Starting detailing job, need suggestions.

R

RonTL

New member
Im going to be doing some detailing for this summer (save some money for gas/books for college) and im going to be doing it out of my sister's house. Im going to setup a canopy next to her house and do it from there. I wanted to go mobile, but dont have the money to buy one of those quick setup canopy's.



My problem is, im sure that no one would want to sit there for

hrs at a time (depending on what is done) waiting for there car to finish. I would pick there cars up for them and take them to my location, but I';d have to have some kind of insurance.



I guess i could just offer a quick one step polish and wax like aio, poorboys polish w/ carnauba, malvco rejuvenator, etc. So

it wouldn't take that long to do, but then again, if there paint isn't in good condition, then it wouldn't really do a great job.



Could someone please give me some suggestions, any would be appreciated! :D
 
I would still go mobile. Offer everything you usually do as services. GSRstilez does almost all of his jobs mobile without a canopy or anything, and they all turn out spectacular. By going mobile you can get more customers because it's a whole lot more convenient for them and you can charge a premium for that convenience. If you choose to do it out of your sister's house, I would offer washes and any other service that doesn't take more than 1 hour. If the customer is willing to wait, then by all means agree to do a full detail. Since you're doing it all this summer, you'll want some repeat customers, so try to get at least 5 full details and schedule weekly washes for that same person.



Good luck!
 
Malco Rejuvenator is a very serious polish/wax, not like AIO, it's stronger/more abbrasive than Meg's #83 for example. You can get canopies pretty cheap now. I remember getting my EasyUp for $250 and that was the cheapest at that time. Now you can go to Costco, sporting good stores or Ebay and get one for under $100.



Maybe if it looked like you were busy, maybe even waxing your own car over and over again and having a few parked as though they were waiting it may lure people in. The other thing is price, bring people in really cheap just to get your name out and then slowly raise your prices. Don't do it by offering a low price as that makes it hard to raise it later, do it with coupons, like half off your first detail and put expiration dates on the coupon so you are not committed for life.
 
Go to the Professional Detailers forum and read, read, read. Lots of great info there.



A lot of guys go mobile for a minimum investment. Mobile is more convenient for your clients but I would think that many clients who are willing to spring for an all-day type of detail would be also willing to drop it off and pick it up afterward.





PC.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I think ill start out at my sisters and if i dont get enough people, then ill go mobile. Ill put out a sign by the road and after a few days, maybe a week, ill start mobile.



That was my main concern though, was the sun.:angry I'd hate to wash a car in the direct sun, i'd be rinsing like madd. :eek:

I ordered the ssr line of polishes and those work in the sun, so that's no an issue. Does VM, CMW, EX, EXP work in the sun?:nixweiss
 
I'd get a whole lot more customers if i went mobile.



We have a detailer here (wouldn't call them a detailer). They go to the family dollar to get most of there products. I haven't asked. but im pretty sure all they do is wash and wax :) I looked at there sign of different packages and didn't say anything have polishing, glazeing, nothing.
 
I do all my work out of my house (or now, due to zoning, at a diffetent house). I too have a canopy though it is unstable at best in the rain and wind. I just bought a portable quick set up canopy for 45 bucks. As far as customers waiting goes, I tell them it takes 6 hours minimum for their car to be done in full, so they never want to wait and if they did I probably wouldn't let them. I offer free pick-up and delivery or free drop and drive. I absolutely hate doing mobile detailing, so I couldn't recommend it. I'm sure there are plenty of mobile detailers who do a great job, but I know my work comes out better with a fixed location and it is much easier for me (doing mobile work out of a sedan is a PITA).
 
Magictouch24: Yeah i believe my work would come out better too if i had a fixed location. Where did you get a canop for $45 and how big is it? Im sure if someone wants a full detail and is willing to pay the money, then they would probably have someone drop them off.



Ill just have to make my mind up for the mobile detailing. I dont really have the money to afford a canopy and i'd hate to wash a car in the hot sun and polish too, because most polishes you cant use in the sun.
 
My old canopy (for fixed location purposes) was $95 at a local wholesale type of store (Ocean State Job Lot, National Liquidators are two in my area, I don't know if there are any near you). The $45 canopy is the quick setup canopy and I actually JUST bought it so I'm not sure on the size (though it sounds like it would be about half the size of the car) but I got that at Sports Authority (sporting goods store).
 
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