Pricelist (breakout)

runnerbl

New member
Do y'all charge certain prices for certain options?

Example
Clay $15
Wash $15
Polish $50
Glaze $20
Sealant $35
Wheels $15
Vacuum $20
Shampoo $25
Waterspot removal $50

This are just examples. Not sure how people charge. Do you give the customer a list of what services you offer and let them check off which services they want.

Thanks for replys

Brian
 
Well, what you should really figure into the pricing of your services is first and foremost the actual TIME it takes you to complete it. Time is money, and time is a limited resource that we all must use efficiently in order to be successful.


The second thing i'd have to say is base your prices also on the level of difficulty & physical labor needed to perform the service.


Lastly, you must also take into consideration the amount and cost of tools and materials needed to perform the service. The more tools/products you use, the more expensive the service (in most cases).

Hope this helps.


Goodluck.
 
Oh, and another important thing i forgot to mention is ASSESS YOUR MARKET!

If you are targeting high-end vehicles and predominantly wealthy clients, then your 'typical' service can fly for more than your 'typical' price with another caliber of clientelle.


Figure out who you want to target BEFORE you begin finalizing prices and marketing yourself. Once you do know your market, and the level of pricing it can bear....keep prices firm.
 
runnerbl said:
Do you give the customer a list of what services you offer and let them check off which services they want.

No way!!!!!!! I am the pro and they are not. I already know what they want if they called me, they want a clean and protected vehicle.

My services are in 3 levels-1- maintenance, 2- light reconditioning, 3- heavy reconditioning.


I evaluate their vehicle and explain witch level will get their vehicle from what it is now to a clean and protected vehicle.

I leave out all the tech. details and focus on the results.
 
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At my shop I charge (for full details) cars 119, trucks 129, anything oversized 149, wash and wax 50 add 10 for trucks and 15 for oversized. just the exterior or interior is 70, add 10 for trucks and 15 for oversized. Car wash is 8 in and out wash 15, hope this helped
 
Brian...

The prices I've seen around Honolulu (mostly downtown) are a little higher than the numbers you posted. Before I started detailing my own cars, I used to go to many of them. I remember paying $20 for a wash and $150 for a full detail (car still had swirls)... :(

That's when I decided to take things in to own hands and haven't looked back since :)
 
I charge 125 for full detail, 80 for exterior, 60 for interior, 75 for express, all base prices, based on avgerage size car, Size does matter! Will add on for suv's and such... my 2 cent!

:dj
 
Superior Shine has it right, I tent to foucs on what the car needs and not a check list. You are setting yourself up for a debate over price the way you have it.

When I view a car I look at the time that it will take me to finish it. If the customer is looking for a cheap price I tell them that I may not be the best choice for their detail!
 
I think Detailing is more like medical procedures.... each and every vehicle is different (unless it's new car dealer prep). Would you go to a doctor with a standardized price list....

  • Heart Attack.....................$25k
  • Cancer Removal...............$15k
  • Brain Surgery...................$50k
  • Broken Bone w/o xray........$7k
  • Broken Bone w/ xray........$12k
  • Child Birth........................$78k
  • etc, etc, etc........

For me, I have basic set "package prices" that state "prices vary as to the condition of the vehicle, trucks, vans, suv's and some cars higher." I will give no estimate unless I see the vehicle -- I will offer them a $$ range, but will never ever, did I say never ever, I mean never ever, give an estimate without seeing the condition of the vehicle on anything other than a wash. Once again I educate customers using the same analogy "Detailing is a lot like doing cancer surgery, each patient is different and we never know how bad it is until we see it, and would you go to the Dr. who charged the least to have it removed?"

For factoring detailing prices I use a labor rate of $95/man hour or more depending on the caliber of the client. Whether the Job takes 15 minutes or 6 hours I will charge accordingly.
 
runnerbl said:
Do y'all charge certain prices for certain options?

Do you give the customer a list of what services you offer and let them check off which services they want.

Since I started my own detailing business in 1986, I have always offered one complete detailing package, where every single vehicle gets the same basic service.

Prices vary according to the size of the vehicle, not the condition. Currently I have the list price of a complete detailing of a full size car set at $225. Full size SUV's are priced higher and smaller cars lower.
 
Superior has it right, you know better than the customer!

As for mirror, I'm not agreeing with that. I can detail a 1996 Honda that has been decently well taken care of and the same car that hasn't been washed in a year. There is a big difference. The latter is looking at least 2-3x polishing steps, where as the earlier is 1-2. I would not charge the first car nearly as much as the second. Yes, size does matter in this business, along with porn :naughty, but condition plays a large part in my book.
 
dr_detail said:
I think Detailing is more like medical procedures.... each and every vehicle is different (unless it's new car dealer prep). Would you go to a doctor with a standardized price list....

  • Heart Attack.....................$25k
  • Cancer Removal...............$15k
  • Brain Surgery...................$50k
  • Broken Bone w/o xray........$7k
  • Broken Bone w/ xray........$12k
  • Child Birth........................$78k
  • etc, etc, etc........

Actually since you brought it up.... there is a couple docs that run their practice "a la carte" with a price list out front. However they choose what needs to be done, you just get to know what you pay up front instead of after they bill you and send you to collections before your jaw hits the floor (happened to me).

Side note: Just for fun- you wouldn't be in practice all that long at those prices! :lmfao :lmfao :lmfao
Brain procedures get over $100k VERY quickly.
 
BaDm0theR said:
Oh, and another important thing i forgot to mention is ASSESS YOUR MARKET!

If you are targeting high-end vehicles and predominantly wealthy clients, then your 'typical' service can fly for more than your 'typical' price with another caliber of clientelle.

Figure out who you want to target BEFORE you begin finalizing prices and marketing yourself. Once you do know your market, and the level of pricing it can bear....keep prices firm.

This is very sound advice.

When you aim your detailing services towards customers with high end vehicles that only require periodic maintenance detailings, you will be able to do a lot less work and at the same time charge a lot more money. Since less time per vehicle equals more income per hour, you stand to make a much higher profit. When you are successful with this type of marketing strategy you can leave the lower profit light and heavy reconditioning jobs to the competition.

In summary. It is always a good idea to know your market and aim your detailing services directly at the market you know.
 
Set your prices and services according to your area and the automobiles you are targeting. An example, not many owners of 5 year old cars with a yearly income of 30K are willing to spend over $100 on making their rides look brand new again. However, always get paid for what you do. A freebie thrown in now and then will help with a new business. My experience has been to keep your pricing as simple as possible. Maybe a few add-on options if your market will support them.
 
DLR Detailing said:
Set your prices and services according to your area and the automobiles you are targeting.

My experience has been to keep your pricing as simple as possible. Maybe a few add-on options if your market will support them.

I agree!

It is always a good idea to focus your prices and services on your target market.
 
I agree with that Mirror, you definitely can make more doing it that way, however, I ran into a problem with it. I detailed a car a year ago and charged X amount of $$ and said after your maintenance, I'll see you in 6-9 months. I might have made the mistake of saying that the first detail is usualy the dirtiest, and the second will have less steps. I think they caught on that they would be charged the same price for less service. On the flip side, you could substitute a polishing step for a glazing step or a final topper step I guess.

When it comes down to it, I always find myself making less $$ on the dirty ones, just because it takes more time to do, but LESS money is better than NO money.
 
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