For new investors
A well-run laundromat can return 20–30% cash-on-cash a year — but it is a capital-intensive business to start, and the equipment is only part of the bill. Here is how we help operators go from "maybe" to open, with the numbers in front of them at every step.
Equipment for a decently sized store typically runs $75,000 to $550,000 or more — call it ~$400,000 for an average build — and good credit can finance most of it. What usually can't be financed conventionally is the roughly $100,000 of construction on top. Ownership takes a real initial investment; we'd rather you know that on day one than on closing day.
We pull a 1-, 3-, and 5-mile demographic report for any site you're considering and run the analysis for you. We blend three customer markets — renter-occupied households (people stuck with bad apartment laundry), households earning under $35K, and overall household density — each budgeted at about $10/week, then average them and divide by the laundromats already in the area.
As a rule of thumb: above $7,500/week in captured demand is a project we'd greenlight; above $10,000 is a strong prospect. Once a site looks promising we visit it in person to check for red flags and confirm the utilities are there — at minimum 300-amp service, a gas line you can upgrade to ½" pressurized, a 1½" water line, and a sewer run with a sump pit. White-box spaces often lack these, and adding them can run ~$35K — better known before you negotiate a lease.
The biggest equipment decision is normal-speed vs. high-speed washers. Normal extraction tops out around 100 G; high-speed Simple Clean washers reach up to 450 G. More extraction pulls more water out, so dryers work less, fabrics feel better, and you get more turns per day from the same machine count.
Pair high-speed washers with Simple Clean dryers and you have a "high-speed store": faster turns, less floor space and parking, and far lower utility cost — around 12% of revenue versus ~22% for a conventional store. We recommend high-speed for most laundromats, with a small exception for lightly populated, small-town stores where real estate is cheap.
A good layout gives equal prominence to the three jobs a customer came to do — wash, dry, and fold. Skimp on any one and customers notice. Aisles should run eight feet or more so two people can pass with machine doors open (six feet is the regional minimum, but tight).
Drains matter more than people expect. We favor polypropylene drain troughs — light, easy to install, strong enough to stand on, and simple to tap with a 3" hole saw — over open concrete pits or hard-piped PVC.
We work directly with your general contractor and subs — we'll explain how the equipment behaves so nobody gets a surprise later. We aren't licensed for plumbing, electrical, or vent work; your subs handle those, and most cities will (rightly) want an architect on the project.
A few specifics that save money: minimize saw-cut drain trenches in the slab (and note post-tension concrete can't be cut); hang gas lines above the dryers with a flex line and shut-off to each; plan for a lint interceptor / sump pit; use two commercial hot-water tanks; stained-and-sealed concrete makes great, durable flooring; and have your HVAC sub upsize the tonnage — machines throw off a lot of heat even when enclosed.
Your equipment ships to the site — usually washers on one truckload and dryers on a second. We meet the truck, unload with a forklift, and set the machines: soft-mount washers into position with inlets, drains, and electrical hooked up; dryers set and connected to gas and power, with vents added to measure by your sub afterward.
We program your pricing, then start and test every machine to confirm it runs and charges correctly — leaving the protective stickers on until you're close to opening day.
Every model is priced on the page. Build a quote, or let us run the demographics and design your floor.
