Detailing Sub-contract Opportunity at Self Serve Car Wash

I

I'm_ILL

New member
This offer came to me in the past week. I put some thought into it and feel it's a good opportunity to build my business. I came up with a basic express detail menu as well as a competitive detail menu for the market. There are 5 bays (3 self, 2 automatic). The owner had an idea to close a bay off for detailing. I feel that I wouldn't need them to do that. The one partner is happy with keeping it available knowing it brings in good revenue. I just want a canopy on the side with a power outlet. All of my equipment will be kept offsite. So here's the $64,000 question. Rent or percentage? I would like an answer and reasoning to both to see how my thoughts compare. Also how can I protect myself in terms of contract negotiation? Just so we're clear I'm looking to hire and train a crew to run the car wash detailing while I pursue the mobile detailing side of things. In no way does this mean I'm not going to check up on things or work there from time to time to make sure work and service is kept up to my standards.
 
Percentage reduces your risk and overhead. Can be a little tricky since a lot of the people are coming to this wash as a do-it-yourselfer, rather than pay the money necessary to have someone else do it. That's not to say it can't be a great opportunity for you. Aslo have to think of what the customer is doing while the car is being detailed. Nearby shopping center they are going to be keeping busy at? Courtesy car? Drop off is sometimes hard for customers. Just keep thinking of all the possible hurdles and solutions. Minimize your risk as much as possible and it could be something worth while.
 
if you are doing it yourself, I dont see the point



if you have an employee, its extra money otherwise gone to someone else.

leave the guy there from 8-5, pay 100 per day plus he keeps tips. offer a light polishing with an AIO, thats it. Its more than the waxing junk that comes at those places.



You dont have time to really detail a car there...most people who want to go to the spray and wash are looking for fast and "mostly clean" for Cheap...I just dont see the point, or there being a huge profit.



Might as well take that employee and give him a mobile route to hit with the same people once a week and make more at the end of the day yourself.
 
JMO, but keeping work up to your standards when your not there may be alot tougher than you think. Good help is VERY hard to find. But if the work isn't tied to your name and people aren't expecting anything spectacular maybe it could work. Though you have to think about customers complaining to the car wash if the quality slips, then it is you who has to take the responsibility with the management. Just a couple things that came to my mind to think about. Good luck with whatever you do.
 
I will stick to specifically what you ask.



Rent. Percentage is great if you're doing it short term and have no confidence that it will succeed(or you see it as a risky gamble). If this becomes long-term/profitable you do not want to give away a percentage of every dollar you earn.



To start renting may cost more. But in the long run you have more potential to make more and keep more of your money.
 
Hey sorry I haven't gotten back to everyone sooner. So it seems they have a magic number in mind as to how much they want to make a month. I asked how many cars/week came in for wash, how many were automatic washes (figure they would be the clientele interested in express detail), and worked all my numbers on the low end of things and think this can be a profitable venture. Full Details will be offered but that's not where the money is in this type of set up. It's in quick detail work that can all be done in under 30 minutes since people want to be in and out. I will be meeting with an owner tomorrow to go over my proposal and start off by just offering these services on the weekends for the next 4 weeks to see how it goes before making any long term commitments. If anyone has other advice or experience please feel free to share. I'll keep you updated.
 
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