Going mobile, a few questions

[Dunrite]

Hey everyone. I'm about to take the plunge and advance my small scale detailing business into the mobile detailing world.

I've spent many nights reading and re-reading articles about this here and around the Internet. I'm still left with a few questions.

I understand the need for business insurance and found a thread with costs associated there, but couldn't find anything related to auto insurance. Do you have your vehicle/trailer insured as a commercial vehicle? If so, how much do you pay? Do you have both registered with dot?

I'm looking at a 6x10 trailer, which I will outfit with a water tank around 100gal, but not sure if I should invest in a self-priming pressure washer or a separate water pump.

I've been trying out intuit quickbooks online, and they offer a service to accept credit cards. I like the program and would like to continue with this unless anyone has another program I should consider.

Are you required to charge sales tax? From what I've read in Michigan there's not tax in service, but just curious.

I understand the risks associated with the business and have found plenty of helpful advice, so I'm not really looking for anything like that, just help with the questions I've asked.

Thanks in advance!

Mike

[dcjredline]

Only advice I have is this.
1. Look at the Square reader for your credit card acceptance.
2. Dont go into debt to do this. Start smaller and build it slower. This will free you up and make things much better on you. (I know this is weird advice cause I am sure lotsa people tell you to go get a business/home equity/personal loan to get started but I suggest you dont listen to people who are broke and struggling with money...IE living paycheck to paycheck)

[NeoSquall]

I have to agree with dcjredline about not going into debts. debts is very hard thing to settle and will discourage you from doing this business. Build your customer base and if you are going into debt for that expensive wax that you wanna get for your customer car in the future or some whacky expensive equipments, make sure you have a confirmed future appointments to cover the cost two folds. Thats the general rule I live on with my part time mobile detailing.

not easy, but it teaches you how to save and earn bigger in the future. Best of all you can see ur money growing in your bank account rather than at the end of the month you have to pay for this and that.

[Real Riders]

I keep it as simple as possible. I just take two buckets with Gamma Sealed lids in my GMC Safari Van (no need for an expensive trailer). One bucket is filled with ONR solution and one is the rinse bucket. I use a Big Red Sponge, pre soak the panels with ONR solution and wash the cars. I only clean exteriors while customers are at work (no interiors). All I need is the two buckets, ONR, the Big Red Sponge, a few microfiber towels, tire dressing, and some quick detailer. Since I use ONR Wash and Wax I don't even need wax. I just use the quick detailer for the final wipe down. I clean the wheels and wheel wells with ONR solution from the bucket.

[Dunrite]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[sanson12]

If your going to be serious about your business, i would ignore the trailer to start with. Because a decent trailer that size you wont be able to find for less than 1500. Its also hard to maneuver in apartments or where space is limited. So if you dont have a truck you could buy your self a nice decent one for 2gs. You just have to know how to look. Biggest piece of advice i could give you since you already know how to detail, buy and sell a couple cars(with 3 or 4 you should be fine) so money wont really be am issue>