Your Opinions on the facilities of a potential new salon please

[tinksandfloris]

Hi,

I have been working from home for years and after introducing a much needed website business has been good for me for the last year. I've rented rooms before but looking to rent a shop. I've found one where the rent happens to be inclusive or heat, electricity and water. It's small but immaculate with a good size bay window and some fantastic brand new retail racking on one side.

However, there are no customer toilet facilities and there would be no running water in the treatment room. (I'd have to go out back to get it - the owners of the shop live behind it).

Would you see this as a major sticking point?

Thanks,

Tinks

 

[Matthew Taylor]

The water problem is easily solved!
Still get a sink and put onto a unit with a 'barrel' under it.
Buy 2 catering flasks one for hot and one for cold and pour needed water into sink/bowls etc.
When finished pour into the sink
Which will drain into the barrel which can be emptied daily!

Maybe not the most sophisticated way to do it, but simple for your situation!

It sounds like an excellent opportunity so improvise round anything that seems an issue!!!
Good luck

 

[Cesalon]

The water problem is easily solved!
Still get a sink and put onto a unit with a 'barrel' under it.
Buy 2 catering flasks one for hot and one for cold and pour needed water into sink/bowls etc.
When finished pour into the sink
Which will drain into the barrel which can be emptied daily!

I think this would work, is a catering flask same as the catering urn? Normally hold about 8ltrs upwards according to google and are quite cheap too, £40 upwards as you said not the most sophisticated but definitely doable.

 

[MissConfused]

i don't know what your local council is like but when i asked about a treatment room at home i was told i would need a sink in the room by enviro. health. the therapist i go to has a lovely home salon and she too said the same thing about being told she needed a sink in her room, her council is a different one to mine. so def make sure you check things out with your local council and envrio health dept. just to add you can get portable sinks which i've seen advertised towards the mobile catering market think burger vans at bootsales or on b&q car parks haha, so maybe something like that could work for you too? whatever you decide to do good luck! how exciting for you!! x

 

[femmefan]

I personally wouldn't entertain a place with no access to toilet facilities. Sorry.

 

[Matthew Taylor]

I think this would work, is a catering flask same as the catering urn? Normally hold about 8ltrs upwards according to google and are quite cheap too, £40 upwards as you said not the most sophisticated but definitely doable.

Yeah it is! With a push button at the top.
Its what I use and it works great!

Or if you can get a portable sink unit as above then thats a fab idea too!

 

[persianista]

I think the lack of a loo is a big problem. Can one not be installed? Saniflo systems can be installed pretty much anywhere.

 

[tinksandfloris]

Hi,

There is access to a toilet facility within the house behind if someone is desperate and my friends shop next door also has an outdoor toilet (not ideal!) if need be too. The shop is only small so not big enough to put in a toilet and a treatment room. and the water facility is provided by the house also, it's just I'd rather have a containment facility to use.

This is only my first premises so I would likely look to move to a premises that could provide water and toilet facilities once I was more established.

 

[Mrs RSM]

Sorry but no running water and no toilet would be a big no no no! Believe me, clients will want access to a toilet and it doesn't look professional to have to ask a neighbour or the people in the house " out the back" .

What if they are out, or on holiday? I would say that they would get a bit sick of your clients traipsing in and out all day to use their toilet.

I would look elsewhere.

 

[soriminah]

Things are obviously different here in Oz. I don't think I've ever been to a salon that has its own toilet inside. Shops here are built with toilets belonging to the complex which you have to go out to but not inside the actual shop itself.

Do you not worry about people going to the toilet and stinking out your salon??

 

[Baggybear]

I have been to several salons in my time and I've never wanted to use the loo. I would think it might be a problem for those working there to go all day without a loo but as there are facilities available in the owners house and the place next door then I dont see it being a huge problem. If you really wanted a loo then maybe look at getting a porta poty (the type for camping with a chemical flush but then you'd have to find a place suitable for it & somewhere empty it correctly).

As for the water thing you already have sugestions above to get around that issue.

 

[Kerrymarie]

I would say no if it had no toilets or/and a sink in the room! I think you need to think about what the client wants, if you already have a good client base, they'll expect it to be a nice place and this will not include no toilets or you coming in and out of the room for water, its not very relaxing!

 

[persianista]

The loo's in my salons are used all the time!

Unless there are a few of you working, how are you gonna be able to go to the loo yourself if you have to leave the premises?

 

[Karen-Nail Tech]

Maybe this space is available for a reason.

For the length of time clients maybe with you you really will need to offer a toilet facility. It might be ok at first but you'll soon regret taking on a room that you have to have so many comprises for

x


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek

 

[bombini]

I think its a massive issue and the fact you've had to ask the question highlights how important it is.

There will be some clients who won't mind or care but the ones that do might not like the idea at all. What if you have a client that drinks lots of water during the treatment or even someone that has a medical condition ?

When I rented a room in a hair salon the toilets were shared with the barbers and there were quite a few people who wouldn't even entertain the idea of using it knowing men had access to it. So i'm not sure how those sort of people would cope with an outside one or nipping in someones house. Its different with a shop but I think a salon client that could be spending several hours in treatment would expect the facility.

Also its all very well the water being included in the price but if there is no sink or toilet you aren't going to be using much !

 

[tinksandfloris]

Hi,

Thanks for all your feedback,

It's good to see others answers.

In response - the shop is available because the previous company that used it went bust (they were a retail shop, not a salon).

I currently don't have water in my treatment room at home. When I leave the client to undress, I tell them I'm going to wash my hands and prepare and that's when I get my water.

There are absolutely no premises available in my town and there rarely are to be honest as it is quite a long way from the next town or village.

The issues surrounding the water have been solved and I could use a portable sink which is easy to install, I was just curious about the toilet issue as most of my clients at home never ask to use mine, and I generally don't tend to when I'm at the hairdressers etc.

Obviously this unit is not perfect in every way, but it does lend itself to a small start-up (it would be just myself working in it as there is only one treatment room) until I could grow and move into something bigger.

 

[taggyboy]

Whether you choose or not choose to use the toilet facilities during your visit to a salon/beauty room, whether at home or on site, is a personal one. However, I would say you need to offer this facility.

If you have means to use a nearby one, then this should be an advantage but this needs to be open to you at all times during opening hours and not restricted in any way.

On a slightly different note, you would need to install a sanitary disposal system for female washrooms and have the contents environmentally removed to meet UK legal requirements. Would these be fitted in both toilets?

HTH's

 

[tinksandfloris]

Hi Taggyboy,

Yes I'd have 24 hour access if I wanted it and yes it would be fitted with sanitary disposal.