Adding a Car Wash to a Gas Station or Convenience Store
Fuel stations and convenience stores have long paired with car washes. Customers already stop for fuel, snacks and drinks, and a wash can give them another reason to visit. For owners, a car wash can add revenue from an existing property and customer base.
Adding a wash is still a significant project. It involves site space, approvals, utilities, equipment, construction and a new line of business to manage. This guide explains what gas station and convenience store owners should consider before they add a car wash, and how the project can be financed.
Why Fuel and Convenience Owners Add Car Washes
- Additional revenue from existing traffic
- Opportunities to bundle offers, such as wash discounts with fuel purchases
- Potential recurring revenue through wash memberships
- More productive use of available land
Whether a wash will succeed depends on the site, local competition, the format chosen and how it is operated.
Choosing the Right Format
In-Bay Automatic
The most common choice for fuel and convenience sites. In-bay automatics fit on smaller footprints and require minimal staffing. Systems may be touchless or friction-based.
Mini or Short Tunnel
Some sites have room for a short conveyorized tunnel, which can process more vehicles than an in-bay automatic but needs more space and investment.
Self-Serve Bays
Self-serve bays may be added alone or alongside an automatic.
Our comparison of car wash types explains the differences in more detail.
Site Considerations
Fitting a wash onto an operating fuel and convenience site requires careful planning:
- Space: Enough room for the wash building, stacking and exit without blocking fuel islands or parking
- Traffic flow: Vehicles waiting for the wash should not interfere with fueling customers
- Utilities: Water, sewer and electrical capacity for wash equipment
- Drainage: Wastewater handling, separators and connections
- Construction impact: How construction will affect ongoing fuel and store operations
A designer experienced with car washes can evaluate the layout. Our guide to car wash site selection and zoning covers site factors in more detail.
Approvals
Adding a car wash may require zoning review, site plan approval, building permits and utility approvals, even on a property already zoned for fuel sales. Some jurisdictions have specific rules for car washes, such as stacking, noise or hours. Check with local planning staff before investing in design.
Environmental and Water Considerations
Fuel sites carry their own environmental history, including storage tanks. Adding a wash introduces wastewater and water use considerations. Review environmental records for the property and confirm wastewater requirements with local authorities. Our guide to car wash environmental, water and utility due diligence explains what to review.
Budgeting the Project
A car wash addition budget may include:
- Design, engineering and permits
- Site work, paving and drainage
- Building construction
- Wash equipment, water systems and chemical systems
- Pay stations and integration with existing point-of-sale systems
- Utility upgrades and connection fees
- Signage and marketing
- Working capital and contingency
Get local quotes rather than relying on general figures. Our car wash budget framework helps organize the categories.
Operating Considerations
- Maintenance: Who will service the equipment and respond to breakdowns?
- Staffing: Store employees may need training to assist wash customers
- Chemicals and supplies: Inventory and ordering
- Pricing and memberships: Whether to offer memberships or fuel-linked promotions
- Weather and seasonality: How demand changes through the year
How Lenders Evaluate the Project
When a car wash is added to a fuel and convenience business, lenders often evaluate the combined operation. They typically review:
- Historical performance of the existing fuel and convenience business
- Projected wash revenue and costs, with explained assumptions
- The project budget and your equity contribution
- Existing debt on the property and business
- Environmental review of the site
- Approvals secured or in progress
Financing Options
- SBA 7(a) loans for eligible construction, equipment and working capital. See our SBA loans for car washes guide.
- SBA 504 loans for eligible owner-occupied real estate improvements. See the SBA 504 program page.
- Conventional loans for established operators. See conventional business loans.
- Equipment financing for wash systems. See car wash equipment financing.
- Refinancing existing debt together with the new project. See car wash refinancing.
Estimate payments with our SBA Loan Calculator or Conventional Loan Calculator and compare them with conservative wash projections.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of car wash works best at a gas station?
In-bay automatics are common because they fit smaller sites. Some sites can accommodate short tunnels. The right choice depends on space, traffic and budget.
Do I need new approvals to add a car wash to my station?
Often yes. Adding a wash may require zoning, site plan, building and utility approvals.
Can I finance a car wash addition with an SBA loan?
SBA financing may be available for eligible businesses and projects, including construction and equipment.
Will lenders consider my fuel and store revenue?
Lenders often evaluate the combined operation, including the existing business’s historical performance.
Final Thoughts
When you add a car wash to a gas station or convenience store, success depends on fitting the wash onto the site without disrupting fuel operations, securing approvals, planning utilities and building realistic projections. Careful planning turns existing traffic into a new source of revenue.
US Professional Funding provides car wash business financing and gas station and convenience store financing. We can help you plan financing for a car wash addition.
