Bath business – basic organizational issues. How to open a bath business? Business plan for a Russian bathhouse in the village

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A business plan for a sauna with a swimming pool (detailed) will help you understand how profitable this business is and what costs await you in the process of opening it. The sauna is a universal place for relaxation and healing. Some come there to relax after a hard work week, some gather in the sauna with a group of friends, and some visit it for the purpose of recovery. When opening your own sauna, you need to provide a wide range of services offered.

Before starting your own business, you need to decide on the format of the future establishment. There are several types of saunas - Finnish sauna, Russian bath, hammam, Japanese ofuro. The most difficult thing is to open a hammam, so when constructing a building for such a bathhouse, it is necessary to use stone. A sauna business plan may include the provision of additional services. But this will require the opening of a large bath complex, which is unprofitable to build in small towns. The following types of saunas can be distinguished: a small bathhouse in the private sector, a large bathhouse complex, a classic sauna within the city.

Where to start opening a sauna?

Any entrepreneurial activity must begin with the registration of an enterprise. At the tax office, the sauna can be registered as an LLC or individual entrepreneur, depending on its size, investments in opening the enterprise and the preferences of the owner. When opening an enterprise from scratch as an individual entrepreneur, you can choose UTII. You will also need to obtain a work permit from the fire inspectorate and the sanitary-epidemiological service.

It is believed that it is better to build a building for a sauna with a swimming pool yourself than to remodel a ready-made room. It is also unprofitable to renovate former sauna buildings - unexpected problems may arise during the renovation process. The area of ​​the room depends on the scale of your project. If you are a novice entrepreneur, you can limit yourself to opening a sauna for 3-5 visitors. If you decide to take this business seriously, you will need a room of at least 100 square meters. m, of which 15 sq. m is allocated for a sauna, the remaining area for a swimming pool and rooms.

In order for the sauna to be designed for a wide range of visitors, the rooms should be divided according to the level of comfort into suites and junior suites. Luxury rooms must have a swimming pool and a relaxation room. You can also install an infrared sauna here. A sauna business plan should also include the purchase of equipment. Costs for these purposes can be divided into one-time and regular. One-time purchases include furniture, sauna stoves, interior items, and pool equipment. Consumable materials are considered to be towels, disposable slippers, scoops, brooms, and bath caps. All equipment will cost 50 thousand rubles.

When opening a sauna with a swimming pool, you should be responsible when purchasing transformers, heating elements, filters, pumps and lamps. Do not forget that the pool requires the organization of sewerage and ventilation systems.

No such establishment can function without specially trained staff. First you need to hire an administrator, a bathhouse attendant, a cleaner, a handyman and a security guard. The wider the range of services provided, the more specialists you will need. The ideal is a 24-hour work schedule, in which case your profit will increase several times.

It is best to look for workers with the help of a recruitment agency. If you decide to take on these responsibilities yourself, then start by posting ads on the Internet.

Usually the client signs up for the sauna for the time he requires; he must arrive 10-15 minutes earlier in order for the room to be assigned to him. Otherwise, the administrator has the right to provide the number to another visitor. Slightly different rules apply to regular customers, but when opening a sauna from scratch, you need to adhere to the above tips.

Calculation of business profitability

How to start your own business was discussed earlier, now we will give calculations that will help you understand how profitable it is to open a sauna with a swimming pool. The bulk of financial investments are aimed at building construction and purchasing equipment. The quantity and type of equipment purchased depend on the range of services provided. Equipment for a sauna will cost you 80 thousand rubles, construction of a swimming pool requires at least 800 thousand, showers - 20 thousand per piece, furniture - 50 thousand, firewood - 8 thousand, sauna stoves - 100 thousand. , additional expenses - 50 thousand.

The main part of current expenses is payment for electricity, followed by water costs. The water in the pool is not replaced daily, and one visitor spends no more than 100 liters of water on a shower. Saving on creating an interior helps reduce costs. Income consists of the cost of services provided. 1 hour in the sauna costs about 500 rubles. per person, daily room rental costs a client 3-6 thousand. A medium-sized sauna can accommodate up to 8 clients at a time.

The average monthly profit in this case is 150 thousand. The profitability of the business is estimated at 120%. If you run your business correctly, your income can exceed 200 thousand per month. The initial investment pays off in about 2 years. The risks when opening a sauna can be assessed as moderate.

Such a business has significant disadvantages. This is rapid wear and tear of the building and equipment. High humidity contributes to wear and tear on equipment and building walls. The wooden lining of the sauna will have to be replaced at least once every 2 years, and the chimney pipes will need to be replaced once a year. About a third of the starting capital will have to be spent on repairs. Major repairs are recommended every 5 years.

From time immemorial, baths have been popular with people. And today, despite the almost universal provision of hot water to the population, this business remains afloat.

The bath business is quite profitable, but competition in this area is high. Before opening your own bath complex, you should study all the nuances and features of doing business, draw up and calculate preliminary costs.

This article contains comprehensive answers to questions that interest many novice businessmen: “How to open a bathhouse?” and “How to open a sauna from scratch?”.

The first thing you should decide on is the type of bathhouse - both the initial costs of building or renting the premises and the demand among clients will depend on this.

The most popular are:

1. Russian wood-burning bathhouse;
2. Japanese "Ofuro";
3. Finnish sauna;
4. Turkish "Hamam".

Bath complexes containing various types of baths are more profitable. These can be either separate houses or complexes united under one roof.

Having assessed your financial abilities and the demand for bath services, decide on the circle of potential clients. It can be:

• married couples;
• VIP clients;
• those wishing to relax and improve their well-being.

When opening a bathhouse, it is important to take into account the client’s possible wishes for the establishment being visited and take them into account by organizing additional services in addition to standard showers, steam rooms and relaxation rooms. This will allow you to get regular customers, whose visits account for up to 50% of the total profit, and attract new ones.

Step-by-step action plan

Despite the variety of types of baths, the opening of any of them has common features. For this reason, the opening of a bathhouse can be divided into the following stages:

1. Creation, calculation of profitability.
2. Finding and renting premises suitable for running a business. The premises can also be purchased, but this will require a significant investment.
3. Consultation and obtaining permission to put the premises into operation from the fire inspectorate, which will check the safety of materials, ventilation and other systems for others.
4. Documenting. To legally conduct a business, you need to register it with the tax office (); when hiring a job, you will also need to visit the Social Insurance Fund () and the Pension Fund. In this case, the business fits the definition of “Physical and recreational activities” (OKVED 93.04). A business license is not required, but it is necessary to equip the premises to be operated in accordance with the requirements of SanPin (2.1.2) and SNiP 05/31/2003 clause 6.3.9.
5. Obtaining a license to sell alcohol if it is planned to open a bar in the bathhouse complex.
6. Renovation of all premises. It is important not only to bring each room into decent shape, but also to create a special atmosphere conducive to relaxation, rest and a pleasant pastime.
7. Purchase of inventory and equipment. The bulk of the funds will be spent on the purchase of boilers, equipment of rest rooms and showers.
8. Selection
9. Conducting PR campaigns and advertising campaigns.

How much does it cost to open a sauna?

When deciding to open a bath complex, you should take into account your own financial capabilities. According to the most conservative estimates, opening a bathhouse from scratch costs 400,000 Russian rubles. This amount includes the rental of the premises, its renovation and the purchase of the most necessary equipment and inventory.

A bathhouse of an above-average class will cost about 2.5–3 times more, since design services may be required to create the interior, and it will also be necessary to purchase more different equipment.

The business plan must also include the costs of current repairs (performed as needed, for example, a locker in the locker room is broken or the pool is clogged) and capital repairs (changing the lining in the steam rooms, replacing interior items, and so on).

Major repairs are carried out every 4–6 years, and their cost can reach 50% of the initial repair amount. The amount of monthly payment for utilities directly depends on the size of the bathhouse complex and its attendance. These costs should also be reflected in the business plan being drawn up.

Despite the high popularity of the bath business among entrepreneurs, it is very profitable even for beginners. With a competent approach to organizing a bathhouse, it will pay for itself within 3–6 years.

Choosing a bathhouse and equipment

For a bath business, the right location has a fundamental and determining role. The maximum profit can be obtained from a bathhouse located:

• in a sports or hotel complex;
• in a residential area;
• not far from the city, in a picturesque place.

For a bathhouse, it is advisable to choose a room measuring about 200 square meters. This area contains:

• steam rooms;
• rest rooms;
• locker rooms;
• jacuzzi;
• showers;
• toilet.

Costs for purchasing sauna equipment vary from 150,000 to 300,000 rubles. These include the purchase of:

• shower cabins;
• chairs, sofas, tables and TVs for recreation rooms;
• pool equipment;
• air conditioners;
• lockers and benches for changing rooms;
• heated floor.

From the inventory you will need:

• steamers for brooms;
• sheets;
• towels;
• scoops;
• dishes and more.

A boiler (stove) for a bath is the main thing you need to purchase; the cost of this equipment is quite high - from 30,000 rubles. Sauna stoves are:

1. gas (this is the most budget option, but there may be problems with the fire inspection when putting the bathhouse complex into operation);
2. electric (the most fireproof, but due to the high cost of electricity they are not economical);
3. wood-burning (environmentally friendly, safe, and besides, wood-burning saunas are in exceptional demand among customers).

At first, it is enough to purchase a minimum set of everything that is required to ensure the operation of the sauna, and over time, purchase what you consider necessary.

Recruitment of personnel for the bathhouse

Before you begin hiring staff, you should establish and agree on a bathhouse operating schedule. Most often, such enterprises operate around the clock, which means you will need to hire 2 staff units for each position:

1. Administrator. His responsibilities: receiving calls and orders, monitoring and organizing shift work, meeting clients and helping them choose additional services (if any).
2. Bartender. The profitability of the establishment will increase if customers have the opportunity to purchase drinks and snacks without leaving the bathhouse complex.
3. Cleaning woman.
4. Security guard. His direct responsibilities are to control the behavior of visitors, especially if alcohol is sold in the bathhouse complex.
5. Handyman. This person is engaged in collecting firewood, cleaning the surrounding area and other small but necessary tasks.

Such a staff will allow the bathhouse to fully function, providing clients with basic services in this area.

Advertising and additional services

No business can grow quickly if it is not advertised. Accordingly, you can notify the population about the opening of the bath complex:

• by posting advertisements around the area (this method is suitable for small bathhouses designed to serve residents of a certain microdistrict);
• on radio and television;
• by posting information on the Internet - on city forums and bulletin boards;
• in print media.

The dignity of word of mouth cannot be diminished. This PR method is free and very effective. Most people trust the advice of friends more than third-party advertising.

Additional services in the bath complex

The wide range of services offered contributes to the increase in bathhouse attendance. The more entertainment, health, medical and other types of leisure activities you can offer, the longer clients will spend time in the bathhouse and will want to visit it more than once.

For clients we can arrange:

• infrared steam room;
• billiard room;
• karaoke room;
• massage therapist services;
• SPA treatments;
• bath attendant services.

A special source of income is the sale of brooms made of different types of wood on the territory of the bathhouse complex. This service does not require additional documentation.

The bath business is not only one of the most profitable, but also the least risky, because there will always be people who want to relax comfortably and efficiently with their soul and body.

How to open a bathhouse? on running a bathhouse business in this video:

Having a bathhouse has long been a common thing for many people. This is primarily due to the growing popularity of a healthy lifestyle, and, as you know, bath procedures very well strengthen a person’s physical health. In addition to the main services, you can sell additional services, such as massage or a fitness room. In fact, the bath business has broad prospects for development.

Let's look at the main pros and cons of opening a bathhouse.

Pros:

• high demand for this service. A lot of people regularly visit such health centers.
• it is possible to expand the scope of services. The prospects are huge; as you develop, you can offer cosmetic services and massage, a fitness room and more.
• With a competent approach to this business, you can get high profits.

Minuses:

• large initial capital;
• frequent repairs. Due to the increased humidity, you will have to regularly change the lining of the room.
• seasonality of the bathhouse rental business.

You will already decide whether it is profitable to start in this direction by reading this article to the end, but one thing is clear - that this is a promising direction that deserves the attention of entrepreneurs.

Do you want to beat your competitors? Launch an original business, namely a bathhouse on wheels. How to do it? Watch the video at this link. In fact, this is a very profitable thing. In fact, you can work in any corner of your city.

Place and premises

One of the main issues in this business is the selection of a location, or rather premises, for the business.

Depending on where the bathhouse is located, there are several main formats.

1. Recreation complex. Usually baths are located in the countryside, somewhere near a forest. This way you can ensure maximum comfort and a relaxing atmosphere in the clean air.
2. City baths. But there are options for opening a bathhouse business in the city; these are rather public baths aimed at a large flow of regular customers. Their range of services usually includes many additional wellness treatments.
3. Bathhouse business at home. This format is popular in provincial cities, where businessmen, as an additional income, build a bathhouse on their site, draw up all the necessary documents, and then rent it out.

If we talk about cost, then the first option is the most expensive, plus you will need to spend money on transport. The second is the cheapest, but the level of service there is minimal. And the third is the average price solution.

You have three options for building a bathhouse:

• build a bathhouse complex from scratch - the price will be approximately $850 per 1 sq.m.;
• to repair an existing building and convert it into a bathhouse - the price will be about $300 per 1 sq. m.;
• purchase of a ready-made bath. The price tag is usually inflated, since you are buying not just a building, but a ready-made business, and in this segment the prices differ significantly.

What do you need to open a bathhouse? The premises need to be segmented into sectors, you must have:

• steam room;
• room with a swimming pool;
• restroom;
• bathroom;
• wardrobe.

All these rooms must be renovated using moisture-resistant materials, such as ceramic tiles.

The steam room itself is equipped with a section with stones to which the firebox is connected, sun loungers and boards for sitting, as well as wooden headrests.

The walls of the steam room are sheathed either with alder (a budget option), or best of all with linden. It is these materials that provide the most beneficial effect from visiting a bathhouse and they are more resistant to moisture and high temperatures than, say, conifers.

Equipment you will need:

• stone wood stove. It is this type of firebox that needs to be included in the business plan for a Russian wood-fired sauna. In a Russian bath, humidity reaches 90%, and the temperature is maintained between 80 – 110 degrees.
• ladle for collecting water.
• essential oils for the steam room.
• buckets that are placed when leaving the bathhouse. This is an alternative to the pool; if a person does not want to jump into the pool, he can simply cool off with a bucket of cold water.
• shower cabin equipment: faucets, shelves, drains.
• pool equipment. Filters, cleaning products.
• arrangement of bathrooms: washbasin, toilet, towel dryer, soap dish.
• furniture for the rest room: large table and chairs, sofa and armchairs.
• TV.
• wardrobe furniture.
• Sheets, towels and slippers for visitors.

This shows that a bathhouse as a business requires large financial investments and many novice entrepreneurs may not be able to afford this format of activity.

The room must be equipped in accordance with the requirements of the SES and the fire service, and all communications must be present in it: heating, ventilation, electricity, water supply.

By the way, also look at the business idea for opening a solarium. Lower costs and good profits. We wrote about this in more detail here -. In fact, this is an excellent line of business that will be very useful for existing beauty salons.

Service list

Before opening a private bathhouse, you need to clearly consider the list of all services and, if possible, decide how to expand them in the future. So, in addition to the steam room itself and the relaxation room, many clients prefer to visit a wellness massage, or SPA. You can also add here: salt baths, vats on fire, cafe services, billiards, table football, hotel, gym.

As you can see, there is room for improvement, but at the same time, expanding the number of services provided in a small bathhouse business requires serious financial difficulties.

Advertising

To grow your business, you will need to use different advertising options. The main types of marketing moves that work: announcements in the media and forums, word of mouth, distribution of leaflets.

It would be beneficial for a private bath to create your own website. This can significantly boost business. At the same time, you will need to engage in search engine optimization of the site and connect contextual advertising, which will bring the first calls already in the first days of operation of your Internet site.

The entire strategy for developing a bath business consists of developing a base of regular customers. You can even say there is a database of companies that will regularly order the services of your health complex. People go to the bathhouse in groups of 4–7 people. Thus, in order to have consistently high profits, you will need to attract about 25 – 30 groups of regular customers.

Consider a program of discounts and promotions for regular customers to retain visitors, and offer new services.

Staff

To get started you will need:

• Administrator. Working with clients, accepting orders and payments.
• Technical worker. Chopping wood, preparing a bathhouse and other physical work.
• Cleaning woman. Cleaning baths and rooms.
• Security guard. Often people relax in a private bathhouse in the evening, plus they often drink, so security will not be superfluous.
• Masseur.

How much does it cost to open a sauna?

Now let's look at what investments will need to be included in the bathhouse business plan, so that in the future you do not find yourself in a situation of a large number of unforeseen expenses.

• construction or renovation of a bathhouse – from $300 to $1000 per 1 sq.m. On average, the bath area is about 70 – 100 sq.m.
• purchase of equipment and furniture – $7000 – $9000. We reviewed the list of necessary equipment above.
• taxes - $150/month.
• Payment of utility services.
• purchase of consumables (firewood, essential oils, etc.).
• advertising – $100/month
• salaries to employees.

As the bathhouse is used, there will be costs for plumbing, steam room lining, etc. Also, if you are considering this business idea not only in the format of opening a bathhouse, but also providing additional services, then you need to include the costs of launching them.

How much can you earn?

On average, the price for one hour of renting a bathhouse for the whole company ranges from $9 to $30. One company usually books a visit for 3 hours, which costs $27 - $90. There are from 3 to 5 companies a day. So, a small private bathhouse earns about $175–$290 per day. For a month this amount is $5250 - $8700. These are prices for a large city; in provincial cities these amounts will be lower, but the costs of opening a bathhouse will also be lower.

Also include income from additional services, sales of brooms, slippers, hats and other things.

After deducting monthly expenses, the bathhouse owner has about $3,000–$3,500 left on hand.

The payback period for this business is 1.5 – 2 years.

Conclusions. We have given you a business plan for a bathhouse with basic calculations that will help a novice entrepreneur form a complete picture of opening this business. This niche requires hard work and large investments, but the profitability is also encouraging, plus the demand for this service is constantly growing.

Do you rent a bathhouse? We look forward to your feedback on this area of ​​activity.

The benefits of baths for beauty and human health have long been proven. Gone are the days when people visited the bathhouse solely to wash themselves. People come here for medical, health and beauty treatments, for communication, and just to relax and “wash away” the burden of worries after a busy week. That is why The bath business in Russia is gaining momentum, and every year the number of a wide variety of baths is growing.

Stages

Different baths undoubtedly differ from each other, but they have common features, thanks to which the entire process of starting a business can be divided into several stages.

1. Development of a business plan.
2. Search for a place and premises. You can either rent a room or buy it. In the first case, initial costs are significantly reduced, but the tenant runs the risk of becoming dependent on the owner.
3. Consultation with the fire service. The bathhouse is considered a fire hazard, so this point is simply necessary. The quality of materials, ventilation system, water supply systems - the safety of others largely depends on all these factors.
4. Business registration. Not everyone pays attention to this stage. For example, owners of small bathhouses in private sectors avoid it.
5. Obtaining a license to sell alcoholic beverages if there is a bar.
6. Renovation of premises, and in some cases, the work of a designer who will help create a special atmosphere.
7. Purchase of equipment and inventory (stove, steamers for brooms, sheets, benches, ladles, dishes, etc.).
8. Personnel search.
9. Advertising placement.

But the owner’s concerns do not end with where to start a bath business. Such an establishment requires regular updating and maintenance, the cost of which depends on the size and functions of the bathhouse. Changing the casing, stones for the stove, minor repairs to the stove, updating furniture - you will have to think about this from time to time. A every 3-6 years any bathhouse needs major repairs.

Bathhouse layout

A standard bathhouse includes about 10-15 rooms. But these numbers can change both up and down. It all depends on the initial capital, target audience and location. The list of required premises includes:

• hall;
• wardrobe (dressing room);
• steam room (2-2.4 m high and 5-8 sq. m per person);
• washing room;
• toilet with sewerage.

Additional premises:

• massage therapist's office;
• spa treatment rooms;
• solarium;
• Turkish, Roman, Finnish or Japanese bath;
• rest rooms of various categories;
• children's playroom;
• pool;
• billiards.

This list can be supplemented further, because everything depends solely on the imagination of the owner. For example, some arrange an artificial pond or a swimming pool right in the open air, as well as a summer gazebo for relaxation.

Staff

Often, it depends on the staff, their training and ability to communicate with the client whether the bathhouse will be successful as a business, whether a person will visit this establishment again or prefer another. Many owners of private baths do not pay much attention to this issue. Visitors are left to their own devices, and the owners do all the minor work themselves or use 1-2 assistants, usually family members.

But for bathhouse business owners who have large bathhouses or entire chains at their disposal, competent staff is a must. The main staff of the bathhouse consists of an administrator, a steamer, and a washer. As practice shows, the most difficult thing is to find a professional bathhouse attendant whose clients would be satisfied. Often you have to rely on recommendations from friends and acquaintances.

If the establishment provides additional services, appropriate personnel are needed: massage therapist, cosmetologist, waiter, etc. A large bathhouse cannot exist without technical personnel: a cleaner and an electrician. He can be an incoming worker, which makes it possible to significantly save on wages. Some entrepreneurs enter into contracts with companies specializing in the provision of relevant services.

Types of business: selling bath brooms

Opening a bathhouse is a process that in most cases requires considerable effort and expense. The business of bath brooms is not so profitable, but its promotion requires much less effort. But you shouldn’t think that for this it’s enough to go to the nearest forest park and cut branches there. An experienced bathhouse attendant will always distinguish a good broom from a bad one..

To attract as many regular customers as possible, you will have to study the characteristics of each tree, as well as familiarize yourself with the basic rules for collecting and drying branches. Baths need brooms all year round, but they can only be prepared during a certain period. Therefore, anyone who decides to seriously engage in such a business will have to work hard in the summer months. Then all that remains is to create conditions for drying and maintaining the goods in the “correct” condition.

In the first months, most of the work is aimed at finding clients. You can organize a point of sale, or you can negotiate directly with the organizations that decide how to open a bathhouse. In the second case, the entrepreneur has a better chance of receiving a stable income. Entrepreneurial skills, good advertising or a competent manager are simply needed here.

Is it worth registering such activities? It all depends on the scale. If this is an activity “for the soul”, and the profit is small or one-time, then registering a business is not at all necessary. If the plans are more ambitious, then opening an individual entrepreneur provides a number of advantages: obtaining a quarantine certificate, permission for forestry and even the possibility of selling goods abroad.

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