M205 as a one step

S

Solaria

New member
I plan on starting my own mobile detail business on the side (weekends only since I got a full time job), and wanted to know how much I should be charging? My clients will just be people I know.



I will be working with a partner and the only machine I own is a PC with a set of good Meguiars pad. I plan on spending about 4 hours for a complete detail. I am guessing I can charge about $135-165 (depending on condition) for a full size car. Is this a good rate to charge or am I overcharging people? Note: I don't have a rotary buffer that most other pro have. In addition, what type of quality should I be putting in for that kind of rate? Show room or just enough to get most of the scratch and swirls out?



Any suggestions would be great.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by mch [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>I plan on starting my own mobile detail business on the side (weekends only since I got a full time job), and wanted to know how much I should be charging? My clients will just be people I know.

I don't have a rotary buffer that most other pro have. In addition, what type of quality should I be putting in for that kind of rate? Show room or just enough to get most of the scratch and swirls out?
[/b]</blockquote>
See how much a complete detail of a car takes you and then put a value on your time. How much are YOU worth? $20 an hour? $40 an hour? You need to decide. That is how you can get your base cost down. Then add chemicals in.

Show Room or just enough? You'll have to decide that. If you are going for profit, then you have to do just enough. If you really wanna make your friends happy, then do showroom.
 
You will also need to determine what you can do with the equiptment that you have. For some finishes the PC ain't gonna cut it, you will need a rotary. So for some finishes you might not be able to achieve "showroom" quality with the equiptment that you have. Since you are doing this for mostly friends, my advise is just do the best you can.
 
I can help you with this. I also have a full time job with an insurance company but own a detail shop in staten island, ny.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself.

1. Are you really ready for all this extra work?

it is not easy coming home from work and then going to detail a car. you might get lazy and the customer will notice right away.



2. what are other detailers charging in your area?

don't just go out and make up prices as you go along. set a price that is fair to the customer and fair to you. I charge $125.00 per car for a complete detail. This is lower then my competition, but at the same time it is a price i feel is fair for me and the customer.



3. If you dont have a rotary buffer or a D.A. polisher get one. Doing everything by hand will just wear you out. If you are not sure how to use the rotary, get a D.A. as it is easier to use but not as strong. you will get good results with it.



4. Be ready to grow, I think just about every detailer starts out the way you are going too. Before you know it people will start to call you to have the vehicle detailed. You can make some great money in the business, but remember that your work speaks for itself.



search the internet for detail web sites. you can find stater kits that rang in price from 250.00 - 800.00. You will need to decide what you want to use and what works best for you. As you read other forums you will see us talk about products, this might also help you out.



good luck with it hope it works out!!!!

:xyxthumbs

Brian

NY's Perfect Detailing
 
Do some shopping around in your area. I know that one of the better detail shops in Salt Lake only charge $90 to wash and polish only. Therefore, I can't really charge more than that unless I think I can do it better and offer better services. You don't want to undercharge them either or else they will think you use cheap material and you might screw things up. Try to stay competitive with the other businesses in the area and you'll be fine. :up
 
Thanks for all your help. I know there were lots of info on pricing, but needed to know about price-quality info.. This new info will certainly help me now.



I did my 1st detail job on my own and went all out. It took me over 13 hours and it was sure work! I will need a partner indeed or lessen the quality of the work and adj. the price accordingly.



Wish I had a picture of it. It was a huge mess with that car. Cleaned up 95% of a 2liter coke stain that dried on the carpet for over 3 years.





:p
 
i dont know what needed to be done, but 13 hrs. that might be a little too long, but i don't know what you did.

it usually takes me anywhere between 2-4 hrs for a complete detail on a car that is in ok condition.

dont forget never sacrifice quality for price. you can never but a price on a job that was completed perfect and the customer is completly satisified. you then get a customer for life.

but my price for quality is 125.00, this covers the labor & supplies
 
Hey Ny detailer(brian), Do you use an extractor for the interiors?Opinions? I use a dark green upholstery shampoo from pro, and works pretty good, what I cant get clean I dye, looking fo r a better way. Also, do you have a steamer? thanks Jason
 
It depends on the interior and the condition of the interior.

I try and stay away from shampoo on the carpet only because my customers dont like to wait for it to dry, they want to be in and out. I manly use dry cleaning solutions that work really good. On tuff stains, i use 4/1 mixture of water/cleaner, put it in my wet vac cleaner and clean away(be sure to clean steamer before using again).

another good product is called tuff stuff, i like they way it works and can be found in a local shop
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by NY detailer [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>i dont know what needed to be done, but 13 hrs. that might be a little too long, but i don't know what you did.
it usually takes me anywhere between 2-4 hrs for a complete detail on a car that is in ok condition.
dont forget never sacrifice quality for price. you can never but a price on a job that was completed perfect and the customer is completly satisified. you then get a customer for life.
but my price for quality is 125.00, this covers the labor & supplies [/b]</blockquote>
Ny Detailer, I agree 13 hrs is quite a long detail but what are you doing to a vehicle that only takes you 2hrs. I charge $140CDN which includes Wash( ABC system), Pre Conditioner Cleaner with Rotary, OEM One Step Polymer with Rotary, Clean all windows, Vacuum, clean all floor mats, Spot clean carpets, Dress all vinyl and rubber. This takes 4-6hrs depending on condition of vehicle. I charge $170CDN for Vans and SUV'S as they take on average 6-8hrs. Compounding, Scratch repair, Engine shampooing etc. is all $25/hr extra. I am no speed demon but I am not a turtle either and I have been doing about 50cars/yr for 3yrs.
 
most cars take me about 2 hrs, i do have an employee helping me sometimes.

For 125.00, you get: hand, wash, hand glaze,wax, interior cleaned, dash shinned, seat cleaned, wheels dressed.

compound is 25 extra

pdr is quoted depending on the dent and panel

engine cleanied extra 25

---

price goes up the bigger the car

truck start at 150.00

boats start at 200.00 then about 7.00 per foot

18 wheelers start 250.00 & up

rv's 250.00 & up

motorcyles 65 $ up

snowmobiles 75 $ up

jet skis 75 $ up
 
NY Detailer,

Most of my customers vehicles are less than 5yrs. old and in great condition but the paint still feels like sandpaper form the tree sap and various other particulates. They are also covered in light swirls from machine washes. I spend at least 2hrs(ABC system or clay and rotary polishing with a lite finish product) getting the paint smooth as glass and 90%swirl free before I apply the sealent or wax. Have you ever had complaints after the glaze evaporates in 3-5days and they can see all the swirls again?
 
EVERY LITTLE DETAIL,

I have never had a customer come back because of swirls. The glaze i use comes it two different ways. it can come in a hand glaze or a machine glaze. the machine glaze will cover up/ remove the swirls (unk for how long). i then use a good wax on top of it which keeps it on the car longer.

To cover my self i always go over the vehicle with the customer and point out all the swirls that were on the vehicle prior to me detailing the vehicle along with other scuff marks and scratches.

i have them sign a form stating that this was on the vehicle before i ever detailed the car. If it is an every day customer they don't have swirls because they have been coming to me since they bought the car and all work has been done by hand.
 
NY Detailer,



In Toronto all kinds of places offer what your doing a hand wash and wax, they charge on average $30. You have a great profit margin going for what your calling a complete detail, more power to ya :bow
 
WOW!

if i charged 30.00 per car that would put me out of business.

are you sure for 30.00, you get a hand wash, hand glaze, wax, vaccuum, dash dusted & shinned, wheels cleaned, tires cleaned and some more stuff i cant think of right now because i am still in shock over the 30.00.

i do charge 49.99 for a hand wash and wax, with a vaccuum and some other goodies.

staten island, ny is real competitive and way over priced, but i need to keep up with everyone. good thing i get my supplies really cheap!

still is shock over the huge price difference:eek:
 
NY,



I'm positive and don't forget that's $30Cdn, which is about $18Cdn. The only service they aren't providing is the hand glaze, they use a cleaner wax instead. These places have 3 guys on the vehicle and can do the job in just over an hour.



Now on the other hand a hand wash, paint decontamination, machine polish, hand wax, vacuum, shampoo rugs, clean all windows and dress interior and exterior goes for $250Cdn or $135US takes 3 guys about 2.5-3hrs.:nixweiss
 
WOW NY $125 for wash, hand glaze, wax, interior and wheels is way to much in Cincinnati.



For a car in good condition i charge $150 for, hand wash, ABC and or clay, rotary polishing for light swirl removal, DA polishing, sealant, interior upholstery and carpet cleaning with an extractor, dash dressing and all vinyl and plastic surfaces dressed, seats if leather, windows, wheel and trim dressing.



Engine detailing $50 to $150



Engine cleaning $25 to $35



I use no filing glazes.
 
Everything in NY is high priced. The cost of living is really high. When i check out my competition, they get anywhere from 50-70 for just a wash & wax. I try to stay in the same area as other detailers, but at the same time i want to give a little more or lower my price just a little more to keep the customers coming back.
 
I charge $85 and up for full details. Most cars run around $100 or so and SUV $125-150, depending on condition. Pretty much the going rate in the DFW area. I don't normally do engines because I am mobile and those mats to recycle water are just too expensive to justify, considering I may get a request to clean the engine 3-4 times a year.

I do all polishing and waxing by hand and always have. If you check on my website at www.scottwax.com in the before and after section, you will see what is possible using Meguiars Body Shop Pro line and a little muscle. After 8 years full time, I don't really get tired out doing everything by hand, and I don't have to worry about swirls. You do not need a buffer in most cases. With seriously oxidized paint, they can certainly save time, but 99% of the cars I do are in decent shape.

What you might want to do it set a base price, but let the customers know you will need to inspect the vehicle to arrive at a final price. You also want to make sure the customer understands exactly what the base price covers and why it is worth extra for services like swirl removal and clay detailing.
 
I've got a Focus coming in and I don't want to go nuts on it and I don't have my Meg's D151 yet. So I was wondering if using M205 with a PFW or cyan pad would work, any thoughts?
 
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