Mobile salon vans for Toronto and the GTA

How do Toronto winters and summers shape a salon van?

Toronto winters cross the freezing mark over and over. Snow melts into slush by afternoon and freezes again by morning, and the city and the 400-series highways answer with a lot of road salt. Lake-effect snow off Lake Ontario can cover one end of the GTA and leave the other bare.

For a salon, the first thing to get right is a warm, dry floor. ProVanWorks insulates a Toronto van in the walls, roof and floor, much thicker than the roughly 16 mm (5/8 inch) we use for the Lower Mainland, and fits a waterproof floor that wipes clean when slush comes in on a client's boots. A small diesel, gas or electric heater under the seat sends heat through pipes in the floor and walls and through heat exchangers, a thermostat holds the temperature, and the heater runs with the engine off. A pedicure client with bare feet notices the warm floor first.

Summer brings the opposite problem. July in Toronto is hot and sticky, and two hair dryers in a closed van add heat fast. The front fan in the cargo area also runs the air conditioning, and the back fan helps push out humid air and the smell of colour.

Where do mobile stylists work in Toronto?

Downtown and midtown, many clients live in condo towers. The salon van parks at the curb or in a loading area, and the client comes down for the appointment. Underground garages often have low clearance, so a high-roof van usually stays on the street. In North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough and the 905 suburbs, a driveway is more common.

Other regular work around the GTA includes bridal parties on a wedding morning, office staff booking a lunch-hour cut or manicure, film and TV sets that need hair and makeup on location, and seniors' residences where residents can step out to a warm van instead of travelling to a salon. Parking rules, permit zones and loading zones change from block to block, so check with the City of Toronto and the building management about parking and setting up before you take on a regular client.

What water and power setup suits a Toronto salon van?

A hair van uses the most water: a shampoo bowl with running hot water, plus a hand-wash sink. A nail van adds a pedicure basin, and a lash van usually needs only the hand sink. ProVanWorks sizes the fresh water reservoir and the grey water tank for each build, so tell us how many washes or pedicures you do in a day. A downtown day with no tap at the curb points to a larger reservoir. The hair salon van page explains how the shampoo bowl is plumbed.

The auxiliary battery bank runs dryers, hot tools, lamps, lights and fans. It charges at Level 2 EV chargers through a J1772 inlet, or from shore power through the 50 A inlet (30 A also available) or the 20 A, 120 V inlet. Level 2 chargers are easy to find in GTA plazas and garages, which suits a stylist who groups appointments by area to stay off the 401 and the DVP at rush hour. Solar panels and a generator are available as add-ons.

What rules apply to a mobile salon in Toronto?

Ontario regulates "personal service settings". Before you book clients from a van in Toronto, check with Toronto Public Health about what applies to a mobile salon, and tell us anything that affects the layout, such as sinks or surfaces, so we can build it in.

How does a salon van get from Langley to Toronto?

Toronto is more than 4,000 km from the ProVanWorks shop by road, across the Prairies and around Lake Superior through Northern Ontario. Delivery is quoted for each build, and you choose how the van travels: we drive it to you, we ship it on a vehicle transport carrier, or you pick it up in Langley. The delivery across Canada page explains the process.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have a Toronto salon van built to my own design?

Yes. ProVanWorks builds every salon van to your own specifications, or you can pick one of our already designed systems and change what you need. The layout, tanks, battery bank and insulation are set around your services and Toronto's climate. See all our mobile salon vans.

Does a salon trailer make sense in Toronto?

A trailer is harder to park at a downtown curb, but a mobile beauty salon trailer suits a stylist who sets up at one site for the day, such as a market, a festival or a wedding venue outside the city.

How do I get a price for a salon van delivered to Toronto?

Email info@provanworks.com with the services you offer, whether you need hair washing or a pedicure basin, what you plug in and where in the GTA you work. We reply with a layout and a quote, including delivery.