Please Help With My Pricelist..Again

Kristopher1129 said:
Actually, leather cleaning is something I find to be pretty time consuming. Obviously it depends on how bad the leather is. It's a lot like trying to guesstimate how long it will take you to clay. It could be 20 minutes, or an hour and half. Just depends. But leather cleaning can be time consuming.

You definitely don't want to rush things...but there's absolutely average times for most things. Things like dressing tires, windows, applying wax, so on and so forth typically have common time frames. Good luck man. You'll get it! :dblthumb2:
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Yea, I am trying to make it so I don't rush things, that would be ideal. I guess I will just have to get started in order to understand and know how long each task takes.

dietdewboy said:
As a business owner myself, (a contractor) what about insurance? Will you be driving your customers cars at all? even in and out of the garage? Who cover the customer and their property when their on your property? Do you own the property where you will be doing the work?
Only reason I bring this up is 25-30 per hour doesn't seem like its enough to cover the over head cost of the business.

Some people can be a little different, their not on the same page as most of us and like to abuse the legal system. Not to say some people are sue happy but it does happen every day.
My advice is spend the hundred bucks and set yourself up as an LLC to protect personal property and talk to an insurance guy about some liability coverage.
doesnt cost that much and can save your ass!
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I'm not really worried about insurance right now. The only thing that I would mess up is the paint or maybe driving the car straight into the garage which I don't think will happen.

The client drives to my house, which I own and do not pay any more payment on.

What is the main thing you would be worried about?
 
maximus20895 said:
Yea, I am trying to make it so I don't rush things, that would be ideal. I guess I will just have to get started in order to understand and know how long each task takes.



I'm not really worried about insurance right now. The only thing that I would mess up is the paint or maybe driving the car straight into the garage which I don't think will happen.

The client drives to my house, which I own and do not pay any more payment on.

What is the main thing you would be worried about?
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The main thing I'd be worried about is a customer filing a claim - whether fraudulent or not for any reason. There are people out there who do that. I am bonded and have liability insurance. I do not need garage keepers policy as I do not drive the customer's car nor do I keep any overnight.
 
Kristopher1129 said:
I seem to be the only one who thinks this way apparently...but I think your prices are too high. I know everyone else seems to differ in opinion. But, for someone just working out of their garage, and just starting out...those prices are high IMO.

That being said, if a bronze package takes you 8 hours...then I think you just have some developing to do on your process. It shouldn't take anywhere near 8 hours to do what you described to be a Bronze. I think this is why your prices are so high. I think you feel you HAVE to charge that to feel you're getting paid.

Shouldn't your cheaper service be the Bronze?? Starting out at $200-$220 seems really steep when there's not even a 1-step polish involved.

Call me crazy...but I would never pay someone anywhere near $200 to do my car when there's no extracting, no polishing, no clay, and not even an engine cleaning involved. I don't get why you guys think $200-$220 is a fair price for that service.

I think all your prices should come down about $100 for each package. Especially since you're not mobile. But...that's just me apparently, ha.

If I were in your position...I would want my prices to be lower than other peoples. Especially since your just looking to make some extra cash. Lack of experience, working out of your home, and it's a temporary job means that your prices should reflect that. Your prices are setup like that of a busy detailing business in California that only does high end vehicles. You want to attract the average folk cause that's where you're going to make your money.
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Kristopher1129 said:
That's tough to comment on specifically for each thing. But I do feel like a lot of things that take you an hour...really shouldn't take an hour.

Actually, everything that takes you an hour IMO...shouldn't. I know it doesn't take me an hour to clay, wash, vac/wipe down, etc.

The only thing that does take me an hour is sealant. But that's because I let it sit for 45 minutes to an hour. Other than that, those other things should be quicker.

Clay is a gamble. You never know how long clay will take you. But I know for me...on average it takes far less than an hour. Of course there are vehicles that REALLY need a solid hour for clay. But that's usually due to over spray, rust pins on white paint, etc.

I think it's just going to take you some time to get a system down. Also, if I were you...I would really stick to your packages and stay away from a la carte type situations. I only say that because it's crucial you get comfortable with a system that works well for you. Having customers nit pick your packages apart is just going to take that learning opportunity away from you.
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Kristopher1129 said:
Actually, leather cleaning is something I find to be pretty time consuming. Obviously it depends on how bad the leather is. It's a lot like trying to guesstimate how long it will take you to clay. It could be 20 minutes, or an hour and half. Just depends. But leather cleaning can be time consuming.

You definitely don't want to rush things...but there's absolutely average times for most things. Things like dressing tires, windows, applying wax, so on and so forth typically have common time frames. Good luck man. You'll get it! :dblthumb2:
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:iagree:

Thanks for saving me a callius on my index figer :dblthumb2:
 
I changed the prices and times. I'm most concerned with the Bronze and the Full Interior. It seems you get a much better deal with the bronze, I don't know.

Price List
Bronze Package – Begins at $100 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $110
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips polished
• Interior is vacuumed and wiped down
• Windows cleaned
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Interior carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
• 1 layer of paint sealant or wax is applied (1-2 months of protection)
Service takes about 3 -5 hours4


Silver Package – Begins at $200 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $230
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips polished
• Paint is clayed to remove contaminants
• Paint is polished to remove light oxidation, minor swirls and scratches
• Interior is vacuumed and wiped down
• Windows cleaned
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Interior carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
• 1 layer of paint sealant or wax is applied (1-2 months of protection)
Service takes about 5-8 hours4
 
Gold Package - Begins at $300 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $330
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips polished
• Paint is clayed to remove contaminants
• Paint receives multi-step correction to ensure defects are removed 2
• Interior is vacuumed and wiped down
• Windows cleaned
• All door jambs and jambs will be polished and sealed
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Interior carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
• Engine bay is cleaned and dressed 3
• 1 layer of paint sealant or wax is applied (4-6 months of protection)
Service takes about 8-12 hours4

Full Exterior Detail – Begins at $225 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $250
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips are polished
• Paint is clayed to remove contaminants
• Paint receives multi-step correction to ensure defects are removed 2
• Windows cleaned
• All door jambs and jambs will be polished and sealed
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Engine bay is cleaned and dressed 3
• 1 layer of paint sealant is applied (4-6 months of protection)
• 1 layer of wax is added on top of the paint sealant to provide for a deep gloss
Service takes about 7-10 hours4

Full Interior Detail – Begins at $75 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $100
• Interior is vacuumed, wiped down and thoroughly cleaned
• Windows cleaned
• Carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
Service takes about 2-4 hours4

1 – Some stains may not be removable
2 – Some defects may be too severe to be safely removed
3 – Engine cleaning will require a signed wavier
4 – Actual time will vary according to vehicles condition
 
I have one suggestion for you. I think even the bronze package should include claying. As far as the setup of your packages, I will leave that to the experts, as I am not one.
 
The problem with including claying in the bronze package is that it would add an additional $25 to the price and I want to try to keep it down for people who just want a basic service.

I changed the hours a little. I'm starting to stress and get aggrevated over this and the last time I got this way was over three years ago.

Price List
Bronze Package – Begins at $100 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $110
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips polished
• Interior is vacuumed and wiped down
• Windows cleaned
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Interior carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
• 1 layer of paint sealant or wax is applied (1-2 months of protection)
Service takes about 4 -6 hours4


Silver Package – Begins at $200 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $230
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips polished
• Paint is clayed to remove contaminants
• Paint is polished to remove light oxidation, minor swirls and scratches
• Interior is vacuumed and wiped down
• Windows cleaned
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Interior carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
• 1 layer of paint sealant or wax is applied (1-2 months of protection)
Service takes about 6-9 hours4
 
Gold Package - Begins at $300 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $330
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips polished
• Paint is clayed to remove contaminants
• Paint receives multi-step correction to ensure defects are removed 2
• Interior is vacuumed and wiped down
• Windows cleaned
• All door jambs and jambs will be polished and sealed
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Interior carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
• Engine bay is cleaned and dressed 3
• 1 layer of paint sealant or wax is applied (4-6 months of protection)
Service takes about 9-12 hours4

Full Exterior Detail – Begins at $225 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $250
• Hand wash (2 bucket method)
• Door jambs cleaned including the trunk, hood, and gas doors.
• Wheels are cleaned
• Tires dressed
• Wheel wells are cleaned and dressed
• Exhaust tips are polished
• Paint is clayed to remove contaminants
• Paint receives multi-step correction to ensure defects are removed 2
• Windows cleaned
• All door jambs and jambs will be polished and sealed
• All rubber and plastic trim is dressed with UV protectant
• Engine bay is cleaned and dressed 3
• 1 layer of paint sealant is applied (4-6 months of protection)
• 1 layer of wax is added on top of the paint sealant to provide for a deep gloss
Service takes about 7-11 hours4

Full Interior Detail – Begins at $75 for compact or midsize vehicles
Large vehicles begin at $100
• Interior is vacuumed, wiped down and thoroughly cleaned
• Windows cleaned
• Carpets are shampooed 1
• Dash is dressed with UV protectant
• Leather is cleaned and conditioned
Service takes about 2-4 hours4

1 – Some stains may not be removable
2 – Some defects may be too severe to be safely removed
3 – Engine cleaning will require a signed wavier
4 – Actual time will vary according to vehicles condition
 
maximus20895 said:
I changed the prices and times. I'm most concerned with the Bronze and the Full Interior. It seems you get a much better deal with the bronze, I don't know.
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Honestly, we could play this game ALL day. Back and forth, back and forth. All it boils down to...is that you gotta get out there and start busting cars out. Cause it really doesn't matter what we think.

If you feel your Bronze Package is too cheap...then it is. Know why? Cause you think it is. Period. If you feel like you're screwing yourself with your prices...then maybe you are.

There's many reasons price fluctuates. Location, experience, products, equipment, time spent, and many other things make prices vary greatly. You just have to come up with prices that work for you.

If you really want to ensure your prices are fair...call some local shops or detailers and see what they're getting. Sometimes a little fake phone call never hurt. You can get a great understanding of what other people are paying in your area. That is crucial information that will play a large part in what you charge.

You don't want to be the cheapest, or the most expensive. You just want to be competitive. That is assuming you are worth the money you are charging. That's also important...you don't want to claim to be able to do something that you can not. Cause then your high priced Package will just bring you complaints. People will say things like "well, I thought for $300 you would at least do THIS". It can be a headache.
 
tw33k2514 said:
I have one suggestion for you. I think even the bronze package should include claying. As far as the setup of your packages, I will leave that to the experts, as I am not one.
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I disagree...mainly because Bronze doesn't include any polishing. If you're going to clay, you really should be following up with polish. Clay will a lot of times leave some marring on the paint. Certainly not something you want to just throw wax over.

In fact...my Bronze Package only gets a spray wax service on the exterior. Mainly because if I'm not going to clay...I don't see the point in laying down wax of any sort other than just for a quick spray shine. That's why with Silver I clay, and do a high speed AIO buff as well.
 
Yea, I think you are right once again. I need to just advertise and get business rolling and just go with it.

It's just my personality is that I have to be prepared and then over prepared. I guess I need a change.

Thanks :)
 
Kristopher1129 said:
I disagree...mainly because Bronze doesn't include any polishing. If you're going to clay, you really should be following up with polish. Clay will a lot of times leave some marring on the paint. Certainly not something you want to just throw wax over.

In fact...my Bronze Package only gets a spray wax service on the exterior. Mainly because if I'm not going to clay...I don't see the point in laying down wax of any sort other than just for a quick spray shine. That's why with Silver I clay, and do a high speed AIO buff as well.
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Yet another good point. I don't even have a spray wax. What do you like? Im the MAN
 
Kristopher1129 said:
I disagree...mainly because Bronze doesn't include any polishing. If you're going to clay, you really should be following up with polish. Clay will a lot of times leave some marring on the paint. Certainly not something you want to just throw wax over.

In fact...my Bronze Package only gets a spray wax service on the exterior. Mainly because if I'm not going to clay...I don't see the point in laying down wax of any sort other than just for a quick spray shine. That's why with Silver I clay, and do a high speed AIO buff as well.
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I had not thought of it this way. You make a very good point.
 
maximus20895 said:
Yet another good point. I don't even have a spray wax. What do you like? Im the MAN
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I use some stuff from a vendor not sold here on AG. I've mentioned it on here somewhere before...but I'll leave it unsaid cause AG doesn't sell it.

But, I can tell you that it is probably identical to Duragloss Aquawax. Matter ah fact...it's also called Aquawax, ha. but I'll leave the vendor unsaid.

Stuff is great though, cause you can wash and while the car is still wet after you rinse, you spray the whole thing down, then chamois dry. You can then go around the vehicle and polish with a microfiber once it's dry. Works great, and leaves a nice clean shine on the paint. Doesn't leave much protection, but it does the trick and makes quick work of the exterior. Perfect for a Bronze Package...just sayin, ha.
 
Nice! I guess I need to look into another detailing product then!

The main thing now I guess is to just advertise. How did you get your client base?

I'm just advertising on craigslist right now, but I haven't spent much time on it.
 
maximus20895 said:
Nice! I guess I need to look into another detailing product then!

The main thing now I guess is to just advertise. How did you get your client base?

I'm just advertising on craigslist right now, but I haven't spent much time on it.
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My clients just came with time. Took me almost 5 years to accumulate enough retail customers to the point where I have two full timers working with me.

Word of mouth is EVERYTHING. If you impress people every day, word will spread like wild fire. All I can say is...do NOT pay for advertising.

Radio stations run some deals that may work in your favor. You give them gift certificates that they sell for half off. They keep the money, you do the work instead of paying out of pocket. That money pays for your radio ads. Yes, it sucks when those gift certificates come in cause you feel like you're working for free. But, there's a bigger picture there. Fact is, you're working. Work brings more work...guaranteed. Plus, that's a customer you didn't have...and if done right, you will have next time without a gift certificate and they'll most likely gladly pay full price knowing you do good work.

Also, you'll get customers from your radio ads as well. Just run a special and people will call. I use this method currently just to have the radio ads. I get tons of new faces in the shop. They always return, or send someone else. Then of course there's things like Facebook...also work great. :dblthumb2:
 
Great information once again. I wish I could return the favor.
 
I want to say something for this matter quys and forgive me if i am wrong .If you are prices are too expensive people start bargin you to low your prices .I f your prices are cheaper than the others they think that your quality of work is poor.

I Agree with all of you that you must tell them why you charge so much ,with analytical procedure.If they like it they come ,if they dont....

I HATE BARGIN..
 
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