Question, Pics, and HELP! (56k beware)

Tex Star Detail

Tex Star Detail

Formerly TexasTB
First off, I had an interior detail today. Toyota SUV. Pretty trashed. I was thinking......"OMG, why do like detailing again?" the whole time I was working on it. I had a problem on this SUV....I think I lost my touch. What I thought would take a few hours, turned into 6 HOURS, and I am still not done. I failed to remove all of the stains, clean the windows, finish dressing the panels, clean cup holders that were soaking, and go over the entire inside and check everything off. They lasy came out and said she had to leave. I had to rush to throw everything back in the trailer. I FEEL BAD. I know she was upset. I told her I can come back first thing in the morning, but she said to finish it on Monday.
She is also wanting an exterior detail on Monday. I just feel REALLY BAD that it was not to par when she had to leave. She wanted to pay me for the inside today, but I could not take the money until it was to my satisfaction.

I feel that I am slow. I take too much time. I am very anal about getting EVERYTHING SPOTLESS. (I will make another post about this topic.)

What I want to know is,
How long would an interior like this take YOU?

Front Drivers....took out the mat.
SUVdetail001.jpg


Center Console. (very nasty, all the way up to the radio
SUVdetail002.jpg


back
SUVdetail003.jpg


ALL of the leather seats were like this [barf]
SUVdetail004.jpg


Middle row, passenger side
SUVdetail005.jpg


Drivers door panel
SUVdetail007.jpg


In between middle seats
SUVdetail008.jpg


Close up of above picture
SUVdetail009.jpg


Front passenger seat finished, Still tiny stubborn stains
SUVdetail006.jpg



EDIT...no after shots. She left in a hurry and I was in a hurry to load up my stuff
 
OMG!!! That is awful. I think both of you were expecting too much in too little time. She has no business being angry as it should be obvious you're trying to give her every dollars worth. Thorogh work takes time, don't apologize for doing a good job. This would easily take me 6 plus hours in a vehicle that large and that filthy.
 
You can only do so much and some people expect somthing that trashed to be brand new again, and don't understand that it probally will not be perfect. That was beyond dirty, It would have probally taken me longer to do the same thing.
 
Interior looks like 4-6 Hrs of work with your expectations. What was she expecting the interior to like ? I did a van like this last year and never again..
 
joe.p said:
Interior looks like 4-6 Hrs of work with your expectations. What was she expecting the interior to like ? I did a van like this last year and never again..
Click to expand...

I'll finish it up on Monday. I will never do one like that again either, unless the money and time is right.
 
You just experienced what I fear the most. I do NOT like doing interior and only do them under special circumstances, groveling, begging on hands and knees helps but $$$$$ talks the most.

As we can see this car owner did not give a damn about keeping the interior clean it the first place and then expects you to wave the magic wand and preform miracles and make it beautiful again... most of what I see on the carpet staining looks set-in and most likely will not come out with out pulling out some of the color with it.

what you have shown us you did a fanatic job.

Jobs like that should be Billed T&M......... (Time and Money).... if you set a fixed price on jobs like this you will lost the house the car and the boat each time.
 
Beercan31 said:
You just experienced what I fear the most. I do NOT like doing interior and only do them under special circumstances, groveling, begging on hands and knees helps but $$$$$ talks the most.

As we can see this car owner did not give a damn about keeping the interior clean it the first place and then expects you to wave the magic wand and preform miracles and make it beautiful again... most of what I see on the carpet staining looks set-in and most likely will not come out with out pulling out some of the color with it.

what you have shown us you did a fanatic job.

Jobs like that should be Billed T&M......... (Time and Money).... if you set a fixed price on jobs like this you will lost the house the car and the boat each time.
Click to expand...

The red statement. That is true. Unfortunatly, I bid a set price. I am going to try to talk her up at least 50 more. I doubt it will happen. Monday, I will get some after shots of the inside and the freshly detailed exterior. I just hope, within the weekend, the inside does not get trashed again.

I will bite my tongue on this job and learn my lesson. I guess it happens to all of us. Thoug I LOVE doing interiors, there comes a time where I dread it. (see pics above...LOL) about 90% 0f the stains came out. about 15% magically re appeared. They will come out the next time around.

EDIT..........THE LAST PIC SHOWS ONLY THE SEAT DONE. THE CARPETS HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED YET.
 
Hi I am guessing that you booked that job over the phone and the cust. probably told you that it was dirty but nothing like that.Happened to me 1 time a cust. called and said he was in real estate and he needed his mini van cleaned, I drove for 40 min. to get to his house to find out that he left his 15 year old nephew there to meet me. Well what he did not tell me was that he was also in the floral business and used the van for deliveries, needless to say there was about 1 inch of dirt all over the interior. I could not get him on the phone so I left a note with the nephew saying how I felt he misrepresented his vehicle to me and that I could not do the detail for the quoted price ( now when I give prices over the phone I state that the price is pending condition of the vehicle ) . He called me the next day and wanted to know if I would do the job for an adjusted price, we agreed on a price and I did the job. I really did not like having to change the price but that mini van made yours look like a walk in the park.
 
Yea.....I peeked inside the SUV, but it had boxes in the seats and floorboards. She was driving by and had her kids, so I did not wasnt to say...get out and let me see.

It is ok though....just a lesson learned on my part.
 
Strating a new thread with process and before/after shots. I just wanted to know how long it would take you to do the inside of this.

-Chris
 
TexasTB said:
Strating a new thread with process and before/after shots. I just wanted to know how long it would take you to do the inside of this.

-Chris
Click to expand...
I qouted 4-6 hrs on the interior was i close?
 
that is awful. kids and food should not meet each other in a car. I wonder if her house looks similar...

a few years ago I found a wad of melted skittles under the car seat and the food never came through my doors again. I don't drink coffee so it's not a problem.

To even tackle that job after seeing it and sticking to your quote is quite a favor to your customer I would think!
 
I am sorry that sounded bad when I said "if you were organized" , I didn't mean that in a negative way , so I applologize.

For carpets that stained, you NEED to have a carpet extractor. There is no other solution. Heat and chemicals combined are what it takes, with powerfull suction to release the dirt and stain from the material.

What I meant bu organized, is to establish a method for every vehicle. Its differnt for everyone, btu here is my method in a cliff notes version for indoor detailing:

1) Hand wash and degrease engine bay.
2)Clean wheels/ wheel wells
3) hand wash exterior and door jambs
4) water blade vehicle
5) start on interior by removing and boxing personal property
6) pressure wash mats
7) use compressed air to blow off rear deck ( shelf) , under seats , in between seats.
8) Vacuum and clean truck and truck lips.
9) start on back seat detailing forward to front of car.
10) dress all rubber vinyl
11) clean glass LAST
12) move to exterior
13) dress tiresand wheel wells
14) buff/polish/wax paint
15) buff and wax door jambs
16) dress any other exterior plastic /vinyl
17) Clean exterior of windows LAST
18) final inspection in direct sunlight.

Now there are alot of critical steps that woudl have taken too long to type, but you get the idea. I do this this way on every singel vehicle.
 
I understand you weren't being negative....I was just being a goof....
I know I would like an extractor, I have used a mytee for over a year.
My budget does not allow me to purchase one at this point in time.
It is personal reasons that I do not have the money.
I might as well tell them, since I know someone out there will say I either need all the equipment or I might as well quit detailing.
For one..I have 4 kids...LOL
My son just finished his Cancer treatments and now my wife has cancer, so the bank account is pretty much at an all time low.
I make due with what I have at this point in time. It gets me by just fine, but like I said...when funds are available, I will be getting an extractor....


....Sigh............
nuff said

DKKNE said:
I am sorry that sounded bad when I said "if you were organized" , I didn't mean that in a negative way , so I applologize.

For carpets that stained, you NEED to have a carpet extractor. There is no other solution. Heat and chemicals combined are what it takes, with powerfull suction to release the dirt and stain from the material.

What I meant bu organized, is to establish a method for every vehicle. Its differnt for everyone, btu here is my method in a cliff notes version for indoor detailing:

1) Hand wash and degrease engine bay.
2)Clean wheels/ wheel wells
3) hand wash exterior and door jambs
4) water blade vehicle
5) start on interior by removing and boxing personal property
6) pressure wash mats
7) use compressed air to blow off rear deck ( shelf) , under seats , in between seats.
8) Vacuum and clean truck and truck lips.
9) start on back seat detailing forward to front of car.
10) dress all rubber vinyl
11) clean glass LAST
12) move to exterior
13) dress tiresand wheel wells
14) buff/polish/wax paint
15) buff and wax door jambs
16) dress any other exterior plastic /vinyl
17) Clean exterior of windows LAST
18) final inspection in direct sunlight.

Now there are alot of critical steps that woudl have taken too long to type, but you get the idea. I do this this way on every singel vehicle.
Click to expand...
 
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