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Car Wash Contractors SELECTING A CAR WASH CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR
Finding the right contractor to do your construction is important to the overall success of your total project.
There are many aspects of the contractor's involvement at many different stages, from the initial planning to the final product. Each stage has to be well planned. If you can involve the contractor in the design stage, this can be a plus. Price is always one of the considerations, but sometimes price takes a back seat to other skills the contractor may or may not be able to bring to the table.
I have found that one can be easily misled by what certain contractors feel to be important to your project, mainly because they are not really in tune with what makes a successful carwash. Not only does the contractor have to have experience in carwash construction; he must be willing to be educated as to the special needs of your car wash and its location. For example, building the structure to accommodate the equipment of choice, not just building a structure to house equipment, is very important. Most view the structure as primary and equipment as secondary. The fact of the matter is that the equipment must function properly if you are going to see success in your project. The building is there to provide eye candy for the public; it must look attractive and meet all of the special codes and criteria of the governing body in charge. In some cases the building must match the surrounding aesthetics of the buildings in the proximity. Its most important function, however, is to accommodate the equipment used in order to maximize its ability to clean cars. In summary, the contractor must understand this difference and be able to apply it effectively.
When researching what is reasonable as far as cost of construction, know that these costs should represent approximately forty percent of the overall project costs. Of course these costs must be kept in line to assure a well balanced project. Equipment and land make up the remaining balance of the project costs. So when you take each of these pieces into consideration, you can see that construction is the most costly of the land, building, and equipment expenses.
I have found that large contractors might find it difficult to get down to the detail needed in building a carwash. However, any contractor, large or small, will go through a learning process when building their first one or two carwashes. Hopefully you won't have to be the guinea pig for the contractor you choose. Again, experience in the car wash industry is something you should not substitute for lower price or bigger reputation.
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"Combining Technologies for the Car Wash Industry"
