Leaving the place open 24/7 is going to open up a world of problems, especially come winter. Homeless and drug addicts will camp out there and turn it into their hotel room. Teens who warm a warm hang out area, that usually turns into vandelisum. The old saying, nothing good happens after midnight holds true a lot of the time.
I would suggest having the cleaning lady come in for an hour or so each morning and then to deep clean once a week. There is nothing worse than a dirty laundrymat where we are cleaning our clothes. Maybe you could get someone to paint your old dryers with a special pain so they look better. If they work the best, you surely want to keep them.
In my small town, there used to be a laundromat that looked a lot like that. It was open 24 hrs. Homeless or un-housed people started sleeping in it, pooping in the washing machines (yep), and generally running it into the ground. I don't recommend a 24 hour laundromat.
soap vending machine with bleach spot cleaner etc., fix the soda machine, add a bench preferably with some shade (even a tree), and throw some houseplants in there somewhere something to make it more inviting wall art, music.
I love the idea of a small patio. I’ve seen it where the vending machines can be on the patio area and then that could clear up room in the waiting area.
I think you take out the soda and snacks both and put only one that has both cold sides and plan together that would give you a little more space and be ever to fill up at one time
I don't know that I would want to make it a place people hang out any longer than they actually need to. You might make another $5 staying open overnight but is it worth having people sleeping there or whatever .. probably not.. yeah you probably have some leaky seals on those valves. you might be able to find a rebuild kit if you get the make and model and do a search. They do make rebuild kits for pressure washers so probably your equipment too. If not maybe there are generic replacements.
Doesn't look like you have a loitering problem so a nice bench outside but get a standing ashtray/collector because you'll have butts for sure. I didn't think about the fact you'd have to use all the quarters for the dispenser. I hope it'll serve the community well.
I would have given half-off on rent for someone working cleaning the laundry and keeping the outside clean.I bet a Olde timer would be grateful and work hard for a situation like that.
Love the patio idea. GET MORE CARTS WITH the Hangers. They are ALWAYS at a premium. Open till midnight seems good, unless that is a dead quiet town , 24 hour might encourage vandalism, homeless etc. Just a good paint job, Peach is soothing, with grey trim. All Grey is very 2020. New floor, move vending and add folding tables , New FRONT DOOR or please cover up how cheap looking the existing one is. Start foraging for the old dryers and machines. Also add the big machines that do large heavy loads like blankets, pillows etc. they are fabulous.
Lots of decisions to make on this business property. As a woman would not go to the laundromat after 7, but that’s me. Bench is good outside(lag bolt to the cement), but move the trash container way down to the other end. The apartment, storage bldg is all in your wheelhouse. You know what to do. Thanks for the update! Enjoy the videos.👍🏻💚
I'm pretty sure those car was drain pits need to be shoveled out from time to time to keep the drain clean, It will be neat to see how much this makes once everything is working and cleaned up
If it was a big laundromat like one in a town over they have someone mostly all the time they did serve coffee and food was available too. They disinfected the appliances after each wash. They were open 24 hr till Covid
Start with the appliance repairs.Once all the dryers are operating run them all at once to see the amount of heat they put off They make car wash degreasers or you can use the car wash soap itself to clean the bay also.Start fresh with the vending machine candy too.Old product may be why those didnt sell more
I live in NYC where there's tons of laundromats. They all have someone working in them during business hours. If there's a problem with the machine they can give you $$$ to use another machine (what's your current refund policy). Also many of them have converted to a card operation. The initial card is maybe $1 or $2 (my building is a rip-off at $5) but it is refillable & the card machine takes either bills or credit or debit cards. I remember that sometimes the dryers weren't hot at all but there was a reset button on the inside door frame that might do the trick. In bterms of 24 hours, most are not. Last wash might be between 8:30-9:00 pm so that closing time is about 10 pm. Also what about offering drop off service. It's usually fine by weight.
Could consider putting the soda machine outside, not sure how the machines would be affected with colorados winters. But you’d definitely get more people using it that are just passing by. I would highly refrain from going 24 hour, you’re just going to open up a world of issues with homeless and drug addicts, especially in the winter months. I used to go to a laundromat often and they had a card system that you add money to the card, however, this may require new machines to work with.. that could be pricey.
Need to find out where the water is coming inside the building. But at least you know to call your plumber. Good that you got the scoop from the customers what they liked and disliked. Just do the improvements of the laundry mat. Would think about putting up under new management coming updates soon to make a better experience for you.
Can't wait to see the improvements that you are already starting. Your properties always benefit from your ownership. Thank you for all the informative videos.
Definitely needs new flooring and the table doesn't look too hot either. Also, you might be able to make those old dryers look much better by applying a fresh coat of paint.
Can the previous owner tell you where he got the car wash soaps? Do you need a plumber that specialize in car wash plumbing? If you do make the apartment bedroom into waiting room. Maybe consider a pinball machine.
I would have trouble knowing when to stop making improvements. Its probably smart to hold it a while and watch the performance while making small incremental improvements.
Yeah so far it seems like the Washing Machine/Laundry is the money maker and all others are drains. Might make sense to scrap the car wash (given the leaks already) and use that space for something else.
I was an apartment cleaner in section 8 and the machines definetly needed cleaning once a week. Our maintenace was always being told to get new washing and drying machines, but there was always a part that a maintenance man could easily swap and saved them alot of money. Have you ever considered getting into storage units? They say its the easiest made money for the investment and sq footage. Its something thats saturated where I am, but its been a dream of mine so I can run my other business out of part of it.
You absolutely need a plumber / electrician / magician to handle the upkeep of this property. Put the money into this place and do it right.. Raise prices. Make it nice, keep it nice. You can always sell it but definitely hire someone to always be on top of this place. Downtime = loss of revenue. Downtime = loss of customers
I own a laundromat. Unattended mats are failing because of crime, and lack of attention from the owners. Your washers are old, and those weird old dryers. You desperately need new machines. You need a facelift on the mat. Paint, floors redone. Security cameras. Change your mat to payrange only. So that way your customers can use their phones to pay and reduces the odds people trying to break into the machines to steal your money. Same with the vending machines. Add a Ring doorbell camera to the mat for customers to reach you and you have a good mat.
I would personally look into a snack and drink combo vending machine to replace both. Then you could move the candy vending machine to another location. Or sell it.
@@investfourmore That true though even with them all fixed it's still the smallest laundromat I've ever seen. Maybe if you add one more where the soda machine is, it could be an XL, for the people washing comforters, or maybe even add more washers in the proposed waiting area.
Maybe play some elevator music. And make signs that are welcoming, not just a bunch of do not do this or that signs. It does seem pretty tight in there, a bench in front would be nice.
IMO service businesses are a great place to start, like auto detailing, dog waking, window cleaning, power washing, etc. Small up front investment because the real asset is your labor.
I recall seeing a video a few months ago about a laundry mat that used a subscription model and allowed 24hr access to members. Not sure if the clientele in your area fit that model, but that could be an option. Otherwise, I agree with other comments that leaving the place open will invite trouble.
I wonder if a coin pusher machine would make sense. Probably not enough room for one. Can you lay some new cheap laminate flooring down over that linoleum?
Have you and Nikki going on a field trip to see the better laundromats out there anywhere? My guess is that myself look bright and clean. Everything in both operations is super old. If the older machines are better, then they need new white paint. I'm not sure why you're vending machines aren't working well. Sodas are necessary when you're waiting on your laundry. Are the prices too high for the snack machine? Those both should be good money makers for you. But think of who your clientele is and what they can afford.
If you fix all the machines you will make more money ! Nothing worse than having a lot of laundry but not enough working machines !! Folks dont want to hang out in the laundromat all day !
I got an idea! If you want to stay open 24/7 AND keep out the riff raff AND make more money...the just make the front door coin-op after 10 PM! $1 in quarters to get in the door. Change the name of the place to "Club Suds" and add some neon lights in the windows. Add a coin-op jukebox inside too and you'll be ready to rock. Also put a sign on the INSIDE of the front door that says "Do not let anyone in the door for free at night. You steal from me."
Just an Idea, hand written signs are always low budget and tacky for a business, would love to see you replace with simply computer generated signs that are very simple to make and much more classier . . .nothing says tacky more then hand written hours posted on front door. As a customer I would think to myself . . . wow, if they are low budget on signage what else are they cutting corners on. Easy way to class up the place, replace all hand written signs . . examples "out of order "and "hours of operation"
My thoughts are to reconfigure the whole apartment by putting the bathroom where the living room is then the bedroom next to that, then the living room next to the bedroom & last a small kitchenette next to the living room with an open floor concept for the kitchen/living room/dining combo. The extra space left over can go to the laundromat.
Hopefully maintenance in the laundry mat isn't $12k a year... Most places have a "folding" lady to keep an eye on things and to give refunds. Unless her fee is all the salary she need I don't see how the business is profitable at $12k/year. Is it worth it to drive there every week, clean the place, maintain the machines for $12k/yr?
Normally you run out of time with these while you are using the foaming brush, and then you have to pay $2 to start it up again. Also doesn't it have a coin operated Vacuum cleaner after you exit the wash? That will add to the total and make it more comparable to a automatic car wash.
Why block alley access? Or are they cutting thru to get to main road? SLOW Down CHILDREN PLAYING signs might be a good idea or what ever. That huge brick building would be a fantastic wall for a mural or your wall by vacuum. Contact local high school. Very high visuals, local indigenous people, historical society etc. Bring community unity kind of feeling. One of the happiest days of my life was when I got my own washer and dryer. ANYTHING you can do to improve the experience would be profitable. A local notice board, always fun to read.
Leaving the place open 24/7 is going to open up a world of problems, especially come winter. Homeless and drug addicts will camp out there and turn it into their hotel room. Teens who warm a warm hang out area, that usually turns into vandelisum. The old saying, nothing good happens after midnight holds true a lot of the time.
Ain't that the truth. 👍🏽
I would suggest having the cleaning lady come in for an hour or so each morning and then to deep clean once a week. There is nothing worse than a dirty laundrymat where we are cleaning our clothes. Maybe you could get someone to paint your old dryers with a special pain so they look better. If they work the best, you surely want to keep them.
In my small town, there used to be a laundromat that looked a lot like that. It was open 24 hrs. Homeless or un-housed people started sleeping in it, pooping in the washing machines (yep), and generally running it into the ground. I don't recommend a 24 hour laundromat.
Yikes
soap vending machine with bleach spot cleaner etc., fix the soda machine, add a bench preferably with some shade (even a tree), and throw some houseplants in there somewhere something to make it more inviting wall art, music.
Like the outdoor seating area. Maybe a flower pot or two. Sand bucket for smokers too.
👍👍
Add a suggestion box in the laundry area. The customers may have some great ideas for improvements.
Small thing, but you should consider putting a fire extinguisher and smoke alarm in the laundromat. Just something city officials might like to see.
For sure
I love the 24 hr laundromat. Ppl do laundry at different times. Those whom travel might want to stop by early or later to do laundry.
I love the idea of a small patio. I’ve seen it where the vending machines can be on the patio area and then that could clear up room in the waiting area.
Great in winter snow
@@joywebster2678Colorado usually has many beautiful winter days.
Yes and even appeal to people not using the laundromat who are walking by. (vending machines)
I think you take out the soda and snacks both and put only one that has both cold sides and plan together that would give you a little more space and be ever to fill up at one time
Get rid of the old hand written signs. They look trashy.
I don't know that I would want to make it a place people hang out any longer than they actually need to. You might make another $5 staying open overnight but is it worth having people sleeping there or whatever .. probably not.. yeah you probably have some leaky seals on those valves. you might be able to find a rebuild kit if you get the make and model and do a search. They do make rebuild kits for pressure washers so probably your equipment too. If not maybe there are generic replacements.
A sliding door for the apartment toilet. Profit will naturally go up with improvements… get advice from women/moms for the laundry mat.
Doesn't look like you have a loitering problem so a nice bench outside but get a standing ashtray/collector because you'll have butts for sure. I didn't think about the fact you'd have to use all the quarters for the dispenser. I hope it'll serve the community well.
Outdoor patio 🎉Wi-Fi and less coin op . My local has a membership ship card system that doesn’t bill your credit cards for every machine.
I would have given half-off on rent for someone working cleaning the laundry and keeping the outside clean.I bet a Olde timer would be grateful and work hard for a situation like that.
I've had 4 people ask if I need help already in that regard
@@investfourmore Thank you for replying! :)
Your soda machine is what will make you money at a low cost on product with big returns. I have a few and they are no brainers for money.
Love the patio idea. GET MORE CARTS WITH the Hangers. They are ALWAYS at a premium. Open till midnight seems good, unless that is a dead quiet town , 24 hour might encourage vandalism, homeless etc. Just a good paint job, Peach is soothing, with grey trim. All Grey is very 2020. New floor, move vending and add folding tables , New FRONT DOOR or please cover up how cheap looking the existing one is. Start foraging for the old dryers and machines. Also add the big machines that do large heavy loads like blankets, pillows etc. they are fabulous.
That little tv by itself is so creepy 😂
Lots of decisions to make on this business property. As a woman would not go to the laundromat after 7, but that’s me. Bench is good outside(lag bolt to the cement), but move the trash container way down to the other end. The apartment, storage bldg is all in your wheelhouse. You know what to do. Thanks for the update! Enjoy the videos.👍🏻💚
Maybe get rid of the outside trash can.
@@robstephens probably a better idea, but I didn’t see one inside to throw trash away in. 👍🏻
@@elizabethturel78there is one inside by the sink on the far end.
@@investfourmore so no trash can outside then?? Would look better without it.🤷🏻♀️Thanks for answering. 👍🏻
I'm pretty sure those car was drain pits need to be shoveled out from time to time to keep the drain clean, It will be neat to see how much this makes once everything is working and cleaned up
Yes they do
If it was a big laundromat like one in a town over they have someone mostly all the time they did serve coffee and food was available too. They disinfected the appliances after each wash. They were open 24 hr till Covid
Start with the appliance repairs.Once all the dryers are operating run them all at once to see the amount of heat they put off They make car wash degreasers or you can use the car wash soap itself to clean the bay also.Start fresh with the vending machine candy too.Old product may be why those didnt sell more
How about using the heat from the dryers to warm water in the car wash?
Do a combined vending machine and drink machine
I live in NYC where there's tons of laundromats. They all have someone working in them during business hours. If there's a problem with the machine they can give you $$$ to use another machine (what's your current refund policy). Also many of them have converted to a card operation. The initial card is maybe $1 or $2 (my building is a rip-off at $5) but it is refillable & the card machine takes either bills or credit or debit cards. I remember that sometimes the dryers weren't hot at all but there was a reset button on the inside door frame that might do the trick. In bterms of 24 hours, most are not. Last wash might be between 8:30-9:00 pm so that closing time is about 10 pm. Also what about offering drop off service. It's usually fine by weight.
Could consider putting the soda machine outside, not sure how the machines would be affected with colorados winters. But you’d definitely get more people using it that are just passing by. I would highly refrain from going 24 hour, you’re just going to open up a world of issues with homeless and drug addicts, especially in the winter months. I used to go to a laundromat often and they had a card system that you add money to the card, however, this may require new machines to work with.. that could be pricey.
I'd put a coat of industrial gloss paint on those old school dryers. Make them look all new. :)
Need to find out where the water is coming inside the building. But at least you know to call your plumber. Good that you got the scoop from the customers what they liked and disliked. Just do the improvements of the laundry mat. Would think about putting up under new management coming updates soon to make a better experience for you.
Can't wait to see the improvements that you are already starting. Your properties always benefit from your ownership. Thank you for all the informative videos.
He and his project manager certainly aren’t lazy.
Thanks!
Definitely needs new flooring and the table doesn't look too hot either. Also, you might be able to make those old dryers look much better by applying a fresh coat of paint.
Can the previous owner tell you where he got the car wash soaps? Do you need a plumber that specialize in car wash plumbing? If you do make the apartment bedroom into waiting room. Maybe consider a pinball machine.
I would have trouble knowing when to stop making improvements. Its probably smart to hold it a while and watch the performance while making small incremental improvements.
Yeah so far it seems like the Washing Machine/Laundry is the money maker and all others are drains. Might make sense to scrap the car wash (given the leaks already) and use that space for something else.
Lots of opportunity there. Consider a soap vending machine!
Probably need to replace the o rings in the water manifolds?
I was an apartment cleaner in section 8 and the machines definetly needed cleaning once a week. Our maintenace was always being told to get new washing and drying machines, but there was always a part that a maintenance man could easily swap and saved them alot of money. Have you ever considered getting into storage units? They say its the easiest made money for the investment and sq footage. Its something thats saturated where I am, but its been a dream of mine so I can run my other business out of part of it.
I would be reluctant to open all night without supervision, to much can happen in only minutes...maybe open at 5am till 10pm?
You need to clean dryer filters daily!
You absolutely need a plumber / electrician / magician to handle the upkeep of this property. Put the money into this place and do it right.. Raise prices. Make it nice, keep it nice. You can always sell it but definitely hire someone to always be on top of this place. Downtime = loss of revenue. Downtime = loss of customers
I own a laundromat. Unattended mats are failing because of crime, and lack of attention from the owners. Your washers are old, and those weird old dryers. You desperately need new machines. You need a facelift on the mat. Paint, floors redone. Security cameras. Change your mat to payrange only. So that way your customers can use their phones to pay and reduces the odds people trying to break into the machines to steal your money. Same with the vending machines. Add a Ring doorbell camera to the mat for customers to reach you and you have a good mat.
Great update! Looking forward to more!👍👍
Thanks 👍
huge potential!
Thanks for sharing, your update videos are a favorite i always look forward to seeing!!
Glad you like them!
What is the update on Detergent machine?
I would personally look into a snack and drink combo vending machine to replace both. Then you could move the candy vending machine to another location. Or sell it.
That sounds like a great idea, every foot in there is needed here.
Space to add more washers because I've never seen a laundromat with so few
@@readtherealanthonyfaucibyr6444we can add 6 washers by fixing them 😅😅
@@investfourmore That true though even with them all fixed it's still the smallest laundromat I've ever seen. Maybe if you add one more where the soda machine is, it could be an XL, for the people washing comforters, or maybe even add more washers in the proposed waiting area.
I haven't seen your videos for a couple of years. I subscribed and look forward to seeing more videos.
😐I wish the kitchen in my house looked as nice as the one in your new apartment.
Maybe play some elevator music. And make signs that are welcoming, not just a bunch of do not do this or that signs. It does seem pretty tight in there, a bench in front would be nice.
some good old fashion retail background music
Druggies/drunks and homeless mentally ill people will use your washers as toilets. You don't want an unattended laundry open 24hrs.
Very interesting. I wish I could start some kind of business. Wouldn't know where to begin.
IMO service businesses are a great place to start, like auto detailing, dog waking, window cleaning, power washing, etc. Small up front investment because the real asset is your labor.
Start by figuring out what you are passionate about and love to do
There's a car wash for sale in a town south of here... i wonder how much they want :-D
Permanently move the soda machine outside.
Winter snow and ice?
Leave the soda machine inside, after hours folks can get liquid refreshments at the local conventience store.😊
I recall seeing a video a few months ago about a laundry mat that used a subscription model and allowed 24hr access to members. Not sure if the clientele in your area fit that model, but that could be an option. Otherwise, I agree with other comments that leaving the place open will invite trouble.
I wonder if a coin pusher machine would make sense. Probably not enough room for one. Can you lay some new cheap laminate flooring down over that linoleum?
Have you and Nikki going on a field trip to see the better laundromats out there anywhere? My guess is that myself look bright and clean. Everything in both operations is super old. If the older machines are better, then they need new white paint. I'm not sure why you're vending machines aren't working well. Sodas are necessary when you're waiting on your laundry. Are the prices too high for the snack machine? Those both should be good money makers for you. But think of who your clientele is and what they can afford.
The vending machine only takes coins and prices definitely aren't too high. Pop machine has been broken for a while I think
The amount of money taken in wouldn't cover cost for employee to cover existing hours let alone extend hours.
If you fix all the machines you will make more money ! Nothing worse than having a lot of laundry but not enough working machines !! Folks dont want to hang out in the laundromat all day !
Agreed
I got an idea! If you want to stay open 24/7 AND keep out the riff raff AND make more money...the just make the front door coin-op after 10 PM! $1 in quarters to get in the door. Change the name of the place to "Club Suds" and add some neon lights in the windows. Add a coin-op jukebox inside too and you'll be ready to rock. Also put a sign on the INSIDE of the front door that says "Do not let anyone in the door for free at night. You steal from me."
Apt dweller doesn't need all night juke box playing
@@joywebster2678 I like how that's the only part of my comment that you took issue with.
Just an Idea, hand written signs are always low budget and tacky for a business, would love to see you replace with simply computer generated signs that are very simple to make and much more classier . . .nothing says tacky more then hand written hours posted on front door. As a customer I would think to myself . . . wow, if they are low budget on signage what else are they cutting corners on.
Easy way to class up the place, replace all hand written signs . . examples "out of order "and "hours of operation"
My thoughts are to reconfigure the whole apartment by putting the bathroom where the living room is then the bedroom next to that, then the living room next to the bedroom & last a small kitchenette next to the living room with an open floor concept for the kitchen/living room/dining combo. The extra space left over can go to the laundromat.
Just move the bathroom...
what is the sqft of this store the laundromat itself ?... Toronto Canada newly subscribed!
Get an air dancer like they have infront of car dealerships.
Nice
Do not go 24/7. You will have break in your machines. Plus your machines are OLD. Wait till you have to fix or replace.
Wouldn't a split unit be more efficient for the apartment?
Light blue or mint green w bubbles and some wording?
Sump pumps like for a basement to keep it mostly dry😮
Hopefully maintenance in the laundry mat isn't $12k a year... Most places have a "folding" lady to keep an eye on things and to give refunds. Unless her fee is all the salary she need I don't see how the business is profitable at $12k/year. Is it worth it to drive there every week, clean the place, maintain the machines for $12k/yr?
Nope. 12k is the starting point with broken down machines
Normally you run out of time with these while you are using the foaming brush, and then you have to pay $2 to start it up again. Also doesn't it have a coin operated Vacuum cleaner after you exit the wash? That will add to the total and make it more comparable to a automatic car wash.
Yes it has a vacuum
You're gonna have 'campers' if you stay open 24 hours
That won’t cover your rent
couldnt you re-key to have 1 master key to the boxes?
Can you ask the former owner where he brought the soap from?
Why block alley access? Or are they cutting thru to get to main road? SLOW Down CHILDREN PLAYING signs might be a good idea or what ever. That huge brick building would be a fantastic wall for a mural or your wall by vacuum. Contact local high school. Very high visuals, local indigenous people, historical society etc. Bring community unity kind of feeling.
One of the happiest days of my life was when I got my own washer and dryer. ANYTHING you can do to improve the experience would be profitable. A local notice board, always fun to read.
O and maybe put a wifi in maybe
Wassup
Waz happenin
Sell it quick. Gonna be a moneypit