Where's the money?

MaxWax

MaxWax

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Just curious where you guys would say you make the majority of your profit? I'd say a wash & wax with an interior vacuum is my bread and butter, of course paint corrections are much more expensive but since most people don't know the difference between a swirl and a squirrel, corrections aren't what fill up my calendar.
 
I have a full time job, so my work is primarily on the weekends. So not the same situation.

the 'money' for me is in 1 step polish jobs with a THOROUGH interior cleaning. I'm doing mostly daily drivers. They spend a lot of time inside their car. they want the outside looking good / improved, but they don't understand what full correction means or entails (nor will they maintain it properly). A 1 step polish with a spotless interior (typically done with the aid of steam) usually wows the client at which point I feel I'm meeting their expectations

wash / wax / vacuum is what most people are looking for on a consistent basis. So that is where you turn your full details into consistent income going forward. so in a lot of ways, the money is really there. So I think you're on the right track (despite the fact that polishing paint is more glamorous then vacuuming cookie crumbs)
 
I also have a full time job during the week so I don't have to fill 5 days with work. That said I generally only do correction, with a few wash and waxes thrown in if it's slow. My big money is in correction since I charge hourly for them. If I had to do this job 5-7 days a week though I could see how wash and waxes would add up since you could knock a couple out each day.
 
One step polishes + full interiors with autos (our hope is to be able to knock out four of these a day - producing around $600 a day revenue this spring, summer, fall with autos). With that said, buses and aircraft are where our best profit is. We can knock out 2 buses in a day for around $700 (revenue) and not have to worry about spending gas going from place to place. Best day for B & B so far has been $1200 Revenue.
 
I have a full time job as well and the work i do on the weekends is mostly correction. Theres a few people that will want a wash and wax every now and then but 1 steps and full corrections is a majority of what i get.
 
B&B Tennessee said:
One step polishes + full interiors with autos (our hope is to be able to knock out four of these a day - producing around $600 a day revenue this spring, summer, fall with autos). With that said, buses and aircraft are where our best profit is. We can knock out 2 buses in a day for around $700 (revenue) and not have to worry about spending gas going from place to place. Best day for B & B so far has been $1200 Revenue.
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How do you go about getting these buses and things? Did they just hear about you or did you go to them. I'd love to be like some of the people on here who are booked 2+ weeks out all the time, but it'd definitely hard to get there. What do you do to keep so busy?
 
MaxWax said:
How do you go about getting these buses and things? Did they just hear about you or did you go to them. I'd love to be like some of the people on here who are booked 2+ weeks out all the time, but it'd definitely hard to get there. What do you do to keep so busy?
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Id say it is all a mixture of contacting them, them calling me, WORD OF MOUTH (huge).

With all this said - while it seems that the revenue we produce is tons of money, I must explain that I spent the last year and a half concentrating solely on growth and not worrying about the money. For this reason most money made has gone back into the business and not in my pocket. Going this route has been extremely tough financially but will pay off in the long run IMO. My goal is to average 600 a day 5 days a week in Revenue this year starting next month.

What I started out with : A makita, vac, basic products and knowledge from previous aircraft detailing business years ago - next to nothing in the bank account. Now I have 2 mobile units with 2 makitas, 2 cyclos, an extractor, ozone generator, generator, 2 vacs, and buy my products by the gallon and 5 gallon, and much more.

The strain all this created : I have very little family or personal time at all (which bothers the crap out of me). There is not a day that I don't put 15 hours plus of work into. I get very little sleep.

Hopes : That all this hard work pays off for myself and my family - have worked VERY HARD to get to this point in a year and a half.
 
Smoke odor elimination and headlight correction by far are the most profitable. I'm getting ready to learn paintless dent removal.
 
B&B Tennessee said:
One step polishes + full interiors with autos (our hope is to be able to knock out four of these a day - producing around $600 a day revenue this spring, summer, fall with autos). With that said, buses and aircraft are where our best profit is. We can knock out 2 buses in a day for around $700 (revenue) and not have to worry about spending gas going from place to place. Best day for B & B so far has been $1200 Revenue.
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do u work alone or do u have people working with you??
 
i am an one men show so far , plan get a helper this month , with that said on long run i get more money from regular clients ( season polish , wash wax maintenance) , as short term i get good money out of corrections.
so far my system works , i am happy with it, once i have a helper it will cut on time and i can schedule more cars/day.
maintenance wash is between 50-150+
corrections between 300-650+

weekly clients are gold!
80% of jobs with corrections get`s 2 step correction 400-650+ that can be done in one day in summer season, by one person.
 
Cosmin said:
i am an one men show so far , plan get a helper this month , with that said on long run i get more money from regular clients ( season polish , wash wax maintenance) , as short term i get good money out of corrections.
so far my system works , i am happy with it, once i have a helper it will cut on time and i can schedule more cars/day.
maintenance wash is between 50-150+
corrections between 300-650+

weekly clients are gold!
80% of jobs with corrections get`s 2 step correction 400-650+ that can be done in one day in summer season, by one person.
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Amazing prices - How are you able to get so many exotic rides?!?!?! Did you start off doing DD's or did you have a connection?!?!?
 
I don't know how you guys clean wheels/wheel wells/tires, wash,dry, clay, tape, do a 2 step+ correction, and wax or seal in one day?
 
rwright said:
I don't know how you guys clean wheels/wheel wells/tires, wash,dry, clay, tape, do a 2 step+ correction, and wax or seal in one day?
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All of that minus the seal part isn't that hard to do in a day (only cause the sealant need's 24 hours + to seal lol) But then again, we take twice as long on an interior then anyone in this forum it seems.... so it all depends on what you want out of your 2 + step.
 
I work alone though so it takes longer. It's nothing for me to spend 8+ hours on an interior. :)
 
rwright said:
I don't know how you guys clean wheels/wheel wells/tires, wash,dry, clay, tape, do a 2 step+ correction, and wax or seal in one day?
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how about all that to an SUV :)) , too much for you in one day?

is easy ... when you see cars every day , you get better and better , you perform what needs to get the job done without time waist.
you develop a system based of your performance , so you don`t have to do things twice.
it is possible , special now with long hour day light.


B&B Tennessee said:
Amazing prices - How are you able to get so many exotic rides?!?!?! Did you start off doing DD's or did you have a connection?!?!?
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when i start i have the first 4 months 20-50% off, after that full power everybody anytime!
even now new clients gets discount only if have multiple cars or they choose a lot of add-ons to the correction package.
even if they want regular maintenance , new clients get`s the full price. after that we work something depends of how often my service is needed and how many cars .
about exotics/luxury cars , they find you just put your name out and focus on good work.
 
Cosmin said:
when i start i have the first 4 months 20-50% off, after that full power everybody anytime!
even now new clients gets discount only if have multiple cars or they choose a lot of add-ons to the correction package.
even if they want regular maintenance , new clients get`s the full price. after that we work something depends of how often my service is needed and how many cars .
about exotics/luxury cars , they find you just put your name out and focus on good work.
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Seems like the cycle of the starting detailing business. After reading so many stories ,bios, and personal experience it seems that the cycle is :

1)Start up wanting nothing but Exotics and/or Classics - Paint Corrections Everday - Dreams galore!
2) Struggle through year one with minimum DD's and perseverance (while making decisions to pay for unnecessary business expenses.
3) Word of Mouth finally starts kicking in - realize that what people told you was true (word of mouth and do a good job, then you will do great!)
4) Start charging true prices
5) Exotics and Classics start slowly coming in.


Seems to be the abbreviated cycle I have come up with. Sound about right?
 
BandB keep up the good-work ! im sure alot of people are looking at this forum so i was wondering anyones inout on rim repair. Im thinking of taking a class and marketing to dealerships and also people with leased vehicles ! Does anyone have any experience with this and if so is it profitable ?????
 
B&B Tennessee said:
Seems like the cycle of the starting detailing business. After reading so many stories ,bios, and personal experience it seems that the cycle is :

1)Start up wanting nothing but Exotics and/or Classics - Paint Corrections Everday - Dreams galore!
2) Struggle through year one with minimum DD's and perseverance (while making decisions to pay for unnecessary business expenses.
3) Word of Mouth finally starts kicking in - realize that what people told you was true (word of mouth and do a good job, then you will do great!)
4) Start charging true prices
5) Exotics and Classics start slowly coming in.


Seems to be the abbreviated cycle I have come up with. Sound about right?
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Keep up the hard work my man! Its good to have a supportive family too! I to have a full time job and just do this on the weekends. I don't care what kind of car it is whether it be a daily driver or exotic? I don't charge what most do to do corrections. I'm not making a killing, but I'm not losing either. Since this is only a PT thing with me I can afford to do it this way for now. I don't use junk products and I treat evvery car like its my own. I'm hopeful that over time people will see my work and word will get around and then volume and price will follow. I'm a small place on a big map... it will take time, but I know it will fall into place.
 
prioritymobile said:
BandB keep up the good-work ! im sure alot of people are looking at this forum so i was wondering anyones inout on rim repair. Im thinking of taking a class and marketing to dealerships and also people with leased vehicles ! Does anyone have any experience with this and if so is it profitable ?????
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Thanx man - I have never marketed to dealerships due to stories on this forum of wanting everything for nothing..... but I was contacted by a dealership one time last summer and worked with them for a week lol..... I did not budge on my prices and they tossed roughly 800 our way that week. Then Im sure they realized that they could get much cheaper services (not the same quality though lol). On the leased vehicles - one of my best customers tosses us anywhere from 35 to 100 a week for an hour max of work - his vehicle is leased (he is also a doctor though).

Newdetailer1 said:
Keep up the hard work my man! Its good to have a supportive family too! I to have a full time job and just do this on the weekends. I don't care what kind of car it is whether it be a daily driver or exotic? I don't charge what most do to do corrections. I'm not making a killing, but I'm not losing either. Since this is only a PT thing with me I can afford to do it this way for now. I don't use junk products and I treat evvery car like its my own. I'm hopeful that over time people will see my work and word will get around and then volume and price will follow. I'm a small place on a big map... it will take time, but I know it will fall into place.
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Thanx man :dblthumb2: Wishing you luck if you decide to go full time with it!
 
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