Branch detail business into house cleaning

[Kengo123]

Has anyone here done this, or anything similar? Just not car related.

I think it'll be an easy way to fill the schedule and grow big. Then again, I haven't really looked into it.

Thoughts?

[thebamboo23]

I think you'd be spreading yourself out too thin.

Whatever is working for you to get customers now, double down on that... Or:

- Learn Facebook ads / Google Adwords

- Host a car event

- Sponsor or partner up with another business to cross promote each other

- Target influencers in your community and get them to promote you

- Get more referrals with a solid referral system

- Set an autoresponder with your current customers

- Post on local forums

- Optimize your YouTube videos to come up in Google/YouTube results

Several ways you can stay busy to get customers :-)

[ShaunD]

I was actually offered a job cleaning/detailing houses for a local property management company after they saw how OCD I am detailing vehicles. At the time it was summer and I didn't want to commit to it and possibly lose job during the peak detailing season here. But, it can be a way to market your detailing since people will see you at the home and you can offer both services to the home owner and their neighbors. Money is money but stick to focusing on your goals for one business at a time so that you can achieve those goals on time.

[Kengo123]

Thanks oscar+shaunshines!

Business is ok but much slower than last summer/early fall. I cut out dealership detailing and am only doing retail work. Right now it's just me going out instead of both me and my wife.

And I was just cleaning the house the other day and it just hit me how easy it is compared to deep cleaning a nasty interior. I can't imagine incurring back pain cleaning a house, like I do when cleaning car interiors day after day by myself. With that said, it probably won't go well for clients opening up their house to a cleaning GUY

But that's where I feel like I can grow this business pretty big. I've got a cute wife, with a few potential cleaning ladies that would handle day to day house cleaning, along with my help.

I understand the spreading myself thin thing, but the way i see it, I think I'll be happier charging higher detailing rates and doing more exclusive higher end work, than busting my back everyday competing against car wash "detailers."

The way I see it, by getting out of "production" detailing and into housecleaning, I can work less, be healthier with less aches, be more selective about the detailing work, and still be able to feed my kids. I can make a separate website optimized for housecleaning but still keep it under one business name.

I'm not really looking for more work detailing I guess, but rather some input as far as diversifying my detailing business into a non car related business. I do know of detail/tint/Pdr/ppf/upholstery businesses, and I remember a window washing/detail guy on here

Any more thoughts?

[EliteDetailing]

I have done some odd jobs cleaning residential carpets. One thing I can say is the range of carpets in a home or office can be very different than what is in a typical vehicle. You may want to do some research / training more specific to that field. Look up "IICRC Training"

[ShaunD]

When you can charge $25-40 on average to clean a refrigerator or other major appliances, that can bring in as much or more than the average interior or exterior only express detail. Plus there are a lot fewer pieces of equipment and products needed for the average house cleaning job. Most detailing equipment can double as house cleaning equipment. If you have a wife and a few ladies willing to do the work and you aren't running everything and can still detail cars and the major things for homes like appliances, fixtures, showers, countertops, etc, then it could be a great profit source. If all the detailing work/opportunities I may potentially have this year fall through, then maybe I'll venture in to home detailing/cleaning as well. We all just need to keep in mind that if a business can't be ran without you there then all you have done is created a job for yourself not a business.

[thebamboo23]

you can also focus on the marketing part of your business and hire people to do the actual detailing work