Skip to content
(704) 594-1232
(704) 594-1232anthony@washlaunchgroup.com

Express car wash development, from raw land to doors open

We develop express conveyor car washes start to finish. Site selection, feasibility, design coordination, construction oversight, equipment commissioning, and grand opening.

Start a projectCall (704) 594-1232
Site work, utilities, building shell.

What you get

  • 18,000+ AADT minimum threshold. We won't underwrite sites below operating viability.
  • 8-variable site scorecard. Applied to every site before capital commits.
  • A 5-year pro forma built from operating data, not the broker's numbers.
  • Full project quarterback. From PSA through grand opening.
  • Equipment package spec'd by operators. OPW/Belanger, Trident, ICS by default; alternatives where appropriate.

How we do it

  1. Site identification and screening

    We work from your acquisition criteria or source on-market and off-market sites in your target markets. Every candidate runs through our 8-variable scorecard before we ask for capital decisions.

  2. Underwriting and pro forma

    5-year DCF with sensitivity tables on revenue ramp, membership penetration, churn, opex, and capex. Stress-tested at -15% revenue, +20% opex. If the deal doesn't pencil at downside, we tell you.

  3. Entitlement and design

    Coordinate civil, architectural, and MEP design with engineers who've designed car washes before. Manage zoning, special use permits, and utility coordination.

  4. Construction oversight

    On-site through critical milestones. We catch problems in framing, not at the certificate of occupancy.

  5. Equipment commissioning

    A professional car wash installation team installs the OPW/Belanger tunnel, and electricians and plumbers make the electrical and plumbing connections. We coordinate the install. Commissioning covers Trident chemistry calibration, ICS configuration and crew training before doors open.

  6. Grand opening and 90-day support

    We stay through the ramp. Membership program tuning, ops issue resolution, marketing coordination.

Deliverables

  • Site scorecard and selection memo
  • Demographic and traffic analysis
  • Competitive benchmarking
  • 5-year pro forma with sensitivities
  • Construction budget and schedule
  • Equipment specification and procurement
  • Crew training and operating procedures
  • 90-day post-opening optimization plan

Does the traffic pencil? A rough check

0to100,000

0.3%to2.0%

$8to$25

Operating days (fixed assumption)360

Cars per day
250
Washes per year
90,000
Annual revenue
$1,260,000

Above the 18,000 AADT initial screen.

Illustrative only. Every figure here is your assumption, not a forecast. Membership mix, weather, competition and ramp time change the answer. Our underwriting uses a full 5-year pro forma.

Ask us to underwrite a real site

AADT × capture rate = cars per day; × 360 operating days × average ticket = annual revenue

Questions

What markets do you work in?

Our focus is the Southeast (Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia), with active work in Texas and growth markets nationwide where the deal warrants travel.

What's a realistic budget for an express tunnel build in 2026?

All-in basis on owned real estate runs $4.6M to $7.5M in most Southeast markets. Land cost drives the spread. See our greenfield pro forma article for the line-item breakdown.

How long does development take?

From PSA to doors open: 14 to 22 months in a clean entitlement environment. 24+ months if zoning requires a special use permit or utility upgrades are needed.

Do you co-invest?

Not by default. We're a fee-for-service advisor. We've co-invested on select deals where the strategic fit warrants it.

Can you work with our existing GC and engineering team?

Yes. We can quarterback the full team or integrate into your existing project organization. Our role flexes to what you actually need.