How much to add on to a customers bill for opti coat application?

T

Taj5944

New member
Hello,







I have recently started offering my customers some new coating options such as opti coat 2.0 and cquartz. My customers have loved the option and ease of maintenance of both products. However, I have no clue as to what to charge them for the application. Obviously, the cost of these products is high, and I want to make sure I am pricing this service accordingly. Since I'm mostly working on one and two step corrections, what do you think would be a fair add on price for opti coat application? Or, are you guys pricing opti coat as a service all together and including the necessary prep work into one base price?





I work out of my detailing studio in Glen Ellyn, IL. I am looking to hire at least one employee in the near future, but for now, it's just myself.



How should I price this?!?







Thanks!

Tim
 
Jean-Claude said:
I charge at least $350 for optiX.
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Does that include surface prep such as wash, decontamination, clay, compound/polish...etc? Or is that the additional price to your services.



Truthfully, I charged my client $100 for his OC application, but only because he spent big bucks on a full three step on his 2008 Z06 - with rock hard clear and paint readings that were all over the map!
 
Taj5944 said:
Does that include surface prep such as wash, decontaminat, clay, compound/polish...etc? Or is that the additional price to your services.



Truthfully, I charged my client $100 for his OC application, but only because he spent big bucks on a full three step on his 2008 Z06 - with rock hard clear and paint readings that were all over the map!
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Polishing is extra and starts at $400.



If I may, and only because you offered the information. $100 for opticoat is pretty stinking low. You can not think of it just as $60 more than waxing. You are selling more protection than wax, time saved waxing, easier washing along with a ton of saved money waxing....wax jobs you would be getting paid for. Beyond that, applying optic oat requires more effort and time than waxing, costing you more ON TOP of the product being substantially more expensive than wax.
 
Jean-Claude said:
Polishing is extra and starts at $400.



If I may, and only because you offered the information. $100 for opticoat is pretty stinking low. You can not think of it just as $60 more than waxing. You are selling more protection than wax, time saved waxing, easier washing along with a ton of saved money waxing....wax jobs you would be getting paid for. Beyond that, applying optic oat requires more effort and time than waxing, costing you more ON TOP of the product being substantially more expensive than wax.
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You make some valid points. I knew deep down that I was probably under pricing the service, but after the multi-stage correction, we had planned on sealing it up with two coats of BFWD, and possibly a coat of BFMS to top it off. My client had mentioned his desire to change to opti coat, while I was midway through the multi-step correction. Being that I had 35 hours into the car already, I figured that a quick opti coat would actually get the car out of my studio quicker than had I applied the two coats of wet diamond and let each coat cure for 8 hours as I normally do. So I simply added $100 to his bill, and told him that he basically got the coating at "cost." The client was thrilled with the work, but I fear that he might tell his friends in his car circle that I'm the guy that does opti coat @ $100 type of deal. Figured I would speak to some other professionals in the industry and see how much the application itself is charged to the client. Thank you for your insight.
 
Tim, You might want to think about maybe 2 prices. 1 price for the coating and no correction for new vehicles(rare situation) and a price for coating after correction. I charge $300 for just the coating with no correction. And $175 to start for small cars plus the correction cost. I also won't apply Opti-Coat on a vehicle that needs correction but the owner won't pony up for the correction. I used to do work in your area Glen Ellyn, DG, Hinsdale, that area can support the cost!
 
Whoa, just noticed you are in Glen Ellyn, lived there in the early 70s, spent 6th and 7th grade there. Glen Crest if I remember right.
 
My price for Opti-Guard (Pro version) starts at $300 and I also require a minimum of my Base Exterior package with any coating app to properly prep the paint, which starts at $350.



I also think you should be using the Pro version of the product if you are charging for it, not the consumer version.
 
I charge $400 more for 22PLE and $500 for opticoat...



here is why:



you setup your clients on a quarterly basis for the year for waxing alone ~ 100

Thats now $100 x 4 = 400 for the year saved right...

now factor in these coatings last 18-2 years, so thats about 800 saved over two years before the client should have the coating reapplied. nothing is permanent...heck, look at clear coats and failure.



so if you dont charge for it, you are killing your own business. Sure you are making more right NOW, but long term, you dont get the repeat business you would normally be getting, hence you are losing out on money.



I explained everything to my last few clients who asked about the coating charge and they all agreed and understood (helps they are all business owners themselves!)



$400-500 would be my range
 
maxepr1 said:
Tim, You might want to think about maybe 2 prices. 1 price for the coating and no correction for new vehicles(rare situation) and a price for coating after correction. I charge $300 for just the coating with no correction. And $175 to start for small cars plus the correction cost. I also won't apply Opti-Coat on a vehicle that needs correction but the owner won't pony up for the correction. I used to do work in your area Glen Ellyn, DG, Hinsdale, that area can support the cost!
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That is more than likely the route I'll end up taking. I am also interested in offering Wolfs coatings to my customers along with the 22ple line.

Scottwax said:
Whoa, just noticed you are in Glen Ellyn, lived there in the early 70s, spent 6th and 7th grade there. Glen Crest if I remember right.
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It's really a great area. Lots of young middle class families with plenty of mid-higher end vehicles in the area.

RaskyR1 said:
My price for Opti-Guard (Pro version) starts at $300 and I also require a minimum of my Base Exterior package with any coating app to properly prep the paint, which starts at $350.



I also think you should be using the Pro version of the product if you are charging for it, not the consumer version.
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I'm likely going to package my services very similar. How would I go about getting the pro version?

toyotaguy said:
I charge $400 more for 22PLE and $500 for opticoat...



here is why:



you setup your clients on a quarterly basis for the year for waxing alone ~ 100

Thats now $100 x 4 = 400 for the year saved right...

now factor in these coatings last 18-2 years, so thats about 800 saved over two years before the client should have the coating reapplied. nothing is permanent...heck, look at clear coats and failure.



so if you dont charge for it, you are killing your own business. Sure you are making more right NOW, but long term, you dont get the repeat business you would normally be getting, hence you are losing out on money.



I explained everything to my last few clients who asked about the coating charge and they all agreed and understood (helps they are all business owners themselves!)



$400-500 would be my range
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I can see your logic here, but I would be concerned that a $500 price point would potentially drive away new customers.
 
Opti-Guard can only be obtained directly from Optimum and will require you to fill out a waiver form. It's a more concentrated version of the coating.



Contact Chris Thomas (Chris@optimumforums.org)
 
Drive them away? ..meaning they pay more over time. Vs they pay more up front but far less long term. Just like in every industry, there are people who want you to give away your hard work and expertise. Those people are NOT the ones you want to establish your business on. It's your job to educate clients so that they can make a wise decision. That may mean being frank about the cost of paying up front vs paying more long term. Then just leave it up to them. I have nothing to gain by suggesting you charge more(being 1,000+ miles away and all). It's possible to work hard and get paid well for it and that's what I hope you get.
 
Jean-Claude said:
Drive them away? ..meaning they pay more over time. Vs they pay more up front but far less long term. Just like in every industry, there are people who want you to give away your hard work and expertise. Those people are NOT the ones you want to establish your business on. It's your job to educate clients so that they can make a wise decision. That may mean being frank about the cost of paying up front vs paying more long term. Then just leave it up to them. I have nothing to gain by suggesting you charge more(being 1,000+ miles away and all). It's possible to work hard and get paid well for it and that's what I hope you get.
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I definitely hear where you're coming from. I'd really like to get into the coating services market because I know the potential profit margins are great there. Also, as mentioned, this gives my clients piece of mind in the fact that they know their paint is protected over a great duration of time, hence, less maintenance overall. I plan on calling my local competition and inquiring about their coating prices within the next week. I also see the value of pushing the coating in the fact that it also encourages the client to purchase a correction package, which will obviously add up to more work for my business and more money in my account at the end of the day. I really liked the suggestion that one does not allow sale of opti coat by itself, that they much purchase a polishing package as well. Seems like that'd knock two birds out with one stone.



Rasky - Thanks for your help. I will contact Chris. Hopefully Optimum sells the coating in a greater amount!
 
If you use the pro version of either product they will give you a floor(lowest price) they want it sold for. Cquartz pro has a more expensive floor. Opti pro is less and a little more flexible on pricing. Neither company wants you giving it away as it is a professionally installed product. The stuff you are using a customer could just buy and do themselves. What drives the price down is when guys are charging customers to install the consumer version and not charging enough. It makes it hard to sell a $550 Opticoat job if someone else is telling them they will do it for $100 and just using 2.0
 
When I am out of 2.0 I am switching to Pro and raising prices. Or at least offering a choice to customers which they prefer.
 
Scottwax said:
When I am out of 2.0 I am switching to Pro and raising prices. Or at least offering a choice to customers which they prefer.
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In a week or two the version with the lifetime warranty will ship.
 
rustytruck said:
In a week or two the version with the lifetime warranty will ship.
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Same product it's always been though. With or without warranty.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
wait, there is a lifetime warranty with opticoat???? why are you guys not charging $1000+? what happens in $5 years when the opticoat/guard is diminished just like clear does...do you offer to repolish and reapply the opticoat for free under warranty? Seems pretty unreasonable to offer a warranty with it to me
 
toyotaguy said:
wait, there is a lifetime warranty with opticoat???? why are you guys not charging $1000+? what happens in $5 years when the opticoat/guard is diminished just like clear does...do you offer to repolish and reapply the opticoat for free under warranty? Seems pretty unreasonable to offer a warranty with it to me
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The warranty doesn't protect the paint. It was probably written by a manufacturer's attorney to protect the manufacturer.



Robert
 
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