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Junior Member
How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
Hey everyone,
I recently got my new detailing business started up, and I have started to get some customers lined up for corrections and coatings around my full time job. I just completed my first paying customer's brand new Acura RDX A-spec this past weekend. I require a minimum 1-step correction for any coating job to make sure the surface is properly prepped for the coating, so that is what he got. I used a Flex 3401 with white hybrid force LC pads and Sonax EX 04-06 for the correction, and I used a Griot's 3" DA on the small/complex areas of the car. Here was my process:
Strip wash
Chemical Decontamination using Sonax Fallout Remover
Mechanical Decon using Pinnacle clay bar
1-step correction (but actually needed 2-steps on the doors and hood due to the dealer leaving some deeper scratches)
Paint Prep
Apply 1 coat of Carpro CQuartz UK 3.0
This process took me ~16 hours to complete!! Now, granted, I took my time and did some extra things like the 2-steps on the doors and hood because I wanted my first customer to be happy and help me spread the word about my services, so I know I could have probably knocked it out in about 12-13.. How long would you guys typically take to complete a wash, decon, 1-step, and coating application on a small 2-row SUV like this typically? What are some time-saving tips?
I'll upload some pics soon. Work computer won't let me on imgur. Very happy customer.
Acura RDX A-spec Correction/Coating - Album on Imgur
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Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
Sometimes in trying to achieve the results you want with a one step, you take considerably longer because committing to a 2 step, gets the cutting done faster because you are going to polish it one more time to finish it. Typically with a 1 step, you need to manage expectations. A 1 step is not far removed from a paint enhancement. And Joe Metlow tells us to put the light away when doing enhancements and 1 steps. For your process, I would have used an orange pad and HD one. And to address the time directly, it comes with time. You will get more efficient as you do it more. Which also helps you manage customer expectations.
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Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
And I just looked at the pics. It’s white. Really good lighting would have saved you a ton of time too, especially on white.
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Super Member
Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
So I agree, you set the expectation you have set for yourself no that of what the customer wanted it that you explained to them. A 1 step is just that, you do it and your done. All to often I see detailers want to give the best but charge the least and at the end of 16 hrs they are working for less then min wage. You could have done a full 3 stage I'm that time and walked away with better results.
A 1 step for me is about 4 hours. I've done hundreds of cars and have the process down pretty good.
I tell my clients a 1 step is UP to 50% correction, UP to and 2 stage UP to 70% and 3 stage is around 90 and I normally always do a test spot in front of them, show them the difference and say "you can expect the whole car to be similar to this"
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Junior Member
Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
Lighting is one area that I will struggle a little bit with until I get a shop space somewhere and setup some vertical or horizontal lights all the way down the car. For now, I have 3 tripods with 1 scangrip Multimatch R, 1 Scangrip Multimatch 3, and 1 Husky dual 7k lumen light fixture. I also have a scangrip handheld light and a headlamp. For a mobile setup it is honestly a decent lighting situation, but I can't wait to have a "light tunnel" in a shop.
I need to spend some time with some other detailers and watch them make their way around a whole car. I can turn out great work, just have to get faster.
As far as working for less than minimum wage, I wasn't quite that bad off. I charged $750, but still, it's not where I want to be. If I can get to where I'm over $50/hr I will be satisfied, and I know I can do that easily with my current pricing structure. Just need to work at the efficiency a little bit more.
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Super Member
Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
Originally Posted by davidk72008
Lighting is one area that I will struggle a little bit with until I get a shop space somewhere and setup some vertical or horizontal lights all the way down the car. For now, I have 3 tripods with 1 scangrip Multimatch R, 1 Scangrip Multimatch 3, and 1 Husky dual 7k lumen light fixture. I also have a scangrip handheld light and a headlamp. For a mobile setup it is honestly a decent lighting situation, but I can't wait to have a "light tunnel" in a shop.
I need to spend some time with some other detailers and watch them make their way around a whole car. I can turn out great work, just have to get faster.
You offered a one step, charged for a 1 step and gave a 2 plus step.
One step is add your polish, work the panel with your passes, wipe and move on. That's it, your not going back your not trying to get extra work out your done, Get out of your own head
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Junior Member
Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
You're right. Thanks for the advice.
When you say it takes you 4 hours for an SUV one-step, does that include wash and decon or just the polishing step?
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Super Member
Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
Originally Posted by davidk72008
You're right. Thanks for the advice.
When you say it takes you 4 hours for an SUV one-step, does that include wash and decon or just the polishing step?
That's for what my clients paid for so for example the polishing and coating and ready to roll in 4 hours.
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Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
David, where do live? Take some actual classes. Mike does road show classes, in addition to the boot camps in Florida. Renny Doyle also does some limited road show type classes.
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Junior Member
Re: How to Get More Efficient Doing Paint Corrections/Coatings
I live in Birmingham, AL.
I actually recently took Mike's last 3-day class in Florida. It was an extremely informative class, and it is where I decided which tools and products to buy for my business startup. We burned through cars like crazy when I was at that class, but there was about 15 of us working on one at a time lol. I was using the techniques learned in that class when I buffed out this car. I used 5-6 section passes on each section that I worked.
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