How do you charge?

[DetailKitty]

Ok, it seems like I'm getting sucked into detailing more cars whether I wanted it or not. I do like the idea of it at the moment, and the extra cash isn't a bad thing either seeing is I have some vacations coming up...

Anyway, someone just inquired about detailing their mother's Toyota Highlander. I'm not sure what it needs yet, or what they want done to it. I at this point only told her I had to look at it.

My question: do you charge by the size of the vehicle or the hour?
I definitely don't know how long it would take. I'm pretty green to detailing other vehicles other than my own.

Anyway, thx for the input :xyxthumbs:

[VP Mark]

Before you take a single step further you need to order and read Renny Doyles book. Even if you are only going to a car once in a while it is immensely helpful. I run a full time business which is a completely different ballgame but if I were you and it was just extra cash I would do by estimate only and estimate by the hour.

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[Evan.J]

Before you take a single step further you need to order and read Renny Doyles book. Even if you are only going to a car once in a while it is immensely helpful. I run a full time business which is a completely different ballgame but if I were you and it was just extra cash I would do by estimate only and estimate by the hour.

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I couldn't agree more with Mark! :props:

Additionally to estimate you need to decide if it going to be a paint correction type of detail or a production detail. The price will change drastically between the two so speaking with the customer and try to get an idea of what they would like to have done and what they would like to spend.

If its a paint correction charge what you think your time is worth to you.

If its a production detail try to keep the price and time close to what you would make with a paint correction per hour.

For example if you are doing a paint correction for 8 hours and your hourly rate is $100/hr then you will have $800 (hard I know)

If your doing a production style and the customer wants to spend no more than $400 then try to keep the time between 4-5 hours. If you go longer then you will start to lose profits.

Keeping the time and close is very important Time is money :dblthumb2:

[DetailKitty]

Before you take a single step further you need to order and read Renny Doyles book. Even if you are only going to a car once in a while it is immensely helpful. I run a full time business which is a completely different ballgame but if I were you and it was just extra cash I would do by estimate only and estimate by the hour.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AG Online

Thx for the suggestion. I definitely think a "by the hour" is a good idea.

[Pureshine]

Thx for the suggestion. I definitely think a "by the hour" is a good idea.

:iagree: With Evan and Mark. You can have set prices just make sure what ever you want to make comes out with the set prices. For none paint correction jobs I make $45 hr on my set prices and $55hr for paint correction.

[DetailKitty]

:iagree: With Evan and Mark. You can have set prices just make sure what ever you want to make comes out with the set prices. For none paint correction jobs I make $45 hr on my set prices and $55hr for paint correction.

Thx- My next question was gonna be what do you all charge an hour?

[runrun411]

Question, does anyone just look at the job and give a price? If not, why not?

[RTexasF]

Question, does anyone just look at the job and give a price? If not, why not?

When I detailed full time I would give a price range after seeing the vehicle and discussing in detail what the customer actually needed. After you've done a number of vehicles you know about how long it will take. It's just a matter of experience.

For instance......let's say your rate is $25 per hour. The car is a Honda Accord. You know from past experience the job will take 4-5 hours so your estimate would be $100-$125. If you finish in 4 flat then you charge $100. If you go over by 30 minutes or more you charge $125. This is very simplified and there are many variables but it works well for the easier jobs.

[allenk4]

When selling anything, the 1st questions you would ask the customer are:

"What don't you like about the way the vehicle looks now?"

"What is your budget?"

If you don't establish the answer to these two questions, everything else is irrelevant.

[Desertnate]

I really appreciate the advice offered by the buisness owners in threads like these.

I recently took a significant salary cut at work and am looking at ways to supplement my income. All of the input is very helpful to ensure I go into this with my eyes wide open, should I decide to do so.

[Paul A.]

Monica - let me offer my own perspective as i am very similar to your situation i.e. not a full time pro and started out doing friends and family and have a wider list of clientele now as a result.

I used to give an estimate on a job requested. I wish i knew then what i know now...i should've developed an hourly rate like i now have sooner. I now have an hourly rate and it is hard and fast but the price to the customer varies by a function of what they want done. Many want a wash and a wax, some want a full interior only and still some others understand what paint correction is and want the full potential of my skills.

I have been well served by an hourly rate and have only been occassionally burned in the past by underestimating the time needed to give THAT customer what THEY want. I've gotten better at that though. And the prices charged seem to be consistent in my head for personally validating what they got for "their" price.

I am higher than a lot in my area but far from the highest available here. I am comfortable with where i am and that comfort came with developping an hourly rate and the consistency that provides the customer.

Just one more point about an hourly rate. Establish it and stick to it! I admit to starting out as a rather soft business minded person. You are worth more than you think of yourself but it was tough for me to remain unyielding to friends or acquaintences when i first started out. I now wish i wasn't as soft at first...it is tough to "up" your price later...but there are different schools of thought on that. Many say, when you are first branching out, make some deals, do exceptional work and establish your credibility

[FUNX650]

Question, does anyone just look at the job and give a price? If not, why not?
For one thing:
You never want to be caught with "holding the bag"/"caught with your pants down"...allowing your creativity to supersede your logic and Numbers ($$$).
Inevitably: There's going to be "gray areas" to contend with.

To Wit:

•Is it because of: Left Brain/Right Brain Dominance?
-(The theory that is known as the lateralization of brain function.)

The Right Brain
•According to the left-brain, right-brain dominance theory, the right side of the brain is best at expressive and creative tasks. Some of the abilities that are popularly associated with the right side of the brain include:

-Recognizing faces
-Expressing emotions
-Music
-Reading emotions
-Color
-Images
-Intuition
-Creativity

The Left Brain:
•The left-side of the brain is considered to be adept at tasks that involve logic, language and analytical thinking. The left-brain is often described as being better at:

-Language
-Logic
-Critical thinking
-Numbers
-Reasoning


•This lateralization tends to lead to the following phenomenon, which is known as: Dichotomous Thinking.

-This also sometimes called "black or white thinking."
-This is when someone is unable to see the "gray areas", or complexities, of a given situation.

•Now...Some will say this Right Brain/Left Brain theory has been debunked.
-I don't know if this is entirely true or not.
-However, I do believe that no matter how "lateralized" the brain can/may get; and when all is said and done: The two sides still work together.


Bob

[Paul A.]

(whoopsie...hit send prematurely...)

There is the other side of the business philosophy that says DO NOT UNDERCUT YOURSELF AND NEVER GIVE YOUR SERVICES AWAY! Again, don't undercut yourself...you are worth more than you think, your skills are valuable and someone is willing to pay for that.

I have settled on a business approach that evaluates the potential of future return from some customers and have adopted an approach somewhere in between those 2 extremes. Another thing i did was to call around to local detailers and price shop, masquerading on the phone as a customer inquiry. That helped me get an idea of the local market and i factored that into the formula of the local demand and willingness to pay into my formula for developing an hourly fee.

Good luck but think hard about it and then, as Nike used to say...

Just Do It!

[Paul A.]

And, yes, as Bob just said, i guess i'm at a lateralized fee! But have shifted a little more to the left brain.

[cardaddy]

When selling anything, the 1st questions you would ask the customer are:

"What don't you like about the way the vehicle looks now?"

"What is your budget?"

If you don't establish the answer to these two questions, everything else is irrelevant.


This says it all!

Sure, charging by the hour is what everyone wants to do. BUT.... knowing your customer is light years ahead of just coming up with an hourly figure.

Moreover, you may not know (being new, or not knowing that particular vehicle, or running into problems along the way... whatever) just how long it'll take for one vehicle versus another. In the early days, package pricing will serve you well, and you'll learn along the way what works, what doesn't, what you need to do, and what just wastes your time. That being said, price those packages typically 20%~25% higher than you think you might need. You can ALWAYS tell the customer once it's done that you came in under budget. They LOVE that! ;)

But the key is that you still need to know the customer. The guy driving his 'beater' isn't going to want to spend what he will for his weekend cruiser. The soccer mom tends to want a really clean interior, but doesn't care at all about the exterior. The family that gets a new car every 2 years and has a garage full of luxury cars will spend more than the ones that are driving used cars all the time.

Some guys don't want, or actually will not even talk to owners that are not prepared to spend the big bucks. Customer calls price shopping... dude doesn't have time for him. Personally, I don't care what I work on, it can be new or old, cost $15,000 or $150,000 because I *ENJOY* making them all look better than the day they drove off the lot! Everyone deserves to get the best job from you that you are capable of providing. Does that mean that the one guy pays more than the other? Uh YES IT DOES!

I was at the local Toyota dealer yesterday. Had a long discussion with a young man that wants to come over for some training. Showed him some photos of what swirls are, but moreover what buffer trails and holograms are. Then what the car looks like AFTER those are removed. But more importantly that they were PUT THERE by a dealerships "detailing department", to which his reply was that he's seen those, (and has actually done them himself) and didn't realize that there WAS a better way. WHY???? Because they are working in a different environment, a production environment, and they ARE NOT getting paid to spend 15, 20, 25 hours bringing the best out a paint job. Not at all, they are getting what.... $49.95 for a "full detail" and it has to be done in an hour!

I told him our basic "wash" jobs start at $69.95 and we'll spend 10~15 minutes on EACH WHEEL. :rolleyes:

So at the end of the day... you price a package based on what you think they'll pay, as well as WHAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS, and what the CUSTOMER WANTS. Might do a base price, $395 or even $295 and let them know that it's dependent on inspecting the vehicle, (as well as what upgrades they want). Just don't go out there telling *anyone* that they'll get a "full detail" or "total paint correction" etc. without them knowing that YOU know what you're doing, and a full and thorough explanation of the (insane) amount of time that can go into a professional detailing job.

An educated customer is a satisfied customer. ;)
From there.... under promise and over deliver. Those first few you might end up making less per hour, but the cost of those advertising dollars will return to you ten fold. :)