Wintertime Detailing Without a Garage

[frankprozzoly]

Sorry if I'm being nosey but I'm curious what professional detailers do when its too cold outside. I guess it wouldn't make sense to get into the business if you didn't have a garage. Especially in the winter

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[HD.Detailing]

make as much money as you can in the spring, summer, and fall. Save anything and everything over your monthly budget so when the 4 months of winter hit you have enough money to survive.

or

Move to Florida, CA, Texas, or any other warm climate.

[expdetailing]

God bless you if you can save for the last quarter of the year. I think wintertime should be the busiest time of the year for a detailer because that's when cars really need to be cleaned. Not having a garage is an issue. However, there's got to be a solution. I googled "portable canopies" and a lot sprung-up. Looking at them in a picture, however, is difficult to determine how truely portable and user-friendly they are.

[attaboydetail]

Wintertime detailing sounds amazing! Hello from South Florida- where if it's not pouring rain, steam is coming off the pavement. Lots of fun to detail in. Constantly fighting water spots and trying to keep the wax from drying onto the clear coat too quickly.

[2.ooohhh]

You'll run through a lot of fuel trying to heat a portable canopy to detail in. Even in TN's relatively mild winters I spend a few hundred($300-500) a month in natural gas just heating our insulated shop to 55ish on cold days.

[HUMP DIESEL]

In the winter when I was mobile, I kept a heater in my trailer unit over night when the temps dropped. That kept the water from freezing, and I only went out when the temps went above 35, and even then, if the car has been sitting outside, it could take some time for the surface temps to get high enough to not freeze the water. Most of what I did in the winter was maintenance washes, and left the heavy detailing and waxing to spring.
If you have clients, try to sale them on a winter prep detail which should make it easier for you to maintain them over the winter.

HUMP

[tommygee]

Thanks for the input guys. I will try to answer each of your questions here.
I live in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. We'll be below frezzing for a better part of the winter.
What's wrong w/ the HF canopy? Is it just a POS? Maybe a majority are just the same way?
I came up with this idea because I want to work for others during the winter months.
I can remeber painting signs in my garage with my father 15 years ago in the wintertime with a kerosene heater. Looked like a jet engine with a tank below. It kept us above 55F, but as soon as you turn it off, the temp plumets quickly. I'm thinking, there's got to be a way to get this done.

Here's my solution for winter detailing: I just moved from Cleveland, Ohio to South Carolina last week. Even though the Browns still lost Sunday on the last play(again), at least I watched the game at the outdoor patio at the sports bar.

[expdetailing]

Lucky you, from Cleveland to SC; I bet you'll miss shoveling snow until your back hurts.

[Don M]

Lucky you, from Cleveland to SC; I bet you'll miss shoveling snow until your back hurts.

Shoveling? We don't need no stinking shoveling ... the wife has a 4-wheel drive and I have a front wheel drive and a manual trans. No worries

[tigerwash]

I usually do fine in the winter, but I am in Louisiana so that might be a factor. I don't detail in weather below 40 degrees, though