Is the real money in lower end detailing??

[ScubaCougr]

I'd make sure I was the best Interior guy within a 50 mile radius. (and include a wash n spray wax with the package)... a good interior guy who offers a nice and wax package included...will have customers standing in line in my opinion.

You just summarized my business. Mr. Fox.

At least during the winter I'm doing a LOT of interiors in a LOT of minivans. Learned to hate the words "minivan, kids, dog" when used in the same sentence. And there are a LOT more mom-taxi's than luxury cars out there that I can work my magic on.

Hope you're right, too, about the standing in line. I still have openings in my schedule.

[SON1C]

I'll be doing my own detailing business this summer as well, I'm worried that most customers won't understand claying, I also plan to do the wash clay wax and interior for 100, is this too steep? Should I go with 90?

[Kristopher1129]

I'll be doing my own detailing business this summer as well, I'm worried that most customers won't understand claying, I also plan to do the wash clay wax and interior for 100, is this too steep? Should I go with 90?

It doesn't matter if they don't understand claying. You're the professional...they expect you to know things that they do not. Just tell the customer what comes with the package, and if they ask...then educate them. If anything they'll appreciate the info, or not ask.

I think $100 is cheap. But, then again I forget what it's like to start out. If that price is competitive in your area...then it's fair.

I know for me, I get anywhere from $79-$99 for just a wash and wax. That's a paint only service with light claying, no tire shine, no windows, no trim, none of that special stuff. It's literally a wash & wax. So yeah, I think throwing the interior in with that for only $100 is WAY too cheap.

Don't cheat yourself. An interior alone is worth at least $100 in my opinion.

[Tundra_10]

I'll be doing my own detailing business this summer as well, I'm worried that most customers won't understand claying, I also plan to do the wash clay wax and interior for 100, is this too steep? Should I go with 90?

Let me give you a little advise based on my limited business ownership knowledge.

Never sell yourself short
Never discount your services
Never lowball to get the deal
Never do a job your not comfortable with the price

Never sell yourself short
You want to start a professional detailing business, so that means that you are a professional. You need to have confidence in what you are doing and what you are charging. If a client asks why something costs so much, be upfront and honest. Tell them if its down and dirty work, tell them that you might need to remove the seats or their wheels have so much caked on brake dust that your going to spend 15 min per wheel for a good basic cleaning. Confidence and knowledge will lead to a good loyal relationship with the client.

Never discount your services
This was a hard concept for me to grasp when I had my business. If a customer balks at the price, simply reiterate the process and what is going to go into the service you are offering. If you still cannot show the worth and potential of the offering, ask the customer what they can live without and you will remove that service to lower the price. NEVER lower your price on your services. This might lead to an annoying customer coming back and back for the same service at the same price and you will be loosing profits from giving up other jobs.

Never lowball to get the deal
This goes hand and hand with all the different areas I am trying to cover. If you give too low of a price, you might get return business but its business that will be expecting that same lowball price. Know your own worth and know what you should be charging and what your time is worth to you. Lowballing generally attracts nit-picky, annoying customers (my experience) and are generally not worth the time and energy to please. Make sure you have a bottom line for yourself, for example if you do a wash and wax on a compact car, have a bottom line price for doing the job and never go below that price. That way you know you will at LEAST be making "x" per hour at the very worst if the car is completely trashed. Charge extra for exceptionally dirty cars, charge normal prices for extra clean cars (unless you are deciding to make some sort of maintenance program).

Never do a job that you are not comfortable with the price
I have made this mistake many many MANY times before. I took the job/ did the work because I just wanted the money. Not only was I miserable doing the work, I was upset with the pay (pretty much broke even), lost days of work, and at the end it cost me time, money, and energy. If you think you are not making enough money on the deal... walk away.

Your new, I get that. You need to make a name for yourself and you want to attract customers so you might want to have slightly lower prices then what you would if you were experienced but please make sure you have some sort of cost analysis as to how much detailing a car costs you. Make sure you equate products, wear and tear on reusables, gas, even a percentage of your marketing needs to go into the equation to figure out what you are making per vehicle/ per hour, which ever way you want to break it down.

[TimmyG]

What kind of time is involved in these smaller wash&wax packages? Is it simply a foam/two bucket wash then one coat of spray/liquid/paste wax and basic interior/wheel clean?

Seems like a great profit range for guys that can crank out 3-4/day

[Billand]

I do more quick details the full corrections. I would say 10 quick details to 1 correction. I live in Colorado and we get some messed up weather and most people won't spend 600 plus but 300 and less is a good market here.

[CASH XRS]

I do this VERY part-time and most of the customers I have opt for my "midway" package. It's basically a quick detail:wash, wax, dress tires, do windows, wipe down and vacuum interior. I am charging $80-100 for cars and about $110-$130 for suvs trucks and vans. It takes me anywhere from 2-3 hours for one of these. So I am happy with at least making $27/hr. Even if I only get two done in one day.

[art72]

I am growing a bit frustrated in getting my mobile van set up and getting our business underway. Especially since I decided to do all the body work, and custom paint my van before starting the business.

At first, I just wanted something simple with a low-mid range service menu $50 - $150 average per job to keep my Son and I busy, and make a little money.. Maybe 1-2 jobs per day... yada, yada, yada.

Then, as I read, read, and read some more... I began to educate myself & process all the great info shared throughout AGO... and suddenly my vision, tools, supplies, and wish list grew considerably... as has my knowledge of the trade/art/science of detailing. (*A work in progress, of course!)

Naturally, all this 'information' has offset my original start-up budget something wicked. As Dave, Bryan, Kris, and several others have made notable mentions of the "WHY?" we are starting or running our detail businesses in the first place??? - is to make more money or in the least sustain us on our terms!

I guess it all boils down to a self-preference, and how important making money is to YOU?

While, I am dedicated to maintaining 'professional' results above all else... I personally wanted to start a business that centered around something my son; Austin and I both enjoy and have fun doing like working on bad @$$ cars, toys, custom classics, etc. Something that could put me back in the $10k per month bracket with a low start-up & low overhead.

I know; 'most' prospective clients/customers could care less about the technical end of detailing or our passion for the business itself(as Bryan mentions).

So the business mindset has to be factored in, thus, the bottom line is; "if the business doesn't make money... then the dream dies!"

"You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.' -Zig Ziglar

Unfortunately, in my experience... most people want things 'cheap!' - it sucks for those like us who want only-the-best, but when it comes to numbers...that's reality!

So, while I had initially planned to start off as a 'mobile unit' - the more I weigh the rising fuel costs, scheduling, time & travel, vehicle maintenance, potential pricing, all in relation to doing 'high end' work exclusively... the less I want to do 'mobile detailing' at all!

While I don't have the credentials or perhaps the 'field experience' yet to confirm the following, I have been pursuing a 'projected vision' to find an inexpensive (*$500-$600 month) fixed location in a high traffic parking lot and start offering $25 - $45 hand washes with a variety of 'a la carte' and 'wax package' menu items. Naturally, up-selling as often as possible!

*No leased building, electric bills,.. just a few banners, a canopy or two, and everything needed to set-up and break-down a 'high production - hand car wash'.

Still nervous about 'water reclaiming' thing - but even that can be resolved for $500-$600, worst case scenario.

However, I truly think a goal of 15 -20 'quickie washes' (*20-30 mins per car) daily - averaging $25 per ticket in a 'production style' set-up... is more promising than that of hunting down a $400 - $600 full correction detail every other day.

After all if one can average 15 - 20 hand car washes per day with a small crew, @ $25 per job... in a 6-day work week = $2,250 - $3,000 per week ~OR~ $9,000 - $12,000 month!!!

Plus, whatever higher end sales (i.e. upholstery, de-greasing, single stage wax jobs, paint correction, etc...) that come into play as a bonus.

While I might be 'dreaming' a bit, we have 3 teenagers, 2 of which hate their part-time jobs, and whom both have tons of friends all wanting to work... so having a few part-time employees wouldn't be a problem. *Training them to do thing right... that is another story!!!

But, if this 'blueprint' proves to be 'doable'... I intend to get a 4 - 6 bay shop w/ a lobby in the next 12-18 months.

Considering my entire plan is to be fully equipped, licensed, insured, incorporated, with top-of-the-line tools and supplies for under $10k... I really don't see how it could fail, unless one is lazy and doesn't work hard.

There's just too many cars in need of cleaning IMHO, which is a good thing for all of us!

[rustytruck]

All of that behind the scenes stuff like business names,websites, insurance,uniforms,talking with accounts, ordering equipment, setting up accounts withh suppliers, yea you know all those steps a lot of guys that do it on the side skip over are very time consuming. I was hoping to be fully operational by now but for me It's important to really have a professional and legit ament business right out of the gate. This has been a great thread for showing me that I have a good plan and am targeting the right market segment. As soon as I have all the business end stuff out of the way I can finally start using all the toys ( I mean professional equipment) that have been filling my garage over the past few months.

[Klasse Act]

This is a great topic for discussion. In my opinion, you can divide the detailing business into 3 types. (1) Low end details.. IE wash, wax with no correction (2) Midrage detailers providing wash, maybe a polish or one steps IE.. xmt360 or optimum Poly seal, etc .... (3) the multi step detailers. They are selling 2-3 steps corrections with a seperate polish,glaze, wax or sealant. Being a smaller detailing company my primary focus was in the #2 midrage to multi step market. I have very few, I MEAN FEW customers that can appreciate at 2 or 3 step detail. I use the word appreciate because I think many detailers forget why they are in business. It's to make MONEY!!! Period!! Passion, love , committement goes out the door when you have set the wrong expecation and find yourself on a job that a customer does not care about or willing to pay for. People think most customers are leaning 6 inchs away from the paint with a zeon light checking for swirl marks. NOT!! That's what we do. Most do not care.. They want a clean, shiny vechicle that is driven daily to work or on the weekend.

I have a high quaility of work and level of expection for the product that I deliver to every customers. Which is why I can't be just a wash and wax guy(That just me, not knocking anyone else). For my higher end customers, most require a small amount of compounding and a good Polish(WG) follwed by a color matched wax and you have a great result. I belive the best business is in the $85-$175 range. They are repeat customers that you maintain longer and develope better oppurtunities to grow your company. If you technique and process is sound, most of the #2 type details can be completed within 3 hrs yeilding $35-$50 dollars an hr.
Now I'm sure someone would say that I've not had much hi-end business and I would agree. I've done less than 15 jobs over $400 this year. I am very selective about my commitments because I'm small and understand the labor cost associated with a 40+hr job which is what I would consider Higher end. This is my two cents and would entertain hearing others comment on my statements or their experiences.

Bryan
Superior Auto Salon
Car and motorocycle Detailing
St. Augustine, Florida

Bryan, I agree with 100% of this above post, you've ID'd your customer base and have nailed it, I bet your business is very sucessful based off of this post, you GET IT Not only do I not have the money to get into the business myself but I know I care more about other people's car more than they do and I would get caught up thinking everyone picking up their car would be looking at the paint with a magnifiying glass, that's my problem but then again, I do this on the side and know what I can and can't do to a given car based on my current skill set and equiptment.

Good luck to you and everyone else here who GETS IT!