About The Dog Groomer Van Conversion

 
 

Carson, from Nashville, Tennessee, approached Open Road Upfitters to build a mobile dog-grooming studio in her brand-new 2019 Ford Transit cargo van (wheel base 148”, high roof, standard length).

As a dog groomer, Carson previously made house calls, unloading her supplies and performing the grooming work in her clients’ homes. She desired a more professional and dedicated space for her mobile grooming business. She could not find a local builder to take on the work, but Tony at ORU was up for the challenge.

Outcome

Carson and her canine customers love her new van. Carson has gained new clients due to word-of-mouth about the quality and professionalism of her grooming van. She saves time loading and unloading her supplies, so she can now take more appointments each day. Moreover, she has been able to raise her rates since she no longer utilizes her clients' homes.

Carson’s dog clients appreciate that they do not have to face the chaos of a brick-and-mortar dog-grooming studio, with the overwhelming smells and the presence of unfamiliar dogs.

 
Featured
Dogs welcome!
Grooming table with power lift
Dog washing station
 

Required Features

  1. Pet grooming tools and apparatuses: A power lift table, dog crate, bath tub, shop vac, trash bin, tool chest, and storage

  2. Easy-to-clean and water resistant surfaces

  3. Minimum 50-gallon water capacity

  4. Generator

  5. Ample power supply to run air conditioning and blow dryer simultaneously

  6. Toilet

 
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Pet grooming supplies

Carson needed space for the large and small tools of her trade, including a power lift table (which accommodates dogs up to 50 pounds), a large raised bathtub and spray nozzle, clippers, brushes, and a credit card machine. The space is well-utilized, with an area of approximately 6’x6’ for grooming and washing, with dedicated cabinets for shampoos, towels, the shop vac (pictured at left), trash receptacle, and assorted other tools.

 
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Easy-to-clean and water-resistant surfaces

A mobile pet-grooming studio can be wet and messy, preventing the use of wood for cabinetry or wall paneling. PVC paneling was ORU’s solution. It is durable, easy to work with, and attractive. All wall paneling and cabinetry seen here are crafted from PVC paneling. The floor is covered in vinyl coin flooring, which is easy to clean.

 
50-gallon water capacity

minimum 50-gallon water capacity

The van holds 2 30-gallon water tanks for 60-gallon capacity. The tanks connect to a standard garden hose. The tanks are connected and fill in succession.

 
Gasoline generator

Generator / ample power supply

The electrical system of the grooming area of the van is supplied by a 8,000 watt generator.

Many have questioned whether the noise of the generator is an issue. ORU installed sound-insulating panels in the rear of the van to minimize noise. While the generator is audible inside the van, it has not posed a problem for Carson or her canine clients.

 
Cassette toilet

Toilet

Carson supplied a Laveo dry flush toilet. [Learn about dry flush toilets.]

 
 

Additional Features

  • Steel frame under the floor, for safety and long-term quality of build.

  • Custom welding to install the power lift table over the wheel well, maximizing the space.

  • Precision engineering — ORU relied on precise dimensions (down to the millimeter) of the van interior and the equipment to provide an exceptional custom fit. This allowed ORU to install larger versions of both the bathtub and the kennel than the client initially expected to fit.

  • ORU’s expertise to suggest alternative options (such as the PVC paneling) based on prior experience.