We build custom mobile pet grooming vans and trailers for groomers across the western United States, designed and built in Woodland Park, Colorado. These rigs come out of the same shop and meet the same standards as the more than 300 commercial mobile builds we have delivered, which means a grooming mobile that holds up to daily routes, full wash days, and the real electrical and water demands of professional grooming. Most of the people we build for are groomers going mobile for the first time, so we handle the parts that trip people up, source and inspect the vehicle, and build the rig around how you actually work. Here is how we approach a pet mobile build, with the real numbers.
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Power is the hardest part of a grooming rig
The single thing that makes or breaks a mobile grooming build is the electrical system, because two pieces of equipment are far hungrier than the rest: the high-velocity dryers and the air conditioning. A single 1,450 watt dryer pulls roughly 12 amps on a 120 volt circuit, and most groomers want to run a dryer while the AC is also running, which is exactly when an underbuilt system stalls or trips. Lithium battery and inverter systems are excellent for the lighter loads, the clippers, vacuum, lights, and water pump, and a large pack with dual inverters can carry almost everything in the van, but the dryers and the air conditioning are the two loads those systems usually cannot sustain. That is why most full-service grooming mobiles run a commercial generator in the 7,000 to 8,000 watt range, such as a Cummins Onan 7000 that delivers about 58 amps or an 8000 diesel that delivers about 66 amps, sized to run the dryers and the AC at the same time with headroom to spare. We design the power system around your real equipment list so you are never choosing between drying a dog and keeping the van cool.
Water: enough hot water to bath a full day
A grooming mobile is a tiny self-contained salon, so the water system has to carry a full day of baths without a hookup. Most rigs carry a fresh water tank in the 50 to 100 gallon range and a separate gray water tank for the dirty water, filled fresh each morning so every dog is washed in clean water. The other half of the system is hot water recovery, because nobody wants to wait between dogs, so we build in a propane or electric water heater, commonly a 6 gallon unit chosen for fast recovery, feeding a hydrobath or a comparable warm-water bathing system. We size the fresh and gray tanks to the number of dogs you plan to bath in a day, build the waste tank larger than the fresh tank the way mobile health code expects, and plumb it so you can top off from a city tap when a stop allows and run off the tank everywhere else.
Climate control keeps the animals safe
Climate control on a grooming mobile is an animal-welfare requirement, not a comfort upgrade. A dog cannot be left in a van that climbs in temperature, so we size the air conditioning and the heating to hold a steady, safe temperature with an animal inside and equipment running, in a Colorado summer or a winter route. Because the AC is one of the two largest continuous loads alongside the dryers, climate control is designed together with the power system from the start, so the van stays safe and comfortable even at the busiest part of the day.
The bathing and grooming station
The work happens at two stations, and we build both around the dogs you actually groom. The bathing station centers on a hydrobath or tub with warm recirculating or fresh water, a ramp or a lift for large and older dogs so you are not hauling a wet retriever by hand, non-slip surfaces, and drainage that moves water to the gray tank. The grooming station gets a sturdy table with proper restraint, bright shadow-free lighting so you can see the coat, accessible storage for blades and shears, and a hair and dander management plan with vacuum and ventilation so the rig stays clean between dogs. Every contact surface is built to be wiped down and sanitized, because a mobile salon lives or dies on cleanliness.
Van or trailer
We build both, and the right answer depends on how you work. A self-contained van is simple to drive, easy to park on tight city streets, and fast to set up at each stop, which suits dense urban routes. A grooming trailer separates the salon from the tow vehicle, which gives you more usable floor space, makes equipment easier to service, and lets you replace the tow vehicle down the road without rebuilding the salon. We walk you through the tradeoffs based on your routes, your dog sizes, and your budget so you are not paying for a format that fights your workflow.
Built to code, sourced and inspected
Every rig we build is constructed to the electrical and plumbing code it has to meet, with the power system built and certified to carry the dryers and AC safely, the water and waste system plumbed correctly, and surfaces that pass a cleanliness standard. We source and inspect the base vehicle as part of the build, so you do not need to find a van or know a year, make, model, or mileage, and we hand you a rig that is ready to work rather than a project that needs months of sorting out.
What a pet mobile costs and how long it takes
Most of our finished custom pet grooming vans and trailers run in the $50,000 to $100,000 range depending on the power system, the water capacity, and the bathing and drying setup, and most builds are ready in about six weeks. We source and inspect the base vehicle as part of the build. For the full picture, see our guide to what a pet mobile costs, try the pet mobile cost calculator, and read how to start a mobile pet grooming business.
Why groomers build with Zion
The national grooming-van brands sell a catalog. We build a custom rig. We design the floor plan around your workflow and your dog sizes instead of a fixed layout, we source and inspect the vehicle for you, and our pricing tends to be more accessible than the big specialty builders while we hold the same commercial standards that are behind more than 300 mobile builds. You also get a builder who answers the phone, walks a first-time groomer through the whole thing, and delivers most builds in about six weeks. Compare the math yourself with our look at a mobile rig versus a stationary salon and our breakdown of grooming business revenue.
Pet mobile builder FAQ
How much does a custom pet grooming mobile cost?
Most of our finished custom pet grooming vans and trailers run in the $50,000 to $100,000 range depending on the power system, the water capacity, and the bathing and drying setup. A simpler trailer build can come in lower, and a fully self-contained van with a large generator, climate control, and a hydrobath sits higher. We source and inspect the vehicle as part of the build. See our full breakdown of what a pet mobile costs and try the cost calculator.
What size generator does a mobile grooming van need?
Enough to run the two heaviest loads at the same time: a high-velocity dryer and the air conditioning. Lithium battery systems can run almost everything in a grooming van except the dryers and the AC, which is why most full-service rigs use a commercial generator in the 7,000 to 8,000 watt range, such as a Cummins Onan 7000 at about 58 amps or an 8000 diesel at about 66 amps. A single 1,450 watt dryer alone pulls about 12 amps on 120 volts. We size the power system around your equipment so nothing trips during a busy day. See our guide to generator sizing.
How much water does a grooming mobile carry?
Most grooming vans carry a 50 to 100 gallon fresh water tank and a separate gray water tank, filled fresh each morning, with a propane or electric water heater, often a 6 gallon unit, for fast hot water recovery between dogs. We size the tanks to how many dogs you plan to bath in a day and build the waste tank larger than the fresh tank, the way mobile code expects. See our guide to water capacity.
Do you build vans or trailers?
Both. A van is a single self-contained unit that is easy to drive and park, which suits city routes. A grooming trailer separates the tow vehicle from the salon, gives you more floor space and easier equipment service, and lets you swap the tow vehicle later. We help you choose based on your routes, your dogs, and your budget.
How is a Zion pet mobile different from the big specialty builders?
We are a custom shop, not a catalog. We build each rig around your workflow, your dog sizes, and your route rather than a fixed floor plan, we source and inspect the vehicle for you, and our pricing tends to be more accessible than the national grooming-van brands while using the same commercial standards behind more than 300 mobile builds. Most builds are ready in about six weeks.
Do you build climate control for animal safety?
Yes, and we treat it as a requirement, not an upgrade. A grooming mobile cannot let a dog overheat, so we size air conditioning and heating to hold a safe, steady temperature with an animal inside and the dryers running, and we plan the power system so the AC and a dryer can run together.
Start your pet mobile build with Zion
Tell us how many dogs you want to bath in a day, the sizes you handle, and the routes you run, and we will design the power, water, climate, and bathing systems around it and give you a clear written quote. We build for first-time mobile groomers all the time, source and inspect the vehicle, and build to code so you can get on the road on schedule.
Get a Free Quote →Call 719-722-2537
Plan your build: what a pet mobile costs, the cost calculator, water capacity, generator sizing, build timeline, mobile vs stationary salon, grooming revenue, certifications, insurance cost, and how to start a mobile grooming business.
More mobile grooming guides
We have built a full library to help first-time groomers plan a rig and a business that work. Start here:
- Build options and floor plans and van vs trailer
- Power: lithium, solar, or generator, generator sizing, and water capacity
- Climate control and winter and the full equipment guide
- Financing a grooming van, used vs refurbished vs new, and custom vs national builders
- What it costs, the cost calculator, what a route earns, and the biggest mistakes to avoid
Service areas: we build for groomers in Colorado, Denver, Colorado Springs, and across the Mountain West, and our guide to licensing and permits covers what you need to operate legally.