Anyone making money?

EZ Boy

EZ Boy

No Woolpad Butchers Here!
Is anyone out there actually making money? Not lunch money or working for food, but serious money to reflect the enormous effort and skill that goes into paint detailing??

I ask because I have been contemplating adding polishing to my services line up but what I'm reading here can be pretty scary. I love cars but I'm not about to prostitute my time. All the detailers I've met drive beat-up pieces of s**t, and are skinny as hell from working their tails out.

I imagine a poor paint job could easily need upto 6hours work, intensive work. Are you guys REALLY being adequately compensated?

I look forward to everyone's feedback.
 
Thats where it becomes important to remember to never quote a job without seeing it. Also stick to a price you are satisfied with. I think most people here try to reflect on an hourly rate based on how long they think the job will take them. All my details are quoted and I always stand firm with my pricing, as I feel that my quality will speak for itself once completed. I have had a few people try to sell me my own detail, and I just tell them :bye. But I have yet to have a customer complain about a completed job though.

Eric
 
I went to college for more than 8 years.
I have several degrees from well-known universities.
I was once a mental health therapist, and operated 2 mental health practices.

Now, I detail cars and pressure wash buildings for a living. I make more money doing this, and am more content than I ever was...

Can 'serious money' be made? Depends on your definition of 'serious money'... I'm not a millionaire, but I'm rather comfortable... I live in a 5000 sq. ft. stone house on a mountaintop, own 3 nice cars, several acres of mountain property (as well as other land investments), company truck and trailer unit, etc. etc. etc. - - - - - From detailing and pressure washing!

If this is 'prostituting my time' - then I just love the world's oldest profession, and would have to consider myself one of the 'high class' prostitutes... :lmfao

As far as being skinny from working so hard.... ??? (kinda' odd - maybe they need to EAT), I certainly don't miss many meals...

Onthespot

p.s. Regarding detailers driving "beat up pieces of s**t" ....
Here's the piece of junk that I drive:

Onthespot's Detailing Rig
 
Side business...

I detail part-time, and I can guarantee you that I absolutely could not find another part-time job including prostitution that $$$ as much as mobile detailing. Another added plus is once your reputation is established the work comes knocking to your door.

My advertising budget for this year was $375 for the lettering on my van.
 
I dunno - I make really good money as a prostitute - I tried combining that with detailing but I got tired of explaining why the hand wax prices varied so much :lol
 
groebuck said:
I dunno - I make really good money as a prostitute - I tried combining that with detailing but I got tired of explaining why the hand wax prices varied so much :lol
Click to expand...

:lmfao :rolling :lol :lmfao :rolling
 
Thanks for the posts guys, they've put a big ol' smile on my face.

$700 a day! The detailers I'd asked to work on my car in the past slaved all day for about $120.00, and there were 3 people working on it! Hence my prostitution concerns. I can bearly remember the quality of the work but from vague memory it was ok - nothing like the amazing results I've seen on DC post since I joined 2wks ago. Therein lies the difference though.

Thanks again.
 
I can make on a good day 350 bucks and there are some days that I only clear 150. It depends on what I have lined up
 
EZ Boy said:
Is anyone out there actually making money? Not lunch money or working for food, but serious money to reflect the enormous effort and skill that goes into paint detailing??
Click to expand...

Yes it's true, you can make some 'serious money' doing detailing. However, being in your own detailing business should not be just about making money.

It's about providing your customers with a high level of quality that they just cannot get anywhere else.

It's about being honest with yourself and most importantly, with your customers.

It's about education, self-improvement and constantly learning how to improve your skills and the service that you provide.

It's about being yourself.
 
Thanks Frank for your feedback. I agree totally, that's why I asked about the monetary benefits. There's no point applying myself 110% to each job if my love of cars and a top job it's going to be recognised, or worse - the customer trying to negotiate a cheaper price. Because I can't find it in myself to do a lesser job for less money. I just really want to focus my resources as constructively as I can for the best reward/work/satisfaction ratio that I can. Like everyone I'm just trying to get out of life alive but enjoy myself along the way :)
 
When you give your customers more than they expect and keep 'applying yourself 110%' you will most certainly make some serious money. Remember, most customers who truely appreciate your good work will not usually be focused on price. They will be more interested in the quality of your work and they will be more than willing to pay you a fair and reasonable price.

And for those 'customers trying to negotiate a cheaper price', just walk away.
 
im in the negatives rite now, but hey, thats what mommy is for. she buys my food, pays for my school tuition, pays the house's morgage, and hopefully (but not likely) i could get a car from her. also, daddy is the one that gets all the good stuff for me. however, i have to pay for my own detialing products, and thats where i am in the negatives :(, however, in maybe a month ill be green again
 
EZ Boy
I'm in the same boat. I want to detail every car to the same level. I find it difficult to do less of a job due to less $. I feel I have the ability to make the car look its best and owe it to all of my customers to do that. Time is a factor also.

I guess you need to find the right clients and do some training. Train yourself on what each client's hot buttons are. Is it the car's interior, Show car paint finish, etc...

You also have to trian your clients somewhat too. Most businesses have to train their customers. Educate them on what you can do and what sets you apart from other detailers.

I hope to get the conflict solved and feel good about asking what I know I'm worth. I still undercut my quotes. People want to give more but I feel they could do the same thing so why take so much. I've got issues!!

Friends have suggested different packages with different levels of service. We'll see
Good luck.
 
Busy? That's why I haven't posted much in the past 3 weeks.

P.S. I paid my brand new Harley off in 6 months as of last week, so I guess I'm doing alright :dunno :D
 
It took me a few years before I had the stuff available to make money. For 2 or 3 years I was breaking even on a regular basis. Now I've got the inventory on hand that I can pick up a $180 detail and the overhead is already paid for. Its just money in my pocket. It just takes time to build up the supplies to be able to do that. My wife is a good money person and she managed it for awhile till I was deep into the green and then she passed it over to me. I take out what I need to replace supplies and then the rest just gets put into my PayPal account for my fun money.
 
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