Where's the money?

[MaxWax]

Just curious where you guys would say you make the majority of your profit? I'd say a wash & wax with an interior vacuum is my bread and butter, of course paint corrections are much more expensive but since most people don't know the difference between a swirl and a squirrel, corrections aren't what fill up my calendar.

[Gurge]

I have a full time job, so my work is primarily on the weekends. So not the same situation.

the 'money' for me is in 1 step polish jobs with a THOROUGH interior cleaning. I'm doing mostly daily drivers. They spend a lot of time inside their car. they want the outside looking good / improved, but they don't understand what full correction means or entails (nor will they maintain it properly). A 1 step polish with a spotless interior (typically done with the aid of steam) usually wows the client at which point I feel I'm meeting their expectations

wash / wax / vacuum is what most people are looking for on a consistent basis. So that is where you turn your full details into consistent income going forward. so in a lot of ways, the money is really there. So I think you're on the right track (despite the fact that polishing paint is more glamorous then vacuuming cookie crumbs)

[Flannigan]

I also have a full time job during the week so I don't have to fill 5 days with work. That said I generally only do correction, with a few wash and waxes thrown in if it's slow. My big money is in correction since I charge hourly for them. If I had to do this job 5-7 days a week though I could see how wash and waxes would add up since you could knock a couple out each day.

[Bates Detailing]

One step polishes + full interiors with autos (our hope is to be able to knock out four of these a day - producing around $600 a day revenue this spring, summer, fall with autos). With that said, buses and aircraft are where our best profit is. We can knock out 2 buses in a day for around $700 (revenue) and not have to worry about spending gas going from place to place. Best day for B & B so far has been $1200 Revenue.

[RhetoricMixes]

I have a full time job as well and the work i do on the weekends is mostly correction. Theres a few people that will want a wash and wax every now and then but 1 steps and full corrections is a majority of what i get.

[MaxWax]

One step polishes + full interiors with autos (our hope is to be able to knock out four of these a day - producing around $600 a day revenue this spring, summer, fall with autos). With that said, buses and aircraft are where our best profit is. We can knock out 2 buses in a day for around $700 (revenue) and not have to worry about spending gas going from place to place. Best day for B & B so far has been $1200 Revenue.

How do you go about getting these buses and things? Did they just hear about you or did you go to them. I'd love to be like some of the people on here who are booked 2+ weeks out all the time, but it'd definitely hard to get there. What do you do to keep so busy?

[Bates Detailing]

How do you go about getting these buses and things? Did they just hear about you or did you go to them. I'd love to be like some of the people on here who are booked 2+ weeks out all the time, but it'd definitely hard to get there. What do you do to keep so busy?

Id say it is all a mixture of contacting them, them calling me, WORD OF MOUTH (huge).

With all this said - while it seems that the revenue we produce is tons of money, I must explain that I spent the last year and a half concentrating solely on growth and not worrying about the money. For this reason most money made has gone back into the business and not in my pocket. Going this route has been extremely tough financially but will pay off in the long run IMO. My goal is to average 600 a day 5 days a week in Revenue this year starting next month.

What I started out with : A makita, vac, basic products and knowledge from previous aircraft detailing business years ago - next to nothing in the bank account. Now I have 2 mobile units with 2 makitas, 2 cyclos, an extractor, ozone generator, generator, 2 vacs, and buy my products by the gallon and 5 gallon, and much more.

The strain all this created : I have very little family or personal time at all (which bothers the crap out of me). There is not a day that I don't put 15 hours plus of work into. I get very little sleep.

Hopes : That all this hard work pays off for myself and my family - have worked VERY HARD to get to this point in a year and a half.

[rakkvet]

Smoke odor elimination and headlight correction by far are the most profitable. I'm getting ready to learn paintless dent removal.

[Ford2000]

One step polishes + full interiors with autos (our hope is to be able to knock out four of these a day - producing around $600 a day revenue this spring, summer, fall with autos). With that said, buses and aircraft are where our best profit is. We can knock out 2 buses in a day for around $700 (revenue) and not have to worry about spending gas going from place to place. Best day for B & B so far has been $1200 Revenue.
do u work alone or do u have people working with you??

[Bates Detailing]

do u work alone or do u have people working with you??

I have currently 4 guys (2 brand spankin new though).

[Cosmin]

i am an one men show so far , plan get a helper this month , with that said on long run i get more money from regular clients ( season polish , wash wax maintenance) , as short term i get good money out of corrections.
so far my system works , i am happy with it, once i have a helper it will cut on time and i can schedule more cars/day.
maintenance wash is between 50-150+
corrections between 300-650+

weekly clients are gold!
80% of jobs with corrections get`s 2 step correction 400-650+ that can be done in one day in summer season, by one person.

[Bates Detailing]

i am an one men show so far , plan get a helper this month , with that said on long run i get more money from regular clients ( season polish , wash wax maintenance) , as short term i get good money out of corrections.
so far my system works , i am happy with it, once i have a helper it will cut on time and i can schedule more cars/day.
maintenance wash is between 50-150+
corrections between 300-650+

weekly clients are gold!
80% of jobs with corrections get`s 2 step correction 400-650+ that can be done in one day in summer season, by one person.


Amazing prices - How are you able to get so many exotic rides?!?!?! Did you start off doing DD's or did you have a connection?!?!?

[rwright]

I don't know how you guys clean wheels/wheel wells/tires, wash,dry, clay, tape, do a 2 step+ correction, and wax or seal in one day?

[Bates Detailing]

I don't know how you guys clean wheels/wheel wells/tires, wash,dry, clay, tape, do a 2 step+ correction, and wax or seal in one day?


All of that minus the seal part isn't that hard to do in a day (only cause the sealant need's 24 hours + to seal lol) But then again, we take twice as long on an interior then anyone in this forum it seems.... so it all depends on what you want out of your 2 + step.

[rwright]

I work alone though so it takes longer. It's nothing for me to spend 8+ hours on an interior. :)