Mike’s Carwash

Mike’s Carwash partnered with Tonn and Blank Construction to deliver a convenient, quality car wash experience for the South Bend community. The owner was seeking a contractor that could handle site development from beginning to end with a turnkey building ready for customers.

Building this four-lane, 7,682 square foot car wash required careful planning, technical expertise, and a commitment to meeting regulatory and environmental standards. Tonn and Blank helped Mike’s Carwash navigate these challenges and delivered a successful project.

Preparing the site included clearing, grading, and ensuring proper drainage to prevent water runoff issues. Utility connections for water, electrical and sewer were established. Custom car wash equipment requires specialized installation and calibration by technicians from the equipment manufacturer.

This facility houses major custom equipment that required specialty subcontractors recommended by the owner, therefore our team had to be flexible in coordinating various trades, such as electrical and roofing, to ensure proper alignment and integration of equipment crucial for efficient operation.

There were many specific needs to meet throughout construction, including the hard deadline. Our team managed to construct this facility within a condensed schedule, just under 7 months. If a car wash doesn’t open on time, you extend the time to reach anticipated return on investment, so we knew staying on schedule was imperative for the owner.

Our self-perform team completed concrete foundation footers, tunnel pit and water reclamation pit. They also handled the rough carpentry, fiberglass reinforced panels (FRP) board for the tunnel and interior building accessories.

One of the most memorable parts of project was ensuring the famous stuffed animals were placed in the car wash to greet customers (seriously, they buy them by the truckload…)!