How much does it cost to be fully mobile?

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Black N' Yellow

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As the title says, How much does it cost to be fully mobile? What I mean by that is how much does it cost to have your own water and power.

I'm thinking about starting my own mobile detailing business and was originally planning on using clients water and power. However, looking at my competition there is a mobile rig in the area that has it's own water and power. So in order to be competitive and look more professional I think I need my own power and water.

So what am I going to need and how much is it going to cost me?Off the top of my head I can think of:

wanter tank
water pump
Generator

The water pump is what i'm having the most trouble with. I was planning on buying an electric pressure washer, probably a greenworks 1700 psi one. Can you guys over me any tips on what to buy and where to buy it.

Thank you
 
This should be close to what you'll need for the three items you mention..

  • Water tank - 100 gallon: $250
  • Water pump - $175
  • Generator - $350
 
The giant water tank is the old way of thinking. It depends on who your customers are going to be. If you are going to be a car or deck or house washing business than yes you need a big setup. If you are going to detail cars(which is what I do) What would you need 100 gallons of water for? It takes me and my partner 3-4 hrs to detail a car,we do max 2 a day(usually at the same customer's home) so we are able to work with a CG Eco pod. 2 HD homer buckets with 3 gallons and a full Eco pod and you are ready to roll. Buckets with Gama seals $25 Eco pod $500.

Get the Honda generator Eu 2000. $1000 It is powerful, quite and light. It is perfect for mobile detailing.

You must read Renney Doyle's book. It will be the best $20 you ever spent. He talks about how the giant detailing trailer with the giant water tank with pressure washers are the old and outdated way of doing business.

LET ME REPEAT, BUY THE BOOK. Yes I'm shouting because I don't want you to miss the part about buying(and reading) the book.

Good luck.
 
rustytruck said:
The giant water tank is the old way of thinking. It depends on who your customers are going to be. If you are going to be a car or deck or house washing business than yes you need a big setup. If you are going to detail cars(which is what I do) What would you need 100 gallons of water for? It takes me and my partner 3-4 hrs to detail a car,we do max 2 a day(usually at the same customer's home) so we are able to work with a CG Eco pod. 2 HD homer buckets with 3 gallons and a full Eco pod and you are ready to roll. Buckets with Gama seals $25 Eco pod $500.

Get the Honda generator Eu 2000. $1000 It is powerful, quite and light. It is perfect for mobile detailing.

You must read Renney Doyle's book. It will be the best $20 you ever spent. He talks about how the giant detailing trailer with the giant water tank with pressure washers are the old and outdated way of doing business.

LET ME REPEAT, BUY THE BOOK. Yes I'm shouting because I don't want you to miss the part about buying(and reading) the book.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insight. I will keep that in mind if/when I decide to go mobile. I haven't seen a review on the CG ecopods. Perhaps you could do one? I saw the videos on their website but wanted to see how it was used for someone detailing a really dirty/filthy car.
 
Fully mobile, Rinseless wash is the way to go, screw hauling around a water tank and all the associated stuff that goes with it. It's all replaced by a bucket and a bottle of ONR. That's how you keep costs down.
 
No Rinse or Rinseless Washes are an amazing addition to today's detailing arsenal of tools. While these washes do provide an opportunity for water conservation their window of "cleanliness" or How dirty is too dirty to safely use a rinseless wash? should always be determined.

The goal is to provide the customer with the quality of service they've paid for without creating additional damage to the finish.

I think it would be great for some of the Mobile Detailing members chime in on how they outfit their trucks and vans and do they carry 50 gallons or so of clean water....in the event that they're unable to access a water supply while at the customer...:props:
 
To me, when I think of water tanks, I think of mobile car wash guys, not so much mobile detailers. I personally use ONR instead of traditional washing because it's better at reducing the marring risk, not because of water conservation. ONR has handled even the dirtiest cars quite well for me (pre-rinsing with ONR solution in a spray bottle when needed).
 
RZJZA80 said:
To me, when I think of water tanks, I think of mobile car wash guys, not so much mobile detailers. I personally use ONR instead of traditional washing because it's better at reducing the marring risk, not because of water conservation. ONR has handled even the dirtiest cars quite well for me (pre-rinsing with ONR solution in a spray bottle when needed).
Click to expand...


This is what I'm currently doing ^

However I have had a few clients drop off at my house and Then I use the traditional hose method and my Gilmour foam gun.


I have a pretty good sized plastic container that holds about 20 to 25 gallons of water or so. I have considered placing this in my newly purchased enclosed trailer and buying a self priming electric washer to do a better soak/ power rinse if I encounter an extremely dirty vehicle as well as for spraying down under the wheel wells.


I have both a Generator and a gas pressure washer powered by honda as well and may just place them in my trailer. but was trying to go with a different and more eco set up. Plus they take up quite a bit of room in a 5x8.

I'm still a work in progress and deciding how to set everything up..

I've been fortunate so far to use my clients power but want my own set up for powering my D/A polisher and my shop Vac.. Plus this seems far more professional to me

Considered going w/ batteries in the trailer instead of the generator but here that can be pretty expensive as well.

This has been a bit pricey to get up and running but I'm starting to see some steady business by word of mouth and I'm just reinvesting in my business at the moment. I don't even have my dedicated business name yet

which is a thread I was about to start asking for input on my biz name.
 
FivePoint.0 said:
No way I would ever rely on rinseless washes for mobile detailing!
Click to expand...

+1
ONR has its place, and is a great product. IMO ONR can not replace traditional 2 bucket and foam cannons.

Situations vary. Every car will need different attention.
 
If I had to rely on ONR products only, I would have to stop doing 1/3 of the trucks I do.

I have a big trailer, bigger tank (125 gallon), pressure washer, and so on. I don't think it's outdated at all. I like to have extra water, ie. bigger tank, because when I am out, I don't want someone come out (neighbor) and ask if I can do theirs next and not have any water left. I also like to have all of my products available at hand, when I need it. I don't want to be detailing, then have an unexpected detail and not have everything handy. I hate to leave money on the table because I have to run back home to get products.
I need my pressure washer for muddy trucks, motors, wheel wells.....
 
I don't know what you plan to do. I personally have a 50 gallon water tank in my truck, with a pressure washer. In my opinion you can't get a good wash with ONR alone. If you have a lightly soiled car, then maybe. As you get in the business you will see how to conserve water from your water tank and little tips and tricks to keep from running out. With my tank completely full I can do about 4 cars. If you get really bad cars maybe 3. I have learned in time how to rinse a vehicle without using too much water and usually it takes about 8 gallons per car. You don't need a huge generator either, my opinion go to harbor freight and buy a new 2000 watt generator for about $250. Save some money and buy other stuff.
 
Buying cheap equipment is ok at first, but I would save for something that will last a little longer. Not saying that harbor freight stuff won't last, but put money aside for when it goes down and you need to get it fixed or buy another one...

Been there, done that.
Proper maintenance too...


Also, buy stuff when you need it. Not because you MAY need it. Not because the other guy has this or that. You'll go broke fast.
 
Karcher Compact Pressure Washer Suction Kit Video - YouTube

After looking at this video I think in my situation it would be best to get this pressure washer. I'm most likely going to be doing one or two cars at a time so all I would need is a 10 gallon tank and no need for a pump (assuming no access to a customers water).

So all I need to worry about now is power. I'm really hesitant on this because I feel like even if I'm in an apartment complex I should be able to run power cords into their apartment right? I'm just starting out and am not going to be doing volume work so I don't want to buy a generator or anything else if i don't have to.

And another quick question, the CG detail pod is $500, couldn't I just fill an insecticide sprayer with rinseless wash and have the same thing for less?


As always thank you for your comments and feedback. It really helps.
 
I use ONR maybe 10% of the time. I wouldn't dare ONR this... (not my pic)

02-Wheel-wells-caked-with-mud-1024x678.jpg


Or this engine detail..... (my pic)
image_zpsba0b2db0.jpeg

My pressure washer and tank take care of these no problem in a short amount of time.
There's a time and place for rinseless, but if you are ONLY going to use rinseless washes I'm sure you will have to turn away jobs...

How would you do these jobs?
 
Yes, you are right I would turn that job down. Someone who uses their truck to go mud bogging usually is not the same person who is going to lay down $250 to have it detailed. That person is looking for someone with a pressure washer to wash down the truck for $40.
 
I politely disagree. You can't stereo type people because they have a muddy truck.....
I charged $40 for the engine in the pic above, got $60 for a tip....
None of my Clients go "Mud Bogging", but their extremely successful businesses require them to take their trucks down dirt roads/off road to get to the job sites, sometimes it rains....
They like clean trucks, I charge accordingly, they like it, they call me back bi-weekly.
I charge 80-125 for just an exterior wash, interior wipe/vac/glass on these trucks. No wax, no shampooing, no engines.

I don't like to turn down jobs because I do not have the right equipment. That's leaving money on the table for other people to take...
If it's dirtier, I just charge accordingly.

I can see this thread went way off topic, sorry.
 
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