Laundromat business plan with machine turns, utilities and wash-and-fold
Buying or opening a laundromat is mostly a numbers question: how many turns each machine gets a day, what water, gas and power cost, and whether the lease is long enough. This prompt has your todo.is agent check the competition and demographics around your site, then write a plan with an Excel model you can test before you sign.
The prompt
- Write a business plan for a laundromat, [STORE NAME AND ADDRESS OR AREA]. I am [BUYING AN EXISTING STORE OR OPENING A NEW ONE]. Details I have: [SIZE, LEASE, MACHINES AND ASKING PRICE OR BUDGET]. The plan is for [WHO WILL READ IT]. Research every laundromat within 3 miles with links, their hours, prices per load, reviews and extras, plus the share of renters in the area. Write: summary, location and demographics, competition, machine mix (washers by size, dryers), pricing, extra income (wash-and-fold, pickup and delivery, commercial accounts, vending), operations and staffing, maintenance, utilities, marketing, risks, and financials. Build an Excel model with turns per machine per day, revenue by service, water, gas, electricity, rent, staff, repairs, payment-system fees, net income, loan payments and payback, for 3 years. Mark assumptions. Send Word and Excel.
What to change
- [STORE NAME AND ADDRESS OR AREA]: E.g. "Bubbles Laundry, 1420 Elm St, Fresno". An address helps your agent check the competition.
- [BUYING AN EXISTING STORE OR OPENING A NEW ONE]: Write which one. For a purchase, attach the seller's figures or utility bills if you have them.
- [SIZE, LEASE, MACHINES AND ASKING PRICE OR BUDGET]: E.g. "2,400 sq ft, 10 years left on lease, 30 washers and 32 dryers, asking $380,000".
- [WHO WILL READ IT]: E.g. "an SBA lender", "an equipment financing company", "my business partner".
Example result
- Summary
- We plan to buy Bubbles Laundry, a 2,400 sq ft laundromat in a dense rental neighborhood, and modernize it with card payment, a wash-and-fold service and pickup and delivery. The lease has 10 years left with a 5-year option.
- Location and competition
- • High share of renters in the area, many buildings without in-unit laundry (census data linked)
- • 6 laundromats within 3 miles; the two nearest close at 9 p.m. and have weak reviews for broken machines
- • Our edge: open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., card and app payment, attendant on site, clean and bright
- Machine mix
- • 20 x 20 lb washers, 8 x 40 lb, 2 x 60 lb for comforters
- • 32 dryers (30 lb stacks)
- • Replace the 10 oldest top-loaders with high-efficiency front-loaders in year 1 to cut water use
- Pricing (illustrative)
- • Washers from $4.00 (20 lb) to $9.50 (60 lb), dryers 25 cents per 6 minutes
- • Wash-and-fold priced per pound with a 15 lb minimum; pickup and delivery fee per order
- Extra income
- • Wash-and-fold: 2 attendants process orders between peak times
- • Commercial accounts: 2 salons, 1 gym and an Airbnb host for towels and sheets
- • Vending for detergent and snacks
- Numbers (all illustrative assumptions)
- • Self-service: 4.2 turns per washer per day
- • Revenue year 1: $310,000 (self-service 70%, wash-and-fold and delivery 22%, commercial and vending 8%)
- • Utilities about 21% of sales, rent 16%, staff 20%, repairs 5%
- • Net income before loan: $78,000; payback on purchase about year 5
- Due diligence before buying
- • 12 to 24 months of water, gas and electric bills (they confirm real sales)
- • Machine ages and service records; lease assignment and rent increases
- Risks
- • Machine breakdown: service contract and spare parts on hand
- • Utility price rises: high-efficiency machines, price review every 6 months
- • New competitor: loyalty card, wash-and-fold accounts that are hard to switch
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in the store, whether you buy or build, and the numbers you have.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen or send it on WhatsApp or Telegram. Attach the seller's figures and utility bills.
- Your agent maps competitors with links and sends a Word plan and a 3-year Excel model.
- Test the deal in plain words: "what if turns drop to 3 a day?" or "add a second location in year 3".
Tips for a better result
- When buying, trust water bills over the seller's word. Water use is the best check on how many loads really run.
- Look for at least 10 years on the lease including options. Lenders and future buyers both look at it.
- Wash-and-fold and commercial accounts smooth out slow weekdays. Plan staff for them from day one.
- Ask your agent to check competitor reviews every month and tell you what customers complain about.
laundromat business plan: FAQ
- Are laundromats profitable? Many are, because demand is steady, but profit depends on turns per machine, rent, utility costs and machine age. The Excel model lets you test those numbers for your site.
- How much does it cost to start a laundromat? Buying an existing store or building a new one usually runs into six figures, mostly for machines and build-out. Your plan lists startup costs from your own quotes.
- What should I check before buying a laundromat? Utility bills, machine ages and service history, the lease terms, competition and the real hours the owner works. The plan includes a due-diligence list.
- Can it help me compare two locations? Yes. Give both addresses and your agent researches the competition and demographics around each and models them side by side.
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