When others sell, we buy.

[W4RLR]

Glad your plans are coming together but I am confused. If you are going to groom "IN house" instead of in a "converted van" then why do you need the van? Keep in mind that I confuse easily and I am half asleep.

Hey Crumm,

Grooming the dogs in a person' house limits what you can do. You can't really bathe them properly, dog hair gets everywhere in the house when the clippers run, and lugging a portable grooming table is rough on Laura's back.

With the van, there is a grooming table, stainless steel bathing tub, high capacity dryers, all the shampoos, conditioners, and flea baths, and all of the dirt and hair stays in the van instead of in the customer's house. The equipment is set up so Laura doesn't have to bend over, the grooming table is like an elevator that even lifts the dog into the tub. Big dogs are heavy!

I'm also installing GPS, a wireless credit card terminal, and a Macintosh workstation to go with the microwave and small refrigerator, so it is truly a full service shop on wheels. Laura likes the demonstrator she looked at, she knows her stuff. But I made a few changes in the design. How we're saving so much over a new one is the best part.

1. Buy used cargo van.
2. Find used grooming vehicle where the front end was totalled in a crash.
3. Make offer for salvage of the internals to the grooming van, all of which were undamaged. Have conversion house install new roof.
4. Bring home parts and assemble with help from daughter's boyfriend and son.

Savings? $35,000.

But if you ask me, it looks a lot like dog grooming inside a phone booth. There's just enough room for everything, and no room for anything else. 35 gallons of diesel, 80 pounds of LP gas, 50 gallons of fresh water, 50 gallon holding tank, 7000 watt Onan generator, Carrier air conditioning and a Suburban RV furnace and water heater, plus her clippers, combs and scissors.

Dirty dog goes in, clean and clipped dog comes out. Customer doesn't have to go any farther than their driveway. We charge more than a regular shop, but we come to the door and get the dog done in an hour. Take a dog to the grooming shop, and you make two trips, have a dirty dog in your nice ride, and the dog sits all day in a cage. People WILL pay extra for the convenience. We also service the RV parks and the condos for seasonal visitors.

The best part is our only competition can't handle all the demand.

 

[Blue01F250]

Dirty dog goes in, clean and clipped dog comes out. Customer doesn't have to go any farther than their driveway. We charge more than a regular shop, but we come to the door and get the dog done in an hour. Take a dog to the grooming shop, and you make two trips, have a dirty dog in your nice ride, and the dog sits all day in a cage. People WILL pay extra for the convenience. We also service the RV parks and the condos for seasonal visitors.

That part is sooooo true!

 

[WD40]

RR, so glad to hear that things are looking good for you and Laura .
Make the road trip fun along the way.

 

[bushpilot]

saw one of these vans converted sitting at tomball ford (oil change &
tire service center) just today !

weve got an 85lb old english sheep dog...luckily we clip 'er ourselves...
cause its EXPENSIVE (and most people dont seem to TAKE time to
BRUSH their dogs much less give 'em baths) !

I wish you the best of SUCCESS and a SAFE uneventful road trip !

KEEP the members phone list handy...'case you need something
while on the road !

 

[W4RLR]

A lot of money is made simply because owners DON'T brush their dogs. People could save money on the grooming visits if they would brush them every day or so.

An OES can get pricey, a full groom and bath would run $120, assuming no matted coat. But with that much fur, it's a two hour job, and Laura earns every penny.

Thanks for the reminder about the list. I'm taking my Mac laptop along and will hook up wherever I can get WiFi.