A/C and Electrical Requirements - Most Important part of Tanning Salon

[Din]

Air Conditioning and Electrical requirements are probably the two most important things you can do properly even over what beds you decide to purchase. Make sure based on your idea of what beds you are getting that you have enough voltage, amps to power your equipment. Keep in mind that if you are to expand or upgrade in the future you need to have enough elec. to power them as it will cost big $$$ after the fact. Same goes for A/C.

Example cost to run electrical $12,000...up it from beginning will cost you $13-14,000. now to have them come back and up it to what is required after the fact will be an extra $6-8,000. Same goes for A/C.

THESE ARE THE 2 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO YOUR SALON.

Don't cheap out on them....it will hurt you after the fact when your customers aren't happy and your a/c is trying to keep up and it's 95 degrees in your lobby. If you want to cheap out on things, consider buying used beds instead of new. Consider leasing beds instead of purchasing up front. But don't cheap out on A/C.

There are formula's to give you an estimate of how much a/c or elec you would need but all bed specs give you requirements of elec (3phase) and a/c. Remember that's the minimum requirement and if you run all beds at same time in the busy season non stop....it will be a big draw of power and a drain. Do it right from the beginning, save yourself the headaches.

Again, you will need to know what beds, how many and what levels you are getting to know how much power/a/c you will need but beds can be changed...elec and a/c can't or at least not at a cheap price and down time....

[Brian Oshman]

Rule of thumb for A/C:
300 BTU of cooling per lamp or,

.5 tons per regular bed 100W 28-32 lamps average.
1 ton per Mid range VHR or standup. 34-40 lamps average.
1.5 tons per huge VHR 50 or more lamps.
3 tons per HP unit.

These values are on top of the A/C needed for your space requirements for how many square ft. your space is as if it was not a tanning salon. That is usually 3 to 4 tons on average.

[Rob]

These values are on top of the A/C needed for your space requirements for how many square ft. your space is as if it was not a tanning salon. That is usually 3 to 4 tons on average.

Usually you would need 1 ton for every 400 sq. ft of space (No tanning beds included)

[Din]

Brian...can you make any electrical recommendations? Only because a lot of people will open up with 200amp service and will have problems. Is electrical for a tanning salon that much different? Some electricians are telling salon owners they only need X amount of elec. and it's not enough. I see a lot of salons opening with too little electrical for their needs.

When we had electricians quoting us on electrical, they were telling us we don't need that much electrical, needless to say we didn't choose them as our electricians. Why is that? Are there calculations that they are not considering?

[Brian Oshman]

Total running amps of all EQ and other load. Add 20%.

Or add up breaker size for all EQ and other loads.

Or add up total KW load divided by 240 for single phase or 360 for three phase for current draw.

[BelleMãe]

Originally Posted by Din

Example cost to run electrical $12,000...up it from beginning will cost you $13-14,000. now to have them come back and up it to what is required after the fact will be an extra $6-8,000. Same goes for A/C.

is this a month???? or year??? USD I assume??

[lewdyju]

Thanks, I know everyone has always stressed this point! In the beginning of my lease negotiations I was able to get 10 tons HVAC and 400 3 amp for 1200 sq ft. Would of never known what to get without the help of this site and my bed vendor. I am sooo glad I came across this site during my research phase! Thanks again!

[BelleMãe]

Originally Posted by lewdyju

Thanks, I know everyone has always stressed this point! In the beginning of my lease negotiations I was able to get 10 tons HVAC and 400 3 amp for 1200 sq ft. Would of never known what to get without the help of this site and my bed vendor. I am sooo glad I came across this site during my research phase! Thanks again!

AWESOME to know this is the space I am needing how many beds are you running?

[lewdyju]

4 beds, 1 sunless booth, 1 thermojet plus, 2 rooms to grow.

[BelleMãe]

Originally Posted by lewdyju

4 beds, 1 sunless booth, 1 thermojet plus, 2 rooms to grow.

OHHHH!! Can we please talk!! I want to run with a small amount of beds and I feel very discouraged with all the advise given discouraging SMALL salons.

[lewdyju]

It just really depends on your demographic, budget and your drive to succeed. IMO
I am in a city where there happens to be room for me, no one on my side of town and the avg income is 100k, about 15k homes. i have to start out with what I have because of my budget. I have room to expand and I have every intention of bringing in HP. My rooms are being prewired for the HP beds in advance. As much as I would of loved to fill every room i would of blown through my working capital and am not willing to do that. We have had SO many delays in our construction process because I am in a new retail center, my landlord was suppose to issue my keys in Aug 2006, and guess what still no keys. So, now I am forced to open at the worst possible time. I have renegotiated my lease and was able to receive an addtional 90 days of free rent tacked on my 120. I still feel like it is not enough, I have let him know he has now set me up for a very unsuccessful first year. Which to me means, i will be probably not be purchasing or leasing my HP bed be the next ITA Expo. So, I am pleased that I didn't over extend myself and fill every room with beds and hung onto my cash. I am just waiting to open, but filling my head with as much knowledge as possible. I have asked many questions but mostly searched every archive there is on this site. Truly listen to every veteren, they know what they are talking about. I wish I had read more prior to my lease signing, I would have NEVER signed a lease on new construction (at least the phase mine was in). I would of waited on signing until the space was near completion, I would of put my money in CD's or IRA's to earn more interest than putting deposits all over and letting manufacturors earn interst on my money (had i known all the delays). Live and learn, but be greatful there are sites such as these to give you a better understanding of this industry. I am still just as excited as i was a year ago when I signed my lease! I have started advertising, my sign is up, my contractor is working. Looking forward to wowing my customer, killing them with the best custoemr service I know, I am confident I know as I can about tanning smart (smart tan certified)without being a hands on salon owner and seeing my first customer walk through my doors. Good luck to you. Just make sure you open at the right time, I sure tried to, I was hoping for a Nov. Dec opening and well, here I am still hoping to open.

[BelleMãe]

Wow sounds like you went through a lot, I wish you success!!

It is coming into grad season! and wedding season so be hopefully!

Did you say house were 15,000??? if So WOW....if my neighborhood they are like 400-700,000 and the lowest in town I have seen for 300,000.

[Tanning Queen]

They meant there are 15,000 homes, not the avg price of the home. No way would they get that little in California. I dont know of anywhere in the US that you can get anything that cheap. LOL!

And your other question about what Brian said is that is based on what it will cost to bring in that electric into the salon, not per month.

[Din]

Originally Posted by BelleMãe

is this a month???? or year??? USD I assume??

Yup....what Queen said. That is the approximate cost to bring in the electrical panels, transformer, wiring of the entire salon (1200Sqft) during the buildout of the salon. Includes all outlets and wiring for lightfixtures...but does not include the actual light fixtures themselves. Just wiring. Again, approximate numbers give or take a couple thousands depending on your area etc....this is to hire an electrician to come do the job. We got quoted in CDN $$$ $12,000-$25,000 for the electrical. We paid $15,000 CDN. The prices in my first post are in USD.

Again, depends on what you install. We put in 600A, 3phase with 2 transformers (1 for beds, 1 for all other electrical). We have High Pressure beds. You electrical if you will have only few beds and no HP for a small town.....will need less.

Being where you are at and the hurting demand for labour and trades people, you might be paying through your you know what for tradespeople to develop you salon.

[BelleMãe]

Actually I will be paying very little...lol.... It pays to have a commercial electrican as a friend, who works for major oilfield companies around here and a framer (finsher) as a brother in law and a husband who can drywall, lay flooring tape, mud and myself who is very good at design

Basically our costs will be equipment and supplies

[lewdyju]

You will still have the expense of upgrading your electrical panel and HVAC, but how nice for you. I am less fortunate, everything is inspected by the city, I need permits for everything and aside from the equiment expense my buildout is the most costly!

[Din]

permits and inspection is no different if you friend is an electrician. Just save on buildout expenses.

[lewdyju]

I know I guess I worded that wrong. Either way I am paying an assload. LOL

[Din]

your ass will be smaller afterwards though.....no formostar required. But look on the bright side.....you'll be able to park a buick in your ass afterwards...

Been through what you've been through.......mine fits a Hummer.

[lewdyju]

I could be in an entirly different industry if I can park a buick in my ass! LOL

I have to say I bounce around the tanning sites and lately the doom and gloom of the others is wearing on me! I can't take so much negativity, change with the industry already or you will be done. Totally unrelated I know, but it needed to be said.