Detail Lengths

B

broben05

OCD Detailer
Just wondering how much time people seem to spend on a Job. I have been doing some detailing on my own and was approached to work in a shop. They expect that a full detail would take about 4 hours. They also pay based on a point system. 4 points for a "full detail" on a dealer car and the compensation is 12$ a point. So this is suposed to equate to 12$ an hour.
Anyways my real question is what amount of time would people take to do a "full Detail" according to this place.

Full Detail
Hand Wash
Engine Clean and Dress
Door Jambs Cleaned
Wheels Cleaned
Wheel Wells Cleaned and "painted" (Not sure on their deffinition of painted)
Tar Removed
Bugs Removed
Vacuum Interior
Clean Interior
Shampoo Interior
Carpets and Mats Dyed (I am assuming this is a if needed step.)
Tires Dressed
Windows Cleaned
Hi-Speed buff (I am assuming this is polishing)
Wax with Orbital

Ok so that is what I want to get a feeling for what type of time people would want to do this job in.
Also something I find ammusing is the differences between the Basic Wash and the Deluxe Wash
Deluxe Wash:
Hand Washed
Door Jambs Cleaned
Vacuum Interior
Wheels Cleaned
Tires Dressed
Price : 35$

Basic Wash :
Hand Wash
Vacuum Interior
Wheels Cleaned
Tires Dressed
Price : 20$

Who would charge 15$ to clean door jambs? I am baffled.
Anyways
 
4 hours for what they ahve mentioned there is insane IMHO. I could maybe do it in 6? Is it for a dealership? IF so then you wont be required to take out defects most likely. $15 for jamb cleaning is horrible , I agree with you.

Greg
 
As Far as the defects I had a conversation with the "Head Detailer" and he said they really don't get into deffect removal however they do if customers ask and pay more. One more thing is that I said I hadn't touched a roatary before and the guy was like well we will give you a xxxxty car to do first but don't worrry its easy.
 
4 hours for a detail is possible on a small to medium car/truck for someone who knows exactly what they are doing. If they are wanting you to use a rotary then they want you to cut and polish i'm sure. I'm guess that your doing this at a dealership. So if its a whole sale car they will probably let it go with a quick polish/wax and not worry about some defects like greg said. If its a customers car then they are most likely wanting you to do your best at getting all the defects out of the paint.
 
No It is not a Dealer it is a sperate shop that does mainly dealer cars. When I visited today it seemed that many of the cars were new from the dealer.
 
The rotary isnt an easy tool to learn. They really dont care Im sure about buffer burns and holograms in the paint. IF they try to rush you with the rotary try to tell them your not ready. For alot of shops they operate on the time is money theory and they are often willing to sacrafice quality for that. Make sure to let them now how we do it on DC! haha

Greg
 
If I were in your shoes, I would just keep detailing on your own. $48 for four hours of detailing is insane!!! You can make triple that at the very least on your own. Even a detail that doesn't include paint correction is going to take at least 3-4 hours for cars and small trucks and SUV's, 4-6 hours on mid-large SUV's and Trucks. $48 for detailing a lg. SUV...No thanks. Are you able to keep busy enough with your part-time detailing? If so, I would just stick with that.
 
Right now I don't have enough jobs to keep me going for long. I think I'm going to look around for a part time job to keep me going and continue to pick up as many cars as possible in my spare time. However, If it comes to it and I don't find a worthwhile part time job I'll probably end up taking it that is if I don't have to sign a Non-Compete form. And pick up a couple of cars a week on the side. Or quit when I find a more suitable part-time job and do cars on the side of that.

I question the idea that a shop is willing to put a person who hasn't used a Rotary before to work with one. Well at least I can learn and not tarnish my name only theirs.
 
If you are considering a $12 an hour detailing job then why not offer your current customers a substantial discount on multiple vehicles. If you are mobile then picking up extra work is pretty easy at $12 an hour. For instance I charge $20 to wash a car (more for other vehicles) and it takes 20-30 minutes. At that rate I'm making $40-60 an hour. If I wanted to work more at $12 an hour, I could just charge them $4-6 a car if they got a bunch done lol. At $12 an hour you could probably stay in one building all month long.
 
I agree with you there if I was mobil I would definatly try that out. But thinking about it and hearing what people have to say I am thinking about getting a part time job elsewhere and doing detailing on the side as often as I can get cars. That way when I am detailing I'm making better money and don't have to lessen my standards to do rush jobs (which I believe the shop offers). I'm still currious about what others think about the job length for this. As well as the 15$ door jamb cleaning anyone else think they could get away with that?
 
It's not about the number of items listed on the detail services sheet, it's how you go about accomplishing those items that determines how long you need to complete the detail. A number of items on that list can be accomplished concurrently with each other. For instance, you aren't going to go over the car once to remove tar then go over it again to remove bugs, right? A detail like that on a regular sized sedan would take me appx 3h. That has a lot to do with the process I follow to get the work done.

If you are in a shop that is not well set up (having to find things that are left all over the place), you waste steps around the car, you have to share tools with other detailers, you have to deal with the bosses final inspection, you could easily spend 4-5 hours detailing a vehicle.

btw, I would highly recommend you DO NOT take a part time job. By taking on a part time job, psychologically you are admitting defeat to yourself. I you do, you won't try as hard to make your business a success.

SC~
 
ShineProDetails said:
A complete disaster in a Suburban would take me 5 hours. My normal detail is 4 hours also.
Click to expand...

Wow! 5 hours on a Suburban is pretty quick. Does that include paint correction/polishing and sealing, shampooing...the works? I just did a Suburban last week that was in rough shape (3 toddlers, black paint, and swirled to high heaven!!) and it took me 7 hours! :eek But boy does that black paint look good when its done!!!!! :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top