How much do you charge for a one-step exterior detail?

I range from 3-5 hours for what Mike described for steps in the first post, again, depending of vehicle size.
 
So just for the record....

And I'm surprised nobody asked?

I charge $495.00 for a one-step detail.

  1. Waterless wash
  2. Clay or Nanoskin towel
  3. BLACKFIRE One Step (currently)
  4. FLEX 3401 with 6.5" LC White Hybrid Force Pads
  5. Sometimes top just the horizontal panels with SONAX PNS


And from start to finish I can usually knock out a car in under 6 hours. So that's around $100.00 an hour and because I only do this part-time, that's not a bad gig. Especially because I enjoy working on cool cars. It's how I got to where I'm at.


Quick, simple and easy. Spectacular results.


If someone wants a ceramic coating that's fine but double the price and more. And at $1000.00+ for the kind of cars I like to work on, these guys tend to have heart attacks.


Heck, squeezing them for $500.00 about kills them.


:laughing:
 
Mike Phillips said:
So just for the record....

And I'm surprised nobody asked?


:laughing:
Click to expand...

I would have, but I always keep in mind the job you did on the Cutlass (or Olds) - yellow in color. $400 for a job that took you 4 hours. For me, that's the bar I'm trying to get to :)


Less windows and tire dressing, I'd charge 100-150 for a small to midsize sedan. I'm slow, and would maybe say about 8-10 hours? i'm REALLY slow.

Plus, I'm not a pro.


Mike Phillips said:
Especially because I enjoy working on cool cars. It's how I got to where I'm at.
Click to expand...

That's good stuff right there! And even better? You SHARE your work and knowledge. Thanks for that!
 
I do a full wash, no clay or clay towel. Use Meguiar's D151 with a PC and sometimes I might top with Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax. I start at $200 for a car and like everyone else depending on size and if it's dark colored (more work) and $250 for a smaller pick up. SUVs and bigger trucks, I tell them $300 to start for a one-step. Most people vapor lock at the $200 ...

PS: I save the ceramic coatings for MY car ...., no one around here wants to pay the $200, let alone trying to double that for a coating.


Mike Phillips said:
So just for the record....

And I'm surprised nobody asked?

I charge $495.00 for a one-step detail.

  1. Waterless wash
  2. Clay or Nanoskin towel
  3. BLACKFIRE One Step (currently)
  4. FLEX 3401 with 6.5" LC White Hybrid Force Pads
  5. Sometimes top just the horizontal panels with SONAX PNS


And from start to finish I can usually knock out a car in under 6 hours. So that's around $100.00 an hour and because I only do this part-time, that's not a bad gig. Especially because I enjoy working on cool cars. It's how I got to where I'm at.


Quick, simple and easy. Spectacular results.


If someone wants a ceramic coating that's fine but double the price and more. And at $1000.00+ for the kind of cars I like to work on, these guys tend to have heart attacks.


Heck, squeezing them for $500.00 about kills them.


:laughing:
Click to expand...
 
I usually take about 3.5 - 4 hours on a small car, and no one is trying to talk to me during the process...

This is using Megs M66, or DG 501 on the PC, with black buff and shine pads - most times.
 
JustJesus said:
I would have, but I always keep in mind the job you did on the Cutlass (or Olds) - yellow in color. $400 for a job that took you 4 hours. For me, that's the bar I'm trying to get to :)
Click to expand...


How to use a one-step cleaner/wax to maximize profits



Then if you go to post #56 - I posted what I charged in a reply to a guy that said what I did wasn't worth it. AT the time I replied to him he went by FivePoint.0


Post#56


And if you look at the date of the first post, (when I did the work), it was 2012 - 6 years ago.



:)
 
I start at $475 before the inspection for a regular-sized sedan. It takes six to eight hours depending on the size of the vehicle.

My favorite combo is a Flex 3401, white LC Force pads and McKee's 360, or, if the paint is soft and allows it, M205 or Hyper Polish. I'm interested in trying Sonax Perfect Finish (I think that's the name of it) for one-steps, but I don't do many and instead most folks ask for two-step jobs.

  1. Rinseless wash with ONR, N914 or D114
  2. Clay with a Nanoskin clay sponge or with McKee's or Pinnacle clay
  3. McKee's 360 or M205 or Hyper Polish
  4. Flex 3401 with 5.5-inch LC White Force pads (I love these pads)
  5. C2v3 if I don't use McKee's 360.
 
OK, so taking this thread into consideration, I added some HD Speed to my arsenal and I did a convertible (soft top) red Z3 today for $175. Wash, clay, cleaned tires and rims, dressed tires, glass and one step polish with HD Speed. The customer didn't want us to touch the interior. The car came out fantastic and the customer was blown away by the difference.

The car was far from perfect, but pretty nice for a 1999.

efGPQY2.jpg
 
Mike Phillips said:
How much do you charge for a one-step exterior detail?


Just curious as to what everyone else charges for an exterior detail using a one-step cleaner/wax or AIO for you guys that don't like to type out one-step cleaner/wax.

This would include at a minimum,

  1. Wash - however you prefer to do it
  2. Clay - however you prefer to do it. (actual "clay" or Nanoskin type product)
  3. Machine apply one-step cleaner/wax.
  4. Buff glass (while buffing with the one-step cleaner/wax
  5. Dress tires
  6. Stick a fork in it and call it done

Let's here some numbers...

:)
Click to expand...


Sm to Med 2-5dr: $295 (Fit, Civic, Accord, Cruz, Golf, Altima, A4, Fusion, Vibe, WRX)
Large 2-5dr: $350 (Charger, Avalon, A6, 535, SHO, Genesis, G8, E-Class, Tesla S, Camaro)
Small-Midsize SUV: $395 (Escape, CR-V, Rav 4, Rogue, Forester, Edge, 2 row seating, etc.)
Large SUV/Van/Wagon: $450 (Explorer, Pilot, Yukon, Wagons, Wrangler, 3 row seating, etc.)
Extra Large SUV/Van $495 (Full size truck/van, Chevy Suburban, Toyota Sequoia, etc.)

I offer an up-grade to a ceramic coating instead and sell three different packages. Pricing for this is in addition to the above and instead of an AIO, I'll switch to a good polish instead. Since doing so I've only sold one non-coating deal.
 
I'll never be without Speed. Just an incredible product.

Granted- I bought my truck brand new, and have babied the paint since day one.

But my wife's Jeep was 3 years old when we bought it. Swirls galore on dark green. Speed KO'd 90% of them in my first session.
 
I start at 259,99 CAN$ and go up to 459,99 CAN$ depending on level of detail they want and size of vehicle. In US$ that would be 195,48$ to 345.99$

I calculate 1 hour commute (I am mobile), 2 hour washing and detailing, 1 hour claying (although I usually use a nano skin sponge so it's actually faster), 3 hours of polishing for a small car. I ramp up the prices by 30% for SUVs (2 rows) and by 50% for larger vehicles like 3 rows SUVs and minivans.

I use Meguiars D166 as my one step unless the car is in horrible condition. In that case I use Meguiars D300 and do a quick follow up with D166 (Applied mostly like a wax, not a polish so 1 slow pass followed by 2 fast passes).
 
Mike Phillips said:
So just for the record....

And I'm surprised nobody asked?

I charge $495.00 for a one-step detail.

  1. Waterless wash
  2. Clay or Nanoskin towel
  3. BLACKFIRE One Step (currently)
  4. FLEX 3401 with 6.5" LC White Hybrid Force Pads
  5. Sometimes top just the horizontal panels with SONAX PNS


And from start to finish I can usually knock out a car in under 6 hours. So that's around $100.00 an hour and because I only do this part-time, that's not a bad gig. Especially because I enjoy working on cool cars. It's how I got to where I'm at.


Quick, simple and easy. Spectacular results.


If someone wants a ceramic coating that's fine but double the price and more. And at $1000.00+ for the kind of cars I like to work on, these guys tend to have heart attacks.


Heck, squeezing them for $500.00 about kills them.


:laughing:
Click to expand...

Yes but you get to charge the "I am famous" tax ;) If I charged that I would get no business... people would say : "Hey man, you are not Mike Phillips" :)
 
PaulMys said:
I'll never be without Speed. Just an incredible product.

Granted- I bought my truck brand new, and have babied the paint since day one.

But my wife's Jeep was 3 years old when we bought it. Swirls galore on dark green. Speed KO'd 90% of them in my first session.
Click to expand...

My first love was HD Speed. It has a unique glow to it.

It’s amazing how different products yield different results in terms of aesthetics. Smells great too last time I checked.


Dan Tran
Car Care Specialist
High-Quality Car Detailing in Maine and NH
 
My last vehicles were a '16 Escape and a '16 Forrester for $160 each.

Wheels/Tires
Wash
Clay Mitt
HD Speed
Quick Vac
Windows
 
I have been doing a one -step and charge $150. But I am a hobbyist, so I might be off base.
 
Some of you guys have surprised me with your prices. I thought most would be higher.
 
This is the best post I’ve seen in awhile. I’m just curious of experience and cost of living from some of you for reference? I’ve seen prices range from $120-$500 base.
I live in a area where the average price for a 3br & 2bth house is $120k and my base price for a coupe is $175 with Menzerna 3in1.
 
The average price for a 3bd house where I live is probably in the $450-500k neighborhood.
 
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