I am trying to start a storage unit and car wash business how could i go about it to get started?

The first thing to do is to learn all you can about the self storage business. Do a research on the business, including the costs and investments it entails, operational considerations and the factors that make a self storage business successful. Parallel with getting industry information, you also need to start looking at the size of the market for self storage in your planned location, number and services offered by competitors, permits and licenses, as well as other county/city requirements for this type of business including commercial zoning regulations.





You may want to start your research with the Self Storage Association at http://www.selfstorage.org . They have produced several must-read publications on the self storage industry that any would-be entrant in this field should read. These studies include Financial %26amp; Operational Characteristics of Self Storage Facilities; Self Storage Demand Study; The Best of The Self Storage Legal Network: Answers to the 75 Most Frequently Asked Legal Questions; among others. The prices of the publication may be a bit steep but it is always better to know more about the market before you enter it, especially for a business that will require significant initial outlay.





Another important resource is Inside Self Storage鈥檚 http://www.insideselfstorage.com publication called Inside Self Storage Factbook that is published on an annual basis. The Factbook contains information on wide ranking issues affecting the self storage business from construction, insurance, security and access, management, marketing, among others.





You may also want to check out the following books:





Market Analysis and Valuation of Self-Storage Facilities (Paperback) by Richard R. Correll http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0鈥?/a>


How to Invest in Self-Storage (Paperback) by Scott Duffy; RK Kliebenstein Book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0鈥?/a>





I have also included links below to a sample business plan that you can study and even adapt, as well as an overview of the self storage business from a subsidiary of SBA.





Self Storage Industry: http://sbdcnet.utsa.edu/E-Newsletters/ne鈥?/a> Sample Business Plan: http://www.bplans.com/spv/3303/2.cfm Ministorage.com Messenger http://www.ministoragemessenger.com/asso鈥?/a>





If you are thinking of starting a car wash business, you need to consider the following factors to ensure greater profitability:





1. Location - you need to choose a location that will support the operations of your business, and it should be very visible





2. Type - what car wash operation are you planning to operate (self service car wash or in-bay automatic, which can either be friction automatics or touch free automatics)





3. Equipment - Unless the car wash business you are thinking of is the self service type, an automatic car wash business requires significant capital equipment





One good resource I found in the car wash business is Hill and Foss Car Wash Business Systems. They have an FAQ section that answers some of the common questions in starting a car wash business. http://www.hillandfoss.com/faq.html





It is hard to categorically say how much income you can expect to make from a car wash business. The rule of thumb is 15-20% return on investment on a 5-7 year window. It really depends on the type of car wash you decide on and the services you will offer.