*A lash van suits Seattle's condo and office clients: a closed, quiet room with its own heat and power, parked at the curb outside their building.* # Mobile salon vans for Seattle ProVanWorks builds mobile salon vans for hair, nails and lashes in Langley, BC, and delivers them to Seattle, about 190 km (120 miles) south. Seattle is the closest large US city to our shop, so you can come up to see your van being built and drive it home the same afternoon. ## What does Seattle weather mean for a salon van? Seattle winters are long, grey and damp more than they are cold. From November to March most days sit a few degrees above freezing with rain or drizzle, and a few times a winter a cold snap brings snow or ice that makes the hills of Queen Anne and Capitol Hill hard to drive. For that climate ProVanWorks insulates the walls, roof and floor with about 16 mm (5/8 inch), as we do for Vancouver, and heats the room through pipes in the floor and walls. A lash client lying still for an hour and a half stays warm, and a pedicure client's bare feet rest on a warm floor. Clients arrive with wet coats and umbrellas, so plan a hook by the side door for them. Summers are dry and mostly mild, but some afternoons pass 30 °C (86 °F). The front fan runs the air conditioning, which keeps the closed room comfortable while a lamp or dryer is running. ## Where do mobile salons work in Seattle? Many Seattle clients live in apartment and condo towers in South Lake Union, Belltown and Capitol Hill, or work in offices downtown, and would rather walk down to the curb than cross town in traffic for a lash fill or a manicure. Other regular work includes houses in Ballard, West Seattle and the north end, seniors' residences, clients recovering at home, hair and makeup for weddings around Puget Sound, and photo and film shoots. Parking takes the most planning. A salon van with standing room is too tall for most underground garages, so you will often work from the street or from a building's loading area with permission. Check with the City of Seattle about curb space, permit zones and setting up on the street, and with property managers about private lots. For a market stall or an event where you stay put all day, compare a van with a [mobile beauty salon trailer](/custom-work-trailers/beauty-salon-trailer/). ## What water and power setup suits a Seattle salon van? A ProVanWorks salon van carries its own water: a reservoir filled through the water inlet, hot water to a shampoo bowl, pedicure basin or hand-wash sink, and a grey water tank the same size as or larger than the reservoir. A lash van like the one in the drawing usually needs only the hand-wash sink, which frees space for seating. Empty grey water at an approved disposal point or the sanitary sewer, never a storm drain; in Seattle those drains lead to Puget Sound, Lake Washington and local creeks. Lamps, fans, lights and the climate system run from the auxiliary battery bank. Seattle has Level 2 public chargers in garages and lots across the city, and the van plugs into any of them through its J1772 inlet while you take a break between appointments. Shore power works through the 50 A inlet (30 A available) or the 20 A, 120 V inlet. Solar panels are an add-on, though they produce little in a Seattle December, and a generator is an add-on for long wedding days at venues without an outlet. The [lash van](/mobile-salon-vans/lash-van/) page covers lighting and ventilation for lash work. ## What rules apply to a mobile salon in Seattle? Check with the Washington State Department of Licensing about cosmetology licences for your services, and with Public Health - Seattle & King County about what applies to a mobile salon in King County. Check with the City of Seattle about its business licence and street parking, and with each neighbouring city you plan to work in, because rules change at city lines. ## How does a salon van get from Langley to Seattle? The Langley shop is minutes from the Aldergrove, BC / Lynden, WA crossing. From Lynden it is a short run to I-5 at Bellingham, then south through Mount Vernon and Everett to Seattle, about two hours plus the border wait. You can pick up the van in Langley, have ProVanWorks drive it to you, or have it shipped on a vehicle transport carrier. Seattle customers can have their quote in USD or CAD, and we'll walk you through the border paperwork when you order. Read how [delivery](/delivery-across-canada/) works. ## Can I design my own Seattle salon van? Yes. ProVanWorks builds to your own specifications, or you can start from one of our already designed systems and change what you need. Tell us whether you do lashes, nails, hair or a mix, and how many clients you see in a day. See all [mobile salon vans](/mobile-salon-vans/), or our page for the rest of [Washington State](/mobile-salon-vans/washington/). ## Frequently asked questions ### How far is the ProVanWorks shop from Seattle? About 190 km (120 miles) by road through the Aldergrove/Lynden crossing and I-5, roughly two hours plus the border wait. Visits to the Langley shop are by appointment. ### Does a Seattle salon van need a generator? That depends on where you work. In the city, Level 2 chargers and shore power keep the battery bank charged. A generator is an optional add-on for stylists who spend long days at rural venues or outdoor events. ### Can I get my quote in US dollars? Yes, or in Canadian dollars if you prefer. Email info@provanworks.com with your services, what you plug in and the neighbourhoods you work in.