Mobile salon vans built in Langley

How does Langley's weather shape a salon van?

Langley sits further up the Fraser Valley than Vancouver, and it is colder and snowier for it. When Arctic air spills down the valley, outflow winds can keep Langley below freezing for several days, and snow lingers on the side roads of Aldergrove, Murrayville and Brookswood after the city centre has cleared.

A ProVanWorks salon van has about 16 mm (5/8 inch) of insulation in the walls, roof and floor, the thickness we use for Lower Mainland vans. A small diesel, gas or electric heater under the seat warms pipes in the floor and walls and heat exchangers around the room, and a thermostat holds the setting with the engine off. Pedicure clients with bare feet and lash clients lying still for two hours notice a warm floor first. The plumbing runs inside the heated part of the van, so the shampoo bowl still has hot water on a frosty morning. In summer, inland Langley gets hotter than the coast, and the front fan runs the air conditioning.

Where do mobile salons work in Langley?

Langley is two municipalities with very different routes. The City of Langley, Willoughby and Walnut Grove are dense, with townhouse complexes where parents and shift workers would rather walk out to a van than book a salon across town. Fort Langley's village streets are busy on weekends. The Township of Langley spreads out into acreages, horse properties and farms, where the next client can be a long drive away and the nearest salon even further.

Farm and winery venues across the Township host weddings through the summer, and a hair van can set up for the bridal party on site. Seniors' residences across Langley are a steady weekday stop.

Ask a strata council before parking on its roads. Check with the Township of Langley or the City of Langley, depending on where you work, about street parking and running a business from a vehicle.

What water and power setup suits a Langley salon van?

Rural Township routes mean long gaps between stops and fewer places to refill, so a Langley van often needs larger tanks than a city van. A ProVanWorks hair van has a shampoo bowl with running hot water, and can add a pedicure basin and a hand-wash sink, all fed from a fresh water reservoir in the utility area. Drains run to a grey water tank under the floor, the same size as or larger than the reservoir. Storm drains in the Fraser Valley run to local streams, so grey water goes to an approved disposal point or the sanitary sewer.

Dryers and hot tools run from the auxiliary battery bank, with high-amp inverters and chargers as an add-on. The batteries charge at Level 2 EV chargers through a J1772 inlet, and from shore power through the 50 A inlet (30 A also available) or the 20 A, 120 V inlet. A generator is an add-on worth considering for all-day weddings on a farm, and solar panels can top up the batteries while you work. The mobile hair salon van page explains how hair washing and dryer power are set up.

What rules apply to a mobile salon in Langley?

Langley is in the Fraser Health region. Check with Fraser Health about personal service rules for hair, nails and lashes before you book clients, and with the Township of Langley or the City of Langley about business licences. If they ask for something in the van, tell us during the build and we'll plan it in.

How do Langley owners pick up a salon van?

Langley owners pick up at the shop. On pickup day we go through the heater, thermostat, hot water, tanks, fans, A/C and battery charging with you inside the van. Visits during the build are by appointment only, since the shop is a working build space: email info@provanworks.com to book a time. The same shop designs and installs van wraps, so your salon van can leave with your business name already on it. If you'd rather not come in, we can drive the van to you. See delivery across Canada for how delivery is quoted.

Can I have a Langley salon van built my way?

Yes. ProVanWorks builds to your own specifications, or you can pick one of our already designed systems and change what you need. The mobile salon vans page shows the hair, nail, lash and massage layouts. For farmers' markets and events where you stay in one spot all day, a mobile beauty salon trailer is another way to go.

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit the ProVanWorks shop in Langley?

Yes, by appointment. Email info@provanworks.com with the services you offer and when you'd like to come, and we'll set a time.

Does a Langley salon van need more heat than one in Vancouver?

It needs the same system, used harder. Langley gets more snow and longer cold snaps than Vancouver, and the in-floor and in-wall heat and thermostat are built for those weeks.