Short List of Add-on Profit Averages

[davisautodetail]

Intro (skip down for the question):

I'm a newbie, just doing the research on starting my own detailing business as a side business. I've owned a web development firm for 15 years, and do pretty well, but cars are my passion, and I'm tired of sitting behind my desk all day (plus with the economy, always looking for ways to supplement the income.)

I have a pretty good background in the basics for car care and detailing, just need to hone my skills. I can do body work, paint, etc. I'm actually finishing up my Cobra project this winter (KD's FFR Roadster Build), and I'm neck deep in body work right now, hope to shoot paint before Spring.

I've read a bunch of the threads about different aspects of starting up. I'm still trying to decide if I want to go mobile or not, and if I can use my own home 1200' shop (well outfitted, but we live 8 miles out.) The shop is nice because no "big brother" to nose around and give me a hard time about waste water, a few fumes, etc., but it's too far out for customer entry (I'd have to valet anything.)

Question:

My biggest question mark right not is which services to start with as add ons. You've got windshield repair (big here due to the rock chips), paint repair, carpet dyeing, minor body work and paint, wheel repair, clear bra, and maybe boats and planes (I live 9 miles from the airport.)

Obviously, each of these add on's come with their own costs. If I'm doing paint repair, I need a kit to do the colors, same thing with wheel repair, leather/vinyl, etc.

Does anyone have a resource or can give me some advice on which things might be the best to start with in terms of profit margins?

Because of the long winters here, there will be a good amount of non-car wash stuff required to make any money during the off-season, so all of the interior/repair stuff will prove important.

Am I better to just pick a couple and see how they go, or bit the bullet up front and get what's need to add on most of the services?

Thanks for the advice!

[Cosmin]

looks like you want all in once and now! )

first make the business plan , what money yo have to invest , what transportation you have what garage you have available , who`s your clients, marketing - how you rich them.

use the garage for correction and bigger jobs and mobile to fill in the gaps.
just sell what you feel comfortable and add more services in time

[ProDetail]

looks like you want all in once and now! )

first make the business plan , what money yo have to invest , what transportation you have what garage you have available , who`s your clients, marketing - how you rich them.

use the garage for correction and bigger jobs and mobile to fill in the gaps.
just sell what you feel comfortable and add more services in time

with everything stated above. When it comes to add-on services do not take forget other services that you may not know such as window tinting, remote starters, paintless dent removal. With these services you can bring in a independent contractor and charge a premium on what he/she charges you. It's 100% profit considering your just setting up the work and they're doing the work. Just something to consider.

[rustytruck]

Smells, people will pay anything to get smells out of their car. I did not have an ozone generator last year and cost me what turned out to be some profitable jobs. I always referred the jobs involving the strong odors(vomit, milk and mouse urine) when I got the call back from the other detailer for a thank you I was always kicking myself when I heard what the final bill was.

People are willing to live with chips, small scratches and tiny dings. Nobody is willing to drive to work everyday with their car smelling like vomit.

As far as working at your garage, pick up and drop off service was really working out for me last year. I am mobile but if the customer is close to me it is easier for me to go pick up their car and bring it to my house than it is to load all my equipment and bring it to them

The new coating can be profitable also.

[davisautodetail]

Thanks folks! I like the idea of subcontracting. I have a PDR guy here in town that I could do that with. I hadn't really thought about remote starters, those would be big here. I have a lot of experience with automotive wiring (built my own car), so I could actually probably do that myself.

The ozone generators are another interesting idea. I had seen some posts about them, but I couldn't find a consensus on the right one to get, so I'll keep looking. That seems like it would pay for itself pretty quickly.