This is a fitting thread to have stumbled across. I've been considering really trying to make detailing work as a profitable pass-time or career if possible. My normal job has slowed down and I'm looking to supplement my income a bit. I've done quite a few details in the past for friends and family but never really tried to make it a full time job. Currently I just do what I would consider a simple detail but I put a lot of time and effort into it and get really good results. The vehicles I do generally start off from a pretty rough/dirty spot and it becomes a pretty obsessive deal where you can't get one spot clean and leave another. I like to spend a whole day detailing a vehicle but when I tell people that they seem to always bring up "so and so" who can do it in 2 hours. I have a hard time pricing things out because in my area people tend to 1) let their cars get really dirty (rural, farming region) 2) expect a lot for very little money and 3)don't understand the amount of time it takes to do a good job.
How do most people charge? Hourly? Flat rate per service? I've got a pretty good handle on the detail side, just need some coaching on the business side and handling customers...any tips would be greatly appreciated.