaner and consumables. The quality and price of which correspond exclusively to your needs. Therefore, one good supplier will be enough.

A client usually comes to you after seeing a sign. Principle: saw - drove - washed.

Responsibility

Hand wash owners periodically encounter unscrupulous and aggressive customers. The staff will be accused of theft and damage to property. If a scratch appears that the car owner had not previously noticed, suspicion immediately falls on the washer and will spoil the reputation of your establishment. This will not happen with a self-service car wash. All responsibility for the car and property lies solely with its owner.

Automation

Have you seen which state serves hand washes? So, it is not needed for a self-service car wash. The human factor is excluded. It will be enough to involve two or three administrators, whose costs are several times less. They do not need to be trained or trained, and the selection of employees is much easier. It is not possible to work past the cash register.

Business plan for opening a new self-service car wash from scratch

The profitability of a new enterprise is determined by the ratio of projected income to planned expenses.

It is quite difficult to list everything that is needed to open a sink, but the main costs must be taken into account. They are divided into constants and variables.

Expenditure part

So, opening a self-service car wash requires money, but it is also needed during operation. Therefore, first you need to know what costs an entrepreneur will have to incur to start a business. They will later be included in the cost (partly in the form of depreciation) of the service along with the variable part of the costs.

Initial costs

Necessary conditions for commissioning a self-service car wash:

Availability of a correctly completed package of documents. This concept is broad and includes coordination with local authorities, permission from the SES, fire inspection, Federal Tax Service and much more. This expense item cannot be underestimated - it is quite capacious. It will take approximately 200 thousand rubles (plus or minus, depending on regional specifics).
Communications. It is difficult to predict costs here. If they already exist, that’s great, but it happens that water, electricity, sewerage, and heating lines need to be supplied. This factor, of course, must be taken into account when choosing a location.
Equipment. The degree and cost of technical equipment of a car wash is determined by the owner. In any case, the following are required: a control module, pumps, detergent dispensers, consoles and hydraulic guns. There are many other devices that you should purchase (more about them below).
Construction. You can write a separate lengthy article about how much it costs to build a car wash building, having considered all the options. The amount of costs depends on the chosen type, initial conditions (whether it will be reconstruction or construction), technology (modular, block, brick, etc.) and other factors.
Water purification filtration system. The need for it has already been mentioned in the economic aspect, but it is not the only one. Without water treatment, it is impossible to obtain permission from the SES and an environmental assessment report.
Cash register equipment. This is a requirement of Russian tax legislation.
Software.
Security equipment and video recorder.

In addition to all these obvious expenses, it is advisable to take into account unexpected costs from which no one is immune. Summarizing all the listed articles, you can try to summarize their average values in a table for a 6-post sink:

Startup cost item	Approximate amount, rub.
Package of documents	200 000
Summing up communications	1 500 000
Construction of a complex of boxes and an operator’s office	5 500 000
Equipment, including installation and commissioning	4 500 000
RKT	200 000
Water purification filters	500 000
Outdoor advertising media	300 000
Unforeseen other expenses	500 000
Total	13 200 000

This table may not include many individual conditions. For example, if borrowed funds are used, then interest on the loan will also be included in expenses. There are other options for ensuring the operation of the enterprise on the basis of rent, leasing, etc., which will also affect the amount of the initial investment. The calculations given are of an average nature.

Monthly expenses

After the self-service car wash starts operating, the company incurs operating expenses. Some of them depend on turnover (payment for consumables, water, energy), and the rest of the costs do not depend on the intensity of work (wages, fixed utility tariffs, etc.). For a month, expenditure items make up the total amount of the approximate data given in the table:

Operating expenses item	Approximate amount, thousand.
Staff salaries (for 6 posts)	180 000
Rent	60 000
Equipment depreciation	600 000
Communal payments	6 000
Communication expenses	1 000
Detergents and cleaning materials	60 000
Payment for advertising (external billboards, in the media)	50 000
Tax obligations and social insurance	15 000
Maintenance of the filtration station, including water consumption	30 000
other expenses	10 000
Total	1 012 000

These data are also provided as an example and are approximate values. The magnitude of real costs is influenced by many external and internal factors.

Revenue part of the car wash budget

A good location, qualified management, high-quality work, combined with an affordable price for the service, bring the average car wash to a daily workload of 50 cars per station (more in autumn and spring, less in winter and summer).

A simple calculation, assuming year-round operation, seven days a week, and an average bill of 300 rubles, allows you to determine how much revenue a car wash brings in per month:

Possible monthly profit of a car wash

To determine the operating (“dirty” or gross) profit, you should subtract the expenses for the same period and the initial one-time investments distributed over the service life from the income received per month.

The amount of monthly expenses also includes depreciation, distributed over the life of the fixed assets (assumed in this example to be 5 years). One-time expenses (LRZ) distributed over a month for fixed assets will amount to:

Together with the amount of operating costs, the total expenses (OR) for the month will be:

Based on these data, the monthly gross profit (PB) of the car wash will be:

Profitability and payback

Even with a speculative assessment, it becomes clear that the car wash in question is characterized by positive profitability - in other words, it is profitable. However, economics requires an objective calculation of the indicator in the form of a number.

The period during which the return on investment occurs is determined as the ratio of one-time initial costs to operating profit. In the case under consideration it will be equal to:

That is approximately two years. The indicator is good, but it should be borne in mind that it is based on the most optimistic forecasts. It will probably not be possible to achieve a throughput of 50 cars at each car wash station right away, nor will it be possible to maintain it year-round. Nevertheless, the enterprise has a “margin of safety”, even if it is unprofitable in the initial period of operation. You can calculate the overall profitability of a self-service car wash using the formula:

When substituting the data we get:

How much does it cost to open a self-service car wash?

To begin, a business plan is drawn up, which includes the following points:

choose a concept and develop a strategy;
decide on the location;
find an organization that will work with documentation (collection, preparation, obtaining permits);
construction (you can also contact specialists who will organize the process for a fee);
searching for suppliers (equipment, detergents) and placing an order;
personnel selection (through Internet resources, through regular advertisements);
drawing up a marketing plan;
economic calculations.

Construction of a standard manual car wash on a leased land plot with six entrances will cost you about 7 million rubles . A similar project for a self-service car wash starts at 13 million rubles.

Please note that this price does not include communications . The consumption of electricity and water is significantly higher compared to manual washing. Consequently, you will see rather large numbers on your utility bills. The same applies to connecting to resource supply points. Please take this into account when creating an estimate for construction costs. If you have a limited budget, this option probably won't suit you. Costs will increase significantly, and in the absence of finances, construction will be delayed. However, you will still have to pay rent.

The main expense item is construction and purchase of equipment. Each post must be equipped and ready for full-fledged work.

Don't skimp on consumables. Remember, a regular customer is one who liked everything. It is unlikely that a motorist who stood in line for detergent or did not have enough water will return to you.

Additionally, you can purchase and install the following equipment:

exchange machine (for exchanging large bills);
a machine selling car cosmetics;
coffee machine;
a device that supplies demineralized water.

This will increase the level of “loyalty” of your customers. As practice shows, not all clients come to the car wash alone. For example, children will feel comfortable if they are allowed to buy a sweet soda or a chocolate bar from the machine.

Typically, a third of the proceeds goes to cover costs. You must be prepared for this. They can be reduced by maintaining an economical mode through lighting and heating. Special factors should also be taken into account. As an example: a self-service car wash opened in one city.

But, due to its location, connection to the water supply was only possible from the city pipe. Result: several times a month, during periods of heavy load, only three posts were supplied. There was not enough water for the rest. Consequently, revenue was an order of magnitude lower.

About payback

The period during which your business will pay off and begin to generate stable income is about 2.5 years.

Before opening a self-service car wash, it is important to study the needs of a particular city. Calculate the number of car washes, their locations, familiarize yourself with the conditions, equipment, and range of detergents.

Consider the fact that the more washes, the higher the revenue and return on investment.

How to choose the right site for building a sink from scratch

The choice of site for a car wash is made according to the main criterion of accessibility and convenience.

Technical requirements for a car wash area

The minimum area of the plot is selected at the rate of 35 square meters. m. for one post. The following requirements apply to communications:

input power feeder power – 50 kW;
The daily throughput of the water pipeline is 18 cubic meters. meters;
daily water disposal - 20 cubic meters. m.

The rationality of the location of a self-service car wash

Obviously, in most cases the client is interested in washing the car before putting it in the garage or parking lot. The service is also often used by drivers who have traveled a long way and are entering the city. Based on these considerations, the best places for a car wash are:

sections of the route adjacent to the city limits;
access roads leading to residential areas;
neighborhoods of garage cooperatives and parking lots;
other sites characterized by proximity to busy traffic.

Selection of land

The right location is 70% of the success of your car wash business. A poorly located complex is unlikely to bring you profit. And most likely, without working even a year, it will close, and you will lose your investment.

There are a number of rules, following which you can choose the best option:

visibility from the road (the building must be clearly visible);
a convenient and safe exit (best of all, located behind a sign limiting the speed limit. For example, a speed bump, a pedestrian crossing, a traffic light;

About the location

When placing a car wash in business areas or near business centers, arrange it near the exit. Most people prefer to postpone car washing until after work, rather than vice versa.

It is profitable to open a car wash in the parking lot of a shopping center, but it is unlikely that a novice businessman will be given the green light. Typically, rents are high and spaces are full.

Neutral epilogue

As elsewhere, some of the disadvantages can always be eliminated, and the winning moments can be strengthened. On our own behalf, we can only add that when choosing a MS, it is important to calculate everything in advance and understand how ready you are for such a business.

You must remember that you will have to invest not only money and time, but also your soul into this work. If you leave everything to chance and treat MS only as a source of income, then very soon you will begin to lose clients simply because your competitors will try harder. That's business. These are the rules of the game. You decide.

Creation of a project, coordination and obtaining a construction permit

So, you start by developing a project. You can do this in two ways:

Contact the design organization (in addition to services, they will help you obtain permits required by regulatory authorities);
Contact dealers. Equipment suppliers will provide a free design.

!!! Please note that, according to current legislation, the land plot on which construction is planned belongs to roadside service facilities or garages. It is prohibited to locate car washes in close proximity to residential buildings.

Also note that installation of illuminated advertising requires permission. In case of its absence, penalties may be imposed.

Manufacturers with a serious reputation usually offer to consider a standard project. But in fact, the implementation and adaptation of a specific model directly depends on the area in which implementation is planned.

What should a self-service car wash project look like?

The design of a structure being built for a car wash or reconstruction of an existing premises is carried out by specialized companies. Most often, they also take responsibility for obtaining permits.

In many cases, you can choose a ready-made standard project, which only needs to be tied to the area and communications - this option is rightfully considered the most budget-friendly. The requirements for the documentation being developed are in many ways typical for any industrial building:

ease of entry and exit;
safe working conditions (ventilation, electrical grounding, etc.);
optimization of estimates;
aesthetics;
thoughtfulness of arrangement of the adjacent territory;
environmental integrity;
manufacturability of construction.

The car wash project has certain specific features, expressed in ease of access to the filter unit units and traffic safety.

The cost of the project is a significant share of the initial costs, its significance is great, so this organizational stage should be treated very carefully.

Communications supply

Once the project has been developed and a construction permit has been obtained, the process of arranging the car wash begins. The best option is to turn to professionals who already have experience in this field. Preference should be given to those recommended by local “controlling authorities”.

If the site is already equipped with communications, this is a huge plus. Otherwise, you will have to carry them out yourself. Sewage, electrical, water, and gas supply can cost a pretty penny.

Where is the best place to open a car wash?

Since a small car wash usually opens at the beginning, services for 10-15 cars will not be considered. It’s better to start with services for 2-3 cars. If the niche of car washes in the city is tightly occupied, then you need to immediately think through a list of services and bonuses to attract customers. Also, opening promotions can attract the attention of future customers and increase earnings. If there is a dense location of car washes in the city, it is best to place the car wash in crowded areas:

markets;
parks;
shopping and entertainment centers;
business centers;
cafe.

Another place where a car wash would be relevant is a gas station or a car service whose list of services does not include a car wash. If the car wash is located within the city, then it is necessary to consider its location in the center of residential areas. Car enthusiasts living in high-rise buildings often entrust their cars to specialized companies for washing. If you serve your customers correctly, your first customers can become people who will visit your car wash for a long time.

Construction and improvement costs

Construction work includes necessary and costly items:

Site preparation. If it is not level with the road, it must be leveled. Before this, the fertile layer of soil is removed, and after, taking into account the removed soil, the area is filled up.
Laying slabs and communications. This will require the use of special equipment, the purchase of building materials, and the installation of fences. Some businessmen try to save money and disrupt the technological process. This causes the building to fall into disrepair in record time.
Construction of treatment facilities. Give preference to high-quality equipment, since purchasing treatment equipment because of a certificate will eventually result in a fine from the water utility. The latter take samples of wastewater and quickly identify violations.
Landscaping plays a special role. The most expensive part is asphalting. But, if you plan to develop a client base and a good reputation, you will have to invest in lighting and advertising. The more impressive your advertising sign is, the more passing motorists will pay attention to it. The best and less expensive option is to rent a parking lot next to a shopping center or hypermarket.

Financial expenses

Let's consider the initial costs of opening a car wash and subsequent expenses during its operation.

Table 1. Costs of opening a car wash

Expense item	Price
Rent of territory for the period of construction work (~3 months)	150,000 rubles
Laying a concrete base (for 3 posts)	1 million rubles
Construction of a technical room; Installation of metal structures; Connecting communications.	950,000 rubles
Transportation and installation of washing equipment	1,300,000 rubles
Advertising campaign	100,000 rubles
Official registration of entrepreneurship	200,000 rubles

The starting price for a car wash from scratch is 3,500,000 rubles. In practice, this number may be less or more, depending on factors such as:

rent price;
soil condition on the site;
number of posts;
equipment quality;
the number of employees.

Table 2. Monthly costs for running a car wash

Expense item	Price
Territory rental	50,000 rubles
Purchasing cleaning chemicals	45,000 rubles
Employee salaries and insurance contributions (for 3 people)	100,000 rubles
Accountant services (on an outsourcing basis)	10,000 rubles
Removing contaminants from pits	8,000 rubles
Water supply (250 m3)	15,000 rubles
Power supply (4500 kW)	15,000 rubles
Appliance depreciation	14,000 rubles
Garbage removal	5,000 rubles
Additional expenses	30,000 rubles

The total amount is ~290 thousand rubles.

Reference. Based on the cost of opening, you should draw up a business plan for the car wash, which takes into account expenses and income.

Purchase of equipment

Once you have identified your business potential, you should start looking for good suppliers. Equipment prices vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. You should not give preference only to foreign companies . Today, Russian manufacturers provide good competition to their Western opponents.

Since high-quality and reliable equipment is the main component of any car wash, choosing a supplier is the key to the prosperity of your business. Do not hurry. Study the market, talk to customers, evaluate how competently the staff advised you about the products.

Another expense item is the purchase of additional equipment. This may include optional but necessary equipment:

CCTV cameras (various situations may occur and in some cases, video may be required);
vacuum cleaners;
staff rest room (a small enclosed space where an employee can rest and change clothes);
boilers for heated floors.

List of equipment for self-service car wash

The hardware of the self-service car wash includes the following items:

Control module. This is the “brain” of the entire car wash. Commands to actuators are issued from a centralized computer system, and it receives information that clients enter, choosing operating modes and duration of operations. MU is also responsible for payment.
Washing blocks. They are devices by which surfaces are cleaned.
Water heating tank.
Heated floor system with control device.
Pumping station. It is this that creates the required water pressure.
Osmosis. Many car wash owners mistakenly underestimate the importance of water treatment quality. At the same time, it significantly affects the final result. In poorly treated water, the surfactants that form the basis of detergents are not completely dissolved. The system of membrane demineralization (removal of salts) is what osmosis is. It is needed to ensure that there are no streaks left after washing. A water softening system serves the same purpose.
Client consoles with hydraulic guns.

It is important to know that the water pressure supplied at self-service car washes should be lower than at similar “professional” points. Otherwise, an inexperienced client simply will not hold the “gun” in his hand and will remain dissatisfied.

The list is somewhat simplified for brevity. In fact, the operation of a self-service car wash also requires other devices (pressure stabilizers, bill acceptors, acquiring terminals, security devices, vacuum cleaners, etc.), but they are partially integrated into the listed positions.

Self-service car wash equipment suppliers

By purchasing a turnkey business, the owner saves himself from many hassles of selecting equipment. However, self-service car washes can be equipped by supplier companies that specialize in equipping enterprises of this type:

Aymoi;
Prototechnics;
Vikos LLC;
Clean company;
Aqua Technology;
Washing;
Karel Group;
MCW Tech;
Eurotech;
Sequence.

List of documents required to open a car wash

A license is not required to open a self-service car wash. You just need to open an LLC or register as an individual entrepreneur. A specialist will help you choose a tax regime, as well as advise you on the advantages and disadvantages of a particular option.

After this, you must obtain the following documents and permits:

to conduct activities (issued by a department of the city or district administration);
washing project agreed with the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision;
permits from the labor protection service, SES, fire inspection, ecology, architecture;
waste disposal agreement;
agreement on cleaning the adjacent territory;
land ownership (or lease agreement);
act of disposal of the site (temporary or permanent).

If you do not plan to spend time visiting authorities and completing documents, feel free to contact professionals. For a fee, they will collect the necessary package of documents and complete all the paperwork.

What to name a car wash

The main condition for the name is that it should be flat and concise. You can proceed according to the following principle:

associate the name with cars - combine word forms. For example, “Autobath”, “Autocleaner”;
combine the name with purity - “Autoshine”, “Moidodyr”. The main thing is that the owner of the car has a desire to wash it. Think creatively - the more interesting the name, the sooner they will remember it - which means they will turn to you more often;
create your own brand - combine the words “wash”, “car” with something personal. For example, an abbreviation or abbreviation of a name;

How much does a turnkey car wash cost?

will cost several times more than if you built a car wash yourself. No two projects are the same. The price can vary both up and down. In Russia, a six station wash requires significant investment. Starting investments start from 8 million rubles. And this does not include the rental or purchase of land, preparation and approval of the project. Each business owner has his own needs. Some people decide to save on landscaping, while others require the highest quality vacuum cleaners.

About investors

If you are planning to open a similar business project, but understand that investments may not be enough, you should look for investors. A competent business plan and accurate financial calculations will help you find those who will be ready to support your project.

How to increase profitability

For a car wash to be profitable, it must stand out in a competitive environment. What can make potential customers pay attention to a specific washing complex?

Convenient location

It is better to locate a self-service car wash near or near the road, preferably in the first line. Transport accessibility and convenient access are a prerequisite for success. Ideally, the car wash is located near a large parking lot, gas station, car service center, shopping center, surrounded by a large number of residential buildings. But finding a site with such a favorable location can be difficult.

Attractive appearance

When self-service car washes first appeared in Russia, little attention was paid to design. Most of the funds were invested in land and equipment. The boxes were made dull, unattractive, and looked like a garage. Now investors prefer to think through the design at the design stage. The main structure is a canopy and through boxes, which are easiest to maintain in the future. The main thing is not to sell yourself short. Poor quality canopies will require replacement rather than maintenance, and after the first year of operation of the car wash.

Quality of services provided

If the car wash has all the conditions for a high-quality car wash, the factors of location and design fade into the background. The client will not return if he is not satisfied with the result. Saving on car shampoos and equipment ultimately reduces the profitability of the enterprise.

Number of posts

At the calculation stage, the construction of a 2-post car wash will certainly be cheaper than a 6-post car wash. There is also a difference in maintenance costs. On the other hand, customer flow at self-service car washes depends on the time of day and season. Bonus programs, promotions and other ways to attract car owners for a specific time are ineffective. Therefore, profitability during the hot season will directly depend on the throughput of the car wash, that is, on the number of posts. The car wash that has a lot of bays and no queues will earn the most money.

Range of services

To understand the importance of this factor, you can compare the range of goods in a supermarket and in small specialized shops. Even for the sake of profit, the buyer will not waste time shopping in several stores if he can buy everything at once in one place. The same principle applies to self-service car washes. If, in addition to washing, the client needs to vacuum the interior and wax the body, he will go to a place where all these services are available.

Little things for convenience

A popular sink is always a spacious sink. The ability to maneuver, the presence of benches for passengers, convenient entries into bays, different payment methods, the degree of illumination and other factors largely influence the attendance of a self-service car wash.

Average bill

There are always drivers who choose car washes solely based on prices: the lower, the better. Cheap car washes are in a certain demand, even if they are not very aesthetically pleasing, do not have useful accessories, and the set of programs is limited to standard algorithms. But most drivers still value comfort and quality, so it’s better not to skimp on equipping washing systems and a variety of programs.

However, the vast majority of competitive advantages directly depend on the quality of the equipment. Therefore, it is important to choose a supplier who can guarantee the reliability of the devices, as well as provide service and prompt repairs.

It is also recommended to consider extended configurations for boxes. You cannot buy a certain “base” and then supplement it. What you buy at the beginning is what you will receive in a year.

As for the prospects: calculate the competitive advantages of the business at least five years in advance. The margins of self-service car washes are now high and quickly pay back investments, but they are falling every year. The facility must have a reliability resource and flexible configuration in order to constantly offer customers something new.