Car wash business is a very profitable business in the UK and it is a wonderful way to earn a substantial living. With an estimated £1billion a year car wash business in the UK, this is a good venture for entrepreneurs. It is quite common to come across car washes as you travel around the country, and it is estimated that there are over 20,000 car washes operating in the UK.
For the next 5 years, the business is projected to grow, thus you should expect to see more car wash businesses coming up. Car wash businesses are a popular choice among entrepreneurs who don’t want to limit themselves to one particular venture. One key advantage of the car wash sector is the ability to launch a company without investing in costly business premises.
Indeed, a car wash business is profitable and always in demand in the UK. According to statistics, the number of cars in the UK is still growing, and definitely, the vehicles will require maintenance including washing services. When starting a car wash business, know that customers are generally suspicious of new companies.
Most car wash customers would prefer well-known brands with a good reputation to a new venture. Buying a franchise is one of the best ways to venture into the business.
Note that if you run a mobile car washing company, you can work when and where you want, traveling to customers in your desired territory. This flexibility will appeal to customers too, as it is more convenient for them to have their car washed at home.
Another benefit to the mobile set-up is the free advertising that comes along with it. If you’d rather launch your own car wash business through the franchising model, there are plenty of profitable franchises in the car wash sector. Below are top choices to consider;
12 Car Wash Franchise Opportunities in UK and Their Cost
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Autosmart – £15,000
Founded in 1979, Autosmart is the UK and Ireland’s largest manufacturer and distributor of professional vehicle and food processing cleaning products for trade customers. Autosmart’s unique detergent top-up system means customers buy as much or as little detergent as they need, saving on expensive packaging costs — and helping to save the environment too.
Autosmart is a franchise that sells specialized products for the maintenance and upkeep of a range of vehicles. Deodorizers, hand cleaners, and paint all come under Autosmart’s area of expertise.
Cost
- Franchise Investment: £15,000.
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Sonny’s Carwash Factory – £1,873,000 – £4,912,511
Sonny’s is a one-stop shop with all the equipment, parts, education, software, and car wash innovations to keep your business growing. Sonny’s sells more tunnel equipment than anyone in the world.
Cost
- Franchise investment: £1,873,000 – £4,912,511
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Mobile Car Valeting – £16,480
Established in 1986, this is the automotive business franchise that provides an unbeatable service to your many potential customers. Mobile Car Valeting is currently expanding nationwide through their locally based franchises, all of which offer anything from a basic wash and leather to a full showroom preparation.
Cost
- Franchise investment: from £16,480
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Autoglym – £50,000
Autogylm has been the first choice in car care products for over fifty years. While this isn’t a car washing franchise, it does offer valeting and car-care products to businesses in the car washing and transportation sectors. This includes cleaning, polishing, and waxing products for vehicle exteriors and interiors, as well as products to clean wheels, dashboards, and leather seats.
Cost
- Franchise Investment: £50,000
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Waves – £25,000
Founded in 2006, Waves has built up an empire of over 280 hand car washing units in locations across the UK. It is located in the car parks of popular supermarkets such as Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose & Partners. This means that it can take customers away from stand-alone car washing businesses, as consumers impulse buy a car wash before they do their shopping.
Waves offer a dedicated start-up package and intensive, hands-on training for franchisees and their workforces. Also, franchisees can access guidance in many aspects of the business, such as marketing and sponsorship, and even be enrolled in valeting certification courses to gain extra qualifications.
Cost
- Franchise Investment: £25,000
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Wicked Coatings – £112,428
The UK’s leading specialist in industrial, protective, and decorative custom coatings, Wicked Coatings provides professional industrial coatings advice and service. With expertise across a broad range of sectors, from military and aviation to automotive, marine, or leisure industries, Wicked Coatings is the capable custom coatings specialist. A Wicked Coatings franchise offers you the opportunity to own your own business with the security of following their successful and proven business model.
Cost
- Franchise investment: from £112,428
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AutoValetDirect – £9,930
Autovaletdirect is a mobile car valet service, providing valet, car wash, and other related services for domestic and corporate customers. With franchises operating across the country, the company provides valet services through a purpose built mobile valet vehicle, fitted with specialist equipment, hot water supply, and a bespoke bay to protect cars during poor weather conditions.
The BFA-accredited franchise provides franchisees scope to earn up to £1,000 a week! Franchise owners come from a wide variety of backgrounds and therefore Autovaletdirect creates a bespoke training program to suit each individual franchisee’s needs.
Cost
- Franchise Investment: £9,930
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Green Shine – £23,980 – £151,034
Green Shine is a waterless car wash franchise. The company started in response to the need for water conservation while washing cars because the average water wash uses a lot of water to wash a single car. Green Shine came up with a solution on how to conserve water while giving cars a pristine clean wash.
Cost
- Franchise investment: £23,980 – £151,034
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Mobile Car Valeting – £14,820
This is the automotive business franchise that provides an unbeatable service to your customers. Mobile Car Valeting is currently expanding nationwide through their locally based franchises, all of which offer anything from a basic wash and leather to a full showroom preparation.
Cost
- Franchise investment: from £14,820
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DetailXPerts – £76,981 – £152,720
DetailXPerts is an environmentally friendly mobile vehicle wash and detailing business and it is also the world’s first eco-friendly steam car detailer franchise. The company is committed to helping franchisees from lower socio-economic brackets become financially-independent entrepreneurs. At DetailXPerts, they strive for excellence, customer satisfaction–and last but not least–environmental protection.
Cost
- Franchise Investment: £76,981 – £152,720
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The Carwash Company – £24,995
Making use of smart, environmentally-friendly car cleaning technology, The Carwash Company has become one of the largest hand car wash companies in the UK. You can usually find The Carwash Company in shopping center car parks; however, the business model can work in any location frequented by cars. This franchise opportunity is open to ambitious entrepreneurs across the UK.
Cost
- Franchise Investment: £24,995
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Mobile Car Valeting
Note that this company does exactly what it says on the tin. If offers a professional self sufficient valet service, from a wash and leather through to an individualised treatment of interior and exterior surfaces. MCV also offers specialist paint contaminated removal treatments, as well as paintwork and fabric protection services.
MCV franchisees deliver top class service to customers’ doors offer both convenience and a competitive prices. The business is celebrating over 26 years in the industry after its formation in 1986. Terry started the company from scratch.
Cost
- Franchise Investment: £11,995