Pricing

[statusdetailing]

quoted for truth :dblthumb2:

... but customers will expect an experienced, and knowledgeable professional for those prices. For someone who is openly admitting they are brand new to this business, you should build some credibility and trust in the market before expecting top dollar for your work.

Doh! I just saw were he admitted to being completely inexperienced. Everybody is a noob at first...no harm in that. . .just don't offer paint correction for Pete's sake.

Start out with some wash, clay, waxes and AIO's and slowly and I mean slowly move from there.

Friendliness doesn't make up for inexperience.

 

[Ecoshine]

How do you decide what gets perfectly clean and what doesn't with clients on a budget?

I have had a few customers with pretty low budgets with situations where they have neglected every aspect of car care and I tell them I can't do the job at all for less than 3-5x their budget.

You can't work for free, that's what I remind myself all the time. Some are willing, some are not...

 

[thebamboo23]

Doh! I just saw were he admitted to being completely inexperienced. Everybody is a noob at first...no harm in that. . .just don't offer paint correction for Pete's sake.

Start out with some wash, clay, waxes and AIO's and slowly and I mean slowly move from there.

Friendliness doesn't make up for inexperience.

or go get trained by a reputable detailer

 

[Real Riders]

How long does it take you to do a 4 figure wash, clay, and paint correction?

 

[brondondolon]

My business is new and although I feel my time is valuable and my work is rivaled up with some of the greatest I won't charge 4 figures for a detail. Not that I won't in the future. I'm trying to get my name out and make people trust me first. See the thing is if you go out and start your business, no matter how well spoken you are, charging $1000+ for details you would get no business because no one will trust you. Think of it this way. Say you have a vintage one of a kind that's entering in the concourse de elegance. Money is not an option and you want your car to place. Now would you personally hire a guy who is brand new to the business, no one's ever heard of him, and he has no portfolio of prior work? Or would you go with the guy who has been around 10 years, his name is known throughout the town, and every one knows him to be good.

It's not so much a question of is it possible to make $1000+ on a detail as much as it is how do you become established enough to make people comfortable paying that for what most people would call a "car wash". Granted some one paying that type of money to get their car detailed would not call it a car wash but a normal person would.

So to answer your question yes it's very possible to make that much on one car. Check out vive in Houston TX for instance. It just depends on your experience, your market, and your business.

The likelihood of starting out only doing the $1000+ details are slim to none but that also depends on your area. For instance if you're in a rural area of Montana I wouldn't bet on it. If you're in an upscale area of Florida well then it's more possible but even then not without experience. Hope that helps

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[Pureshine]

Doh! I just saw were he admitted to being completely inexperienced. Everybody is a noob at first...no harm in that. . .just don't offer paint correction for Pete's sake.

Start out with some wash, clay, waxes and AIO's and slowly and I mean slowly move from there.

Friendliness doesn't make up for inexperience.

:iagree:

 

[statusdetailing]

Experience is a factor that just can't quite be explained. 2 guys may be offering the exact same detail for x amount of dollars. One has 15 years experience and one just started last year. Both are charging the same price. Which one would you go with?

You'll pay extra to the guy that has been there done that. He knows what to look out for.

 

[jms493]

I would think at the start you would like to get in as many customers as possible for an attractive price. You may need to bite the bullet as you hourly rate might be low. You need to build up the business. Take pictures of all the cars you detail (before and after). Post them on a website and create a physical photo album. When you start to develop a good groove and find your favorite products you can start fine tuning your prices and start raising them eventually. I would go to friends and family and just detail their car for a flat $100 just to get increase my experience and portfolio.
At first I would just keep track of everything via MS Excel and after 6 months do some analysis. Then think about building the website and creating some solid packages. Maybe you can get some customers who want some paint correction which will be great for you experience but I be careful what you charge them if the result it not ideal.
Anyway that is just me rambling. Good luck all.

 

[slimnib]

Not new to business, but am new to THIS business...I'm really having trouble seeing doing just a full wash, clay, Iron-X, and paint correction for less than 4 figures.

Is this unreasonable, to some of you guys who have been doing this awhile?

Am I reading this correctly $1,000 ?

If I am correct and you can find someone to pay that much to detail a ordinary auto, good luck. To me, it sounds crazy.

 

[zmcgovern45]

Am I reading this correctly $1,000 ?

If I am correct and you can find someone to pay that much to detail a ordinary auto, good luck. To me, it sounds crazy.

Depends on your idea of "detail"... but for a premium level service such as paint correction & professional paint coatings, $1,000+ is not uncommon at all. For instance, my CQuartz Finest package starts at $1,000 and I have plenty of customers interested in these services. Believe it or not, my prices are on the lower side compared to many offering the same type of service throughout the US.


Again, it is all about how you value your time, knowledge, experience, etc. Those who are seeking premium work and premium clientele will price accordingly. Your local market will also play a part in your pricing, but for the most part, I find that if you are confident in your work & have the reputation to back it up, you can make a good amount of money detailing... even if you just do it on a part time basis like myself. Since I am only a part time detailer, and one of a few who are capable of this type of work in my area, my services are at high demand and I can stay very busy despite being priced much higher than anyone else in the area. I am consistently booked many months ahead of time... so it may sound crazy to you, but to me it sounds even crazier to charge less :dblthumb2:

 

[Pinpoint_Precision]

I agree with Zach. Bottom line is this. With the economy that we are in, I would say its pretty safe to to charge 1k up for full paint corrections plus coating. 2 days of work, not bad at all. That's a lot of good money. Dealers charge 2 to 3k on what they call paint protection (aka sealants) and the customer falls for that. Knowledge is everything and how you sell your service is how you you are marketing yourself.

 

[statusdetailing]

Depends on your idea of "detail"... but for a premium level service such as paint correction & professional paint coatings, $1,000+ is not uncommon at all. For instance, my CQuartz Finest package starts at $1,000 and I have plenty of customers interested in these services. Believe it or not, my prices are on the lower side compared to many offering the same type of service throughout the US.


Again, it is all about how you value your time, knowledge, experience, etc. Those who are seeking premium work and premium clientele will price accordingly. Your local market will also play a part in your pricing, but for the most part, I find that if you are confident in your work & have the reputation to back it up, you can make a good amount of money detailing... even if you just do it on a part time basis like myself. Since I am only a part time detailer, and one of a few who are capable of this type of work in my area, my services are at high demand and I can stay very busy despite being priced much higher than anyone else in the area. I am consistently booked many months ahead of time... so it may sound crazy to you, but to me it sounds even crazier to charge less :dblthumb2:

Amen, if I lowered my prices I'd book out so far it would be ridiculous. I'm nearly a month out as it is. There is a demand for high end detailing because people are starting to catch on to the damage and just flat out poor quality you get from a lot of drive through tunnel shops, hacks and even some production shops.

 

[slimnib]

Depends on your idea of "detail"... but for a premium level service such as paint correction & professional paint coatings, $1,000+ is not uncommon at all. For instance, my CQuartz Finest package starts at $1,000 and I have plenty of customers interested in these services. Believe it or not, my prices are on the lower side compared to many offering the same type of service throughout the US.


Again, it is all about how you value your time, knowledge, experience, etc. Those who are seeking premium work and premium clientele will price accordingly. Your local market will also play a part in your pricing, but for the most part, I find that if you are confident in your work & have the reputation to back it up, you can make a good amount of money detailing... even if you just do it on a part time basis like myself. Since I am only a part time detailer, and one of a few who are capable of this type of work in my area, my services are at high demand and I can stay very busy despite being priced much higher than anyone else in the area. I am consistently booked many months ahead of time... so it may sound crazy to you, but to me it sounds even crazier to charge less :dblthumb2:

Good for you. If believe that your work is worth a $1000 plus and you get it, that is great.

Can you tell me a sample of the make of cars you work and how many $1000 details you did in the last 3 month.

 

[statusdetailing]

I don't know how many times I have vowed to not get caught up in one of these pricing threads. . .It's a sickness I tell ya.

 

[zmcgovern45]

Good for you. If believe that your work is worth a $1000 plus and you get it, that is great.

Can you tell me a sample of the make of cars you work and how many $1000 details you did in the last 3 month.

Sure, why not... I'm assuming you are expecting 'higher end' brands, so here are some recent examples of 'normal' vehicle makes and prices associated with the work done to them in the last few months... so it is not just luxury vehicles that are capable of pulling in larger invoices. I get to play with my fair share of BMW's, but aside from the 'basic' luxury brands, my area doesn't have anything too extravagant. It doesn't take a fancy car to pull in a high paying job.

Kia (brand new car) $1000, Chevy $1400, Chevy $1300, Toyota (brand new car) $900, Honda (brand new car) $650, Nissan $750, Toyota $800, Chevy $1400, Mazda $750


Again, I price my work such that I feel it is worth my own time to spend a weekend working when I truly have no need to do so since I have a full time job. People are willing to pay for higher end services, so I stay busy. Could I demand the same prices if I was a full time detailer in this area and wanted to remain booked solid? That I am not sure about.. but I don't intend to find out

I don't know how many times I have vowed to not get caught up in one of these pricing threads. . .It's a sickness I tell ya.

:iagree:

 

[minorc]

Depends 100% on your market and clientele.

I charge 300 for a one-step, because I can.
Local detailers do poor jobs for more.

 

[Pureshine]

Amen, if I lowered my prices I'd book out so far it would be ridiculous. I'm nearly a month out as it is. There is a demand for high end detailing because people are starting to catch on to the damage and just flat out poor quality you get from a lot of drive through tunnel shops, hacks and even some production shops.

:iagree: I have to production shops by me and I'm a lot higher priced than they are. In the last year I've raise my complete detail package by $100 and no has said a thing and I just raised my prices again. When people know you do quality most are willing to pay for it.

 

[Joseph Rogers]

YES!

Good to see some folks that understand chime in. I've spent the past two years building a carpet and tile cleaning business, and I've built it with folks who are willing to pay for my services. I'm looking to possibly add detailing to the list of services (I already own most of the tools necessary, and am familiar with how to clean leather upholstery correctly, for example, only difference is I learned on leather furniture found in a home). Many of my clients are the type that want the job done, and done right.

I was hoping that the conversation would go this way! Thanks to everyone, so far. This is an excellent discussion.

 

[statusdetailing]

YES!

Good to see some folks that understand chime in. I've spent the past two years building a carpet and tile cleaning business, and I've built it with folks who are willing to pay for my services. I'm looking to possibly add detailing to the list of services (I already own most of the tools necessary, and am familiar with how to clean leather upholstery correctly, for example, only difference is I learned on leather furniture found in a home). Many of my clients are the type that want the job done, and done right.

I was hoping that the conversation would go this way! Thanks to everyone, so far. This is an excellent discussion.

In all honesty, you probably understand carpet and leather cleaning better than the average detailer. I had to go outside the detailing industry to learn proper carpet care. I would push that and maybe even use your previous experience for your detailing marketing.

You'll have a disadvantage in paint correction at first. It takes a few years and lots of cars to really start to get a feel for it, but it's definitely possible. Just start of slowly.

 

[Joseph Rogers]

I don't know how many times I have vowed to not get caught up in one of these pricing threads. . .It's a sickness I tell ya.

In all honesty, you probably understand carpet and leather cleaning better than the average detailer. I had to go outside the detailing industry to learn proper carpet care. I would push that and maybe even use your previous experience for your detailing marketing.

You'll have a disadvantage in paint correction at first. It takes a few years and lots of cars to really start to get a feel for it, but it's definitely possible. Just start of slowly.

+1

Whoever runs this thing needs to install a "Like" button on posts.