excitednewguy

Actually, the current going price for AC is about $2,000 per ton, and I think this is somewhat low end, depending on your market and location. We did 600AMPS, fully installed, including the installation to all rooms for about $15,000. The cost to upgrade from 200AMPS to 400AMPS, if you do not need the installation to the rooms from the panels, should be somewhere in the $5,000 Range.

Steve Underhill

You have bigger problems than just the electrical and AC.
You should have a minimum of 12 tons of AC at this salon, You will probably need an additional 200 amps. However while the cooling of this space is a big part of it's failing but most importantly your equipment mix is terrible. All of your beds are very much alike. Please read the following. If a salon is structured to fail, it is going to fail no matter who owns it. This salon must be restructured.

Tanning centers today are equipped with anywhere from 4 to 50 tanning systems and have client bases of 500 to 10,000 active members.

It is very important to understand that there are only three distinct performance levels of UV tanning equipment. There is also UV free spray tanning.

Level1. 100/120 watt tanning equipment: This level of equipment will produce a base tan in five to seven sessions depending on skin type.
Level2. VHO – VHO reflector tanning equipment: (140/160/200 watt) this level of equipment will generate as much color in one session as two to three sessions on level one equipment. This level also has features like HP facial lamps
Level 3. High Pressure Tanning equipment: This level of equipment will produce an excellent tan in three sessions, and requires only one session every seven to ten days to maintain the tan.

Within these levels there are many different models to choose from.

Recommended Equipment Mix:
The proper equipment mix for any size-tanning center is 50% to 60% level one equipment, 30% to 40% level two equipment, and 10% level three equipment. In centers where there are only two levels of equipment, the mix should be 60% to 70% level one – 30% to 40% level two. Because of the shorter exposure times on the level two and three systems, an equal number of tans can be achieved each day with all three levels of equipment. An important statistic that supports these equipment mix recommendations is that 85% of all tanners are base tanners or value membership tanners. Only 15% of all tanners are Up-grade or performance driven tanners. Tanning is a niche business, therefore it is important not to structure your salon targeting the smallest percentage of an already limited demographic.

sunsally

Steve, once again, I will say, that while you have some good information to offer, and have done some good work with some clients, you are WRONG when you write, as if it is Gospel, that ALL salons should be 3 levels, that 85% of tanners are base bed tanners, that there is ONLY base bed, HP and VHR no matter the size or location the salon, etc.

These things may hold true for the salons YOU set up - because you set them up this way!

If you put in 50-70% base beds, an HP and some VHR -- with the HUGE price jumps you'll see to move between those 3 levels, sell only EFT's as an option, then yes - you'll create a 85% base bed tanner market.

However, just as there is now more options in cars than just "Model T - Black", there IS more than one way to set up a successful salon operation!

Like you, I consult and set up salons all over the country. Like you, I believe in the importance of HP, EFT's, well trained staff, and more.

But we vary on some of the "nuances", and even some of the underlying main principles. Although I also have salon owners who are among those that are successful, thanks to my help.

I will agree though -- there are more ways to set up an UNSUCCESSFUL one than successful one. That undercapitalization is the number one cause of failure.