mleroy1989
New member
Hey everyone,
Overview:
I'm new here but been lurking around. Want to kind of introduce myself as well as give an overview of my operation if you're interested.
I started the idea of Dun-Rite Mobile Detailing in November of last year. I work as a professional fireman and the schedule gives me a lot of time off (20 days/month). I wanted to find a part time job detailing but found it difficult to find an employer who would work around my rotating schedule. I had been detailing for friends and family and always had good feedback and decided that I would offer my services publicly and become mobile.
Starting in November in Michigan obviously wasn't the most opportune time but it allowed me to work out a lot of things I needed to before getting a ton of work. My old lady thought I had come up with the absolute worst business decision ever due to complete lack of work over the winter. This was expected, and since work is picking up now she is slowly getting on board. She likes the idea that this business will hopefully take the place of her working and allow her to be a stay at home mother. She must think I have something going for me; she just approved the purchase of a new Mytee Lite II!
There was a ton of information available for starting out and I felt very well educated in a lot of my decision. The more I got involved with it though it seemed difficult to find answers to certain questions. I felt as though these were secrets no one wanted to share and had to find the answers for myself.
I'd like to help anyone in a similar situation and offer my experiences to learn from.
In my area we have one detailing shop within 20 miles. Myself and others were displeased with the service we received there and I felt like our area could benefit from a quality detailing company, as well as a mobile service.
My mobile rig:
Trailer - Haulin 5x8. I initially wanted to purchase a 6x10 for the double doors, added head room and storage space but decided on the 5x8. This ended up being crucial for me as the restrictions in my city do not allow me to park a commercial vehicle outside on my property. The 5x8 fits in my standard garage with about an inch of clearance on the top. I've found the 5x8 to have sufficient room for me so far. The only thing I do not have in my trailer is a generator and if I need to make room for that at some point I'll cross that bridge at that time.
Lettering:
I have a co-worker who does vinyl decals and designed/lettered my trailer for me. He charged me $450 and I didn't ask if that was a normal rate or if I received a discount.
Water system:
I have a 65 gallon water tank plumbed to a 12 volt Shurflo 2.5 GPM pump. That is plumbed to a gated wye. One end connects to the power washer, the other is connected to a short hose for filling bottles/buckets. I have a car battery mounted next the pump that I connect with alligator clips. I wired in a switch that is easy to access near the back of the trailer.
Pressure washer:
I chose a Landa pressure washer that runs off a Honda engine. I went with this model due to it being commercial grade. I could have bought a cheaper model but wanted my equipment to be designed for use in a commercial situation.
Tools/other equipment:
Foam cannon
Flex 3401
Dewalt rotary
Mytee Lite 8070 (on its way)
Stanley 6HP shop vac
Dewalt cordless drill
Products:
I wanted to stock mostly products from one manufacturer, and I had decided on Meguiars based on quality and price. I've branched out some, but still try to keep my brand selection limited.
Wash: Chemical Guys Honeydew
Wax: Meguiars D151
Wax: Klasse AIO
Wax: Pinnacle Souveran
Wax: Meguiars X-press
Wax: Hydro 2
APC: Chemical Guys All clean+
APC: Chemical Guys Fabric clean
Dressing: Meguiars All Season
Dressing: Meguiars Hyper dressing
Compound: Meguiars 105
Polish: Meguiars 205
There's some odd and end products, but those come to mind off the top of my head.
Packages/services:
I've recently re-structured my packages and services. I condensed a confusing menu of services into an easy to understand menu.
Interior package one: Interior detail without carpet shampoo
Interior Package two: Interior detail with carpet champoo
Exterior package one: AIO (D151 or Klasse)
Exterior Package two: Compound and polish
Full detail: Interior with carpet shampoo, AIO exterior.
Add-ons: Spray wax, fabric protection, premium wax, headlight restoration, isolated scratch removal.
I added the "full detail" package after many customers would call and ask simply for a "full detail." These customers didn't want to read all my services and choose what they wanted, they simply wanted a "Full detail."
I offer spray wax as an add-on service with interior details if the vehicle has been detailed by us within the past 2 months.
Advertising/marketing:
I've used Facebook extensively to get the name of the business out there. I created the FB page and offered free details or gift certificates at milestones (100 likes, 200 likes, etc.) This, along with sharing the page on local FB groups has helped give me some brand recognition. I tried Google Ad words with very poor results. I have an ad being published in a small, local paper that is distributed weekly to restaurants and other small businesses in my service area that I hope will get the attention of the pre-facebook generation.
Insurance:
I called around and got multiple quotes for insurance for the truck, trailer and liability. The best quote I found was through Farm Bureau Insurance. All together with truck, trailer and liability it was around 300/month. The liability insurance alone was 350/year. Some companies quoted me 1-5 thousand dollars a year. Not sure how they can vary so wildly but glad I did my research.
Conclusion:
I think that's as much as I can think of right now.
I'll post some pictures of my rig after I receive the my Mytee and determine the best way to secure it as it may involve some rearranging.
Thanks for reading! I know it's long winded, but I'm excited to have started this journey and enjoy sharing my experience. Hopefully someone finds it helpful. If you got a second, check out the website and FB page and give it a like!
Www.dunritemobiledetailing.com Dun-Rite Mobile Detailing llc - St. Clair, Michigan - Car Wash & Detailing, Automotive Restoration | Facebook
If anyone has questions, advice or criticism please feel free to comment. I'm more than willing to give details on anything I've done right or wrong to help someone else out.
Overview:
I'm new here but been lurking around. Want to kind of introduce myself as well as give an overview of my operation if you're interested.
I started the idea of Dun-Rite Mobile Detailing in November of last year. I work as a professional fireman and the schedule gives me a lot of time off (20 days/month). I wanted to find a part time job detailing but found it difficult to find an employer who would work around my rotating schedule. I had been detailing for friends and family and always had good feedback and decided that I would offer my services publicly and become mobile.
Starting in November in Michigan obviously wasn't the most opportune time but it allowed me to work out a lot of things I needed to before getting a ton of work. My old lady thought I had come up with the absolute worst business decision ever due to complete lack of work over the winter. This was expected, and since work is picking up now she is slowly getting on board. She likes the idea that this business will hopefully take the place of her working and allow her to be a stay at home mother. She must think I have something going for me; she just approved the purchase of a new Mytee Lite II!
There was a ton of information available for starting out and I felt very well educated in a lot of my decision. The more I got involved with it though it seemed difficult to find answers to certain questions. I felt as though these were secrets no one wanted to share and had to find the answers for myself.
I'd like to help anyone in a similar situation and offer my experiences to learn from.
In my area we have one detailing shop within 20 miles. Myself and others were displeased with the service we received there and I felt like our area could benefit from a quality detailing company, as well as a mobile service.
My mobile rig:
Trailer - Haulin 5x8. I initially wanted to purchase a 6x10 for the double doors, added head room and storage space but decided on the 5x8. This ended up being crucial for me as the restrictions in my city do not allow me to park a commercial vehicle outside on my property. The 5x8 fits in my standard garage with about an inch of clearance on the top. I've found the 5x8 to have sufficient room for me so far. The only thing I do not have in my trailer is a generator and if I need to make room for that at some point I'll cross that bridge at that time.
Lettering:
I have a co-worker who does vinyl decals and designed/lettered my trailer for me. He charged me $450 and I didn't ask if that was a normal rate or if I received a discount.
Water system:
I have a 65 gallon water tank plumbed to a 12 volt Shurflo 2.5 GPM pump. That is plumbed to a gated wye. One end connects to the power washer, the other is connected to a short hose for filling bottles/buckets. I have a car battery mounted next the pump that I connect with alligator clips. I wired in a switch that is easy to access near the back of the trailer.
Pressure washer:
I chose a Landa pressure washer that runs off a Honda engine. I went with this model due to it being commercial grade. I could have bought a cheaper model but wanted my equipment to be designed for use in a commercial situation.
Tools/other equipment:
Foam cannon
Flex 3401
Dewalt rotary
Mytee Lite 8070 (on its way)
Stanley 6HP shop vac
Dewalt cordless drill
Products:
I wanted to stock mostly products from one manufacturer, and I had decided on Meguiars based on quality and price. I've branched out some, but still try to keep my brand selection limited.
Wash: Chemical Guys Honeydew
Wax: Meguiars D151
Wax: Klasse AIO
Wax: Pinnacle Souveran
Wax: Meguiars X-press
Wax: Hydro 2
APC: Chemical Guys All clean+
APC: Chemical Guys Fabric clean
Dressing: Meguiars All Season
Dressing: Meguiars Hyper dressing
Compound: Meguiars 105
Polish: Meguiars 205
There's some odd and end products, but those come to mind off the top of my head.
Packages/services:
I've recently re-structured my packages and services. I condensed a confusing menu of services into an easy to understand menu.
Interior package one: Interior detail without carpet shampoo
Interior Package two: Interior detail with carpet champoo
Exterior package one: AIO (D151 or Klasse)
Exterior Package two: Compound and polish
Full detail: Interior with carpet shampoo, AIO exterior.
Add-ons: Spray wax, fabric protection, premium wax, headlight restoration, isolated scratch removal.
I added the "full detail" package after many customers would call and ask simply for a "full detail." These customers didn't want to read all my services and choose what they wanted, they simply wanted a "Full detail."
I offer spray wax as an add-on service with interior details if the vehicle has been detailed by us within the past 2 months.
Advertising/marketing:
I've used Facebook extensively to get the name of the business out there. I created the FB page and offered free details or gift certificates at milestones (100 likes, 200 likes, etc.) This, along with sharing the page on local FB groups has helped give me some brand recognition. I tried Google Ad words with very poor results. I have an ad being published in a small, local paper that is distributed weekly to restaurants and other small businesses in my service area that I hope will get the attention of the pre-facebook generation.
Insurance:
I called around and got multiple quotes for insurance for the truck, trailer and liability. The best quote I found was through Farm Bureau Insurance. All together with truck, trailer and liability it was around 300/month. The liability insurance alone was 350/year. Some companies quoted me 1-5 thousand dollars a year. Not sure how they can vary so wildly but glad I did my research.
Conclusion:
I think that's as much as I can think of right now.
I'll post some pictures of my rig after I receive the my Mytee and determine the best way to secure it as it may involve some rearranging.
Thanks for reading! I know it's long winded, but I'm excited to have started this journey and enjoy sharing my experience. Hopefully someone finds it helpful. If you got a second, check out the website and FB page and give it a like!
Www.dunritemobiledetailing.com Dun-Rite Mobile Detailing llc - St. Clair, Michigan - Car Wash & Detailing, Automotive Restoration | Facebook
If anyone has questions, advice or criticism please feel free to comment. I'm more than willing to give details on anything I've done right or wrong to help someone else out.
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