Have you ever driven by an old, run-down car wash and thought: I could turn that into a profitable business?

You are not alone! Restoring or starting a car wash business is something many entrepreneurs admire because of its steady demand. I mean, who does not like a shiny, freshly washed car?

But let’s be honest—it is not as simple as grabbing a hose, soap, and a place for customers. Starting a car wash business requires serious planning and investment.

So, what does it cost to start and run a car wash? And how can you maximize your efficiency to get a high return on your investment?

We will keep it light and engaging so you are not bored by the end. Plus, we have a surprising tool that will save you time (and money!).

Build or rent a car wash?

If you have big dreams or like to aim high, starting a car wash from scratch might be something you would be interested in, as it offers a lot of potential. However, you are looking at a vertical hill to climb; building requires:

Time

Building a car wash requires +2 years to make it ready. Unlike renting existing ones, everything is there—you can start the business as soon as tomorrow.

Capital

Just plumbing alone can set you back between $300,000 to $500,000. Add land, construction, and high-end equipment so it can easily exceed a million-dollar project.

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However, if done right, starting from scratch means control of everything from layout to branding, which could result in higher profitability.

Moreover, with asset appreciation, it would surely be profitable to sell too. It is like buying an orange for $1 and selling it as juice for $4.

Costs of starting a car wash with real numbers

Building

John D’Eri, the owner of Rising Tide Car Wash, mentioned the following:

• Real estate: 1.3-1.5 million dollar
• Site development cost: $200,000
• Cost of equipment: $1 million
• Building cost: $2 million

The all-in cost is around $5 million.

If you are still interested, you can use SBA financing, and if you are in a state where the building is not with concrete and steel—you can reduce the all-in cost to maybe half a million dollars.

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Renting

Car Wash Chronicles made a car wash deal (5 bays) with the following cost (guess the total):

• Five brand new motors for $700 each, so it is $3,500
• Five new Cat Pumpsthat work with the motors, with $600 to $700 each after shipping and tax.
• Flow jet pumps, which were about $150 each (he needed only 4 of them) =$600 in total
• 4 Hydrominders, with $150 each, another $600adds up
• Reverse Osmosis system, for the spot-free rinse (which is the big tank that keeps all the clean water in it), for $10,000, it is non-negotiable because you need it.

It is already about $20,000, but hold on! There is more:

• Five new air dryers, $1,800 each, that means $9,000in total.
• Four brand new vacuums, $1,500 each. giving us $6,000
• Hosing to run all the hoses from inside the motor room all up on the roof and out into the bays, which is NOT cheap, especially for a five-bay car wash. That alone is $2,000
• Guns and wands, Thai cleaner brushes, and soap brushes. All of that added up is about $1,000 to $1,500
• You might need a bill changerif it does not exist, which might be costly. A brand-new one would be between $6,000 - $10,000, which depends on the brand.
• Add up the painting (if you do not have the money, you can do it by yourself. Otherwise, it is $2,000to pay the painter)
• Security camerasalong with its system, which was about $12,000
• Fixtures and fittings, those small details also add up to totaling $1,000 - $2,000
• Home Depotwill accompany your journey into the car wash business because they have a lot of the things you need, and you spend a lot of money too there, about $5,000 for tools, ladders, wiring, and anything the worker would need
• Finally, $6,000for the worker to do all the work to get the car wash ready and done
• Lights, around $3,000(projectors for about $300 each and LED lights for $100 each)
• Plus monthly rent

As a result, Car Wash Chronicles spent around $50,000 to start his car wash.

If you are still hesitant about starting, read this to know how much you can make weekly with a car wash business.

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So here you have it! The ball is in your court. Starting a car wash can range from $50,000 to $5 million. It is just all up to your capital and level of risk.

The Most Cost-Effective Tool

But take this: one of the hidden costs many business owners overlook is money management. You surely want to see if you are profitable, while the car wash business is heavy on cash—so counting by hand is time-consuming.

That is where a solution like Nucoun money counter machine can make a huge difference.

Introducing the Nucoun VS75 that can count 1,200 banknotes per minute under mixed denomination mode, perform counterfeit detection, and handle multi-currency counting with auto recognition.

It even sorts by denomination, face, or orientation, so you give them to the bank deposit-ready. Imagine having to count every dollar manually, and it might get worse when you make a mistake; you must start all over.

The Nucoun machine pays for itself by freeing up your time to focus on what matters: growing your business.

Launch your car wash business journey with the beast in the money counter machine: Nucoun VS75.