new fixed location

S

shina-men

represent all car-washa!
Hi, everyone. I am wondering is there anyone running their detail business at a fixed location with their own building and everything, and if so how are you doing with it compared to the mobile? The reason i ask is that i am getting ready to have my own detail shop, but before anything i want some opinions so i can weigh the pros and cons. I am situated at a small city outside Nashville Tn. about 40 min. out. The town is growing extremely fast, a year and a half ago it was 7,000+ now it is at 19-20,000 people who moved here. Commercial is starting to boom and i want to get in while i can before property skyrockets. Ive done the mobile thing and it's treated my great, but now another opportunity has come. With that said if there is anyone out there who has their own shop and were in the same situation, please let me know what to expect. Thanks!
 
One thing you have to think about is can you get enough business where your going to be located to cover the rent,electric,chemical cost, etc of a shop and then make a profit? The first few months of a new detail shop are rough. Are you going to run both your mobil rig and on site shop? There is alot that comes along with opening a shop, Have you ever thought about putting another mobile rig on the road? think about it.
 
Im pretty sure about the customers whether i have enough or not. There's been so much hype on this where im at everyones just pretty much waiting on me. My back up right now is my mobile meaning that finacially. Im looking to stick with the fixed location untill it is fully up and running and to where i am comfortable both with the regular customers and of course money. Until im ready then i will start to offer the mobile. The only reason im considering this option with the fixed location is because of the town the way it is growing so fast with people moving here it's ridiculous, commerical sites are up less than 3-5 months and everyone here who owns or operate a business says that if you have something to offer this new town than this is the time to do it. Auto detailing is much needed here on a regular. I don't want to get ahead of myself but this opportunity to progress is pretty hard to pass up. Im well aware of all the things that come with having my own place meaning the big overhead rather to the mobil which is a big difference. I would like to know if i should just stick with mobil like everyone else is.
Thanks for the reply TrueDetailer! I will consider all things!Appreciated!
 
My shop just opened. This is our third week. We offer more then just detailing. But for just having our first ad come out today we are not doing to bad I guess. People seem to love our shop and comment on how clean it is. One customer said he likes a fixed location better. We also did two pick up and drop offs. People seem to like that. This way we get to do it at our shop and they get it done while they are working.

James
 
Sweet! Thats good news! Im excited for ya, i hope mine will turn out like yours in the beginning. Keep me posted on the progress of your business, maybe we can help each other out with ideas down the road. Thanks for the reply and good luck with yours.
 
i think a fixed location can be good because you can offer other services. oilspray, rustproof, window tint, paintless dent removal. overtime try to add more than detailing as it will make you more attractive for one stop shopping for cars. try to get a dealer or two for steady income. you won't make much off dealers but in slower months, it can be a nice steady cushion for cash flow. we offer customer pick up within 10 miles for convience and it helps alot. people want to save time so picking it up and returning while they are work goes a long way.good luck
 
Great suggestion on the pick-up and deliver. Ill hope to be at that level when work is steady and in progress where i can offer all the extras to my customers. Cheers!
 
hey hope u do good on your fixed location but try not to spread your self thin by offering other things unless u have people that u hire (make sure that u do a contract with that person just in case he learns a certain trade that u provided and u give him the resources to go out his own, which every one eventually wants to do so for the best thing is do sublets )good luck
 
shina-men said:
Great suggestion on the pick-up and deliver. Ill hope to be at that level when work is steady and in progress where i can offer all the extras to my customers. Cheers!
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Well for us we are just starting so its really only one car a day right now so its not a problem. We pick the car up on the way to the shop then drop it off after work. We have done four pick ups/drop offs in so far. This is our forth week in business. Two of the four needed to be dropped off before we closed but I did the drop off and my business partner stayed at the shop. So its working out well so far. One car we got just because of the pick up. He was referred by the owner of our first pick up and he wanted us to do his car and pick it up as well. They love it. 3 of the four are busy doctors and the fourth (which was today) was a business owner. I didn't want to push the pick ups to hard when we first opened but I'm all for it now. It looks like its going to bring us a lot of business. And I get to drive a few nice cars. :) Our pick ups were an 02 Volvo S60, 02 Nissan Maxima, 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 03/04 Honda Accord. The Jeep was yesterday and he was so happy when he seen it that he (I didn't see him. Just dropped the Jeep off and picked up the money) is going to use us again and also tell everybody. He sent four other doctors to that person to get our business cards. :)

James
 
Ok, I've had my fixed location shop for quite a few years now in a small town in central kentucky. We draw clients from two county's away and stay booked a week to a week and half out. I do allot of "wash & appearance maintenance work" for city utility company's, Police cars even funeral homes. I have crew of 4 guys that actually worK like a swiss watch together. I answer phones, jockey cars, press flesh and keep the flow of vehicles in and out all day long every day--lol At a fixed shop, as much as i Love getting my hands wet.. As the owner you manage. Some days will go by that I haven't picked up a mitt all day.. But i've ordered chemicals and booked full details for the next week. and kept the customers happy and on there way all afternoon.

Now--hire a good accountant for taxes and learn to keep all receipts for anything..... Have a good insurance policy set up. with garage keepers, liability, and personal coverage.. Along with coverage of the cars driven by you or your employees.

Find a good chemical supply company and set up an account and make sure there butt is in there when you need them--once a week or once a day if you need something. lol

Be good to your employees but also--be the boss bottom line!

Pay your self and go home by 10:00 pm every-night if possible.

Smile real big when you pull up and see your name on the door as the owner--because by-golly you have arrived!! This can be a surprisingly lucrative business if you run it right and put your heart and soul into it!
 
Jug Head offers wonderful advice. Make sure you've read his post very carefully! I can add very little.

Entering my third year at a fixed location, we are booked almost two weeks out, and completely debt free.

The CPA tells me the business now has a potential value of $75-110k, based on current cash flow... (btw, I rent.)

I'm not sure a mobile operation would come very close in terms of actual equity in the operartion.

Otherwise, Jug Head said it all.

Visit an existing fixed, upscale shop...

Jim
 
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