How much does it cost to be fully mobile?

Black N' Yellow said:
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
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A water tank will depend on new or used and size. I picked up a 65 gallon tank for Tractor Supply for $150 new, years ago. I currently have it on Craigslist for $50. So look on Craigslist. I picked up a 275 gallon water tank for fleet washing for $125 and sold in on Craigslist for the same price. Just picked up a 125 Gallon water tank used for I want to say @ $100.

For a pressure washer, I use a gas powered one. CAT pump and Subaru engine. No need for a pump, as is sucks the water from the tank.

I say look on Craigslist, but be wary of used equipment, you may get someone's headache.
 
Sounds like you have the right set up for your area and your customer base. I have a very different set up that better suits what I do. The OP needs to decide who his customers are going to be and the right set up for him.
 
Black N' Yellow said:
I've read though that thread and he has a really nice set up. I know he has his battery hooked up his pump but I don't see what he does for power like a pressure washer or polisher.
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for those of you not so observant, that truck in the link above is mine

and a 2000w honda gen powers all my tools. pretty simple
 
It would be pretty difficult to do ONR here in my area I think, other than maybe a month out of the summer. My personal vehicle right now is covered with road dirt from melting snow, and it's thick enough I wouldn't touch it without pressure washing first, even though it's not a mud-bog issue.
 
i am 3 years in business so far , the first 2 years i work out of the trunk of an audi, with no water and electrical......and i didn`t have problems to make a living out of detailing.

see what kind of detail you wanna do and set-up for that. if on budget than get used equipment. or buy the equipment in time.
are always options...
 
having the water tank and pressure washer and water pumb is a big investment into the mobile detailing industry

how ever it always and always have been depending on your customer base
what they want

some mobile detailers only do washing and waxing no paint polishing
its almost like an auto service . . . on wheels
they wash the car foam it rinse dress the tires interior vac - sometimes wax

so what type of service do u want to provide

washing waxing
paint polishing waxing paint coatings ... ETC

all of the above?

how many people are working with you ?
or is it by your self no one with you ?

if you have partners like one or two and you usually wash wax cars then u probably need a big tank

but if your main service is paint polishing then a small tank will do the trick

and you always need to use your own power water what ever to match up with the competition

you can make many washing services like
waterless washing
rinseless washing
foam wash

and of coarse each has it own price and then u explain when to use each washing method
 
I have owned my mobile detail business for three years now and am still building it larger and larger.

Year one was just getting things going and starting to get my name out there, worked out of the back of my Nissan Titan, with two hose reels, one hooked to the customers house and one that went to the vehicle. I also used their electric as well. No one ever complained.

Year two, still were getting things going, bought a open 4'x6' trailer and started to use that, traded my Nissan Titan in for a Crew Cab Nissan Frontier(which I did for personal use to cut down on gas expenses.)

Year three has been the busiest, I now have a 55gal water tank, a ShurFlo On Demand Pump, a 3500w/4300w Generator, and a hose reel, along with a deep cycle 12v battery w/maintainer for the shurflo pump. I mounted the 55gal tank in the bed of my truck and ran a water line to the trailer, which carries the pump and hose reel.

I was contemplating purchasing a new enclosed trailer this month, but why spend more money then I have to. I am looking to possibly purchase a PW this year, but the only reason I would do that is to be able to cut down on my water usage on vehicles. The vehicles I detail are usually typically pretty clean and are well kept since I live in Florida.

So far my expenses have been:
4'x6' Open Trailer $400
Hose Reel and Hose $100
Wood to build Cabinets on trailer $150
Generator $400
55Gal Water Tank $100
Detail Supplies $400 - $600 (estimate not 100% sure without looking at books)
Shurflo On Demand Pump $90
Deep Cycle Batter $120
Battery Maintainer $40
Stain Extractor $150 (small portable unit with heat, which works wonders)
Shop Vac $100

Also don't be afraid to look on Craigslist for things, I found my trailer and the water tank on there.
 
extmobiledetail said:
I have owned my mobile detail business for three years now and am still building it larger and larger.

Year one was just getting things going and starting to get my name out there, worked out of the back of my Nissan Titan, with two hose reels, one hooked to the customers house and one that went to the vehicle. I also used their electric as well. No one ever complained.

Year two, still were getting things going, bought a open 4'x6' trailer and started to use that, traded my Nissan Titan in for a Crew Cab Nissan Frontier(which I did for personal use to cut down on gas expenses.)

Year three has been the busiest, I now have a 55gal water tank, a ShurFlo On Demand Pump, a 3500w/4300w Generator, and a hose reel, along with a deep cycle 12v battery w/maintainer for the shurflo pump. I mounted the 55gal tank in the bed of my truck and ran a water line to the trailer, which carries the pump and hose reel.

I was contemplating purchasing a new enclosed trailer this month, but why spend more money then I have to. I am looking to possibly purchase a PW this year, but the only reason I would do that is to be able to cut down on my water usage on vehicles. The vehicles I detail are usually typically pretty clean and are well kept since I live in Florida.

So far my expenses have been:
4'x6' Open Trailer $400
Hose Reel and Hose $100
Wood to build Cabinets on trailer $150
Generator $400
55Gal Water Tank $100
Detail Supplies $400 - $600 (estimate not 100% sure without looking at books)
Shurflo On Demand Pump $90
Deep Cycle Batter $120
Battery Maintainer $40
Stain Extractor $150 (small portable unit with heat, which works wonders)
Shop Vac $100

Also don't be afraid to look on Craigslist for things, I found my trailer and the water tank on there.
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Can i start directly having a van and water tank and same things u have in year 3 at beginning of business if i have the money for it?

Should i be 100%free for this business because i have a full time morning job ?or i can just detail cars after noon til night

If i have a powerfull water pumb do i need a pressure washer?

What is more profitable polishing and waxing or washing and cleaning cars?
 
Gurge said:
for those of you not so observant, that truck in the link above is mine

and a 2000w honda gen powers all my tools. pretty simple
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What tools will your Honda 2000 generator handle? Master blaster? I'm looking into buying a Honda generator and the 2000 looks like the best bang for the buck.
 
c5errr said:
Can i start directly having a van and water tank and same things u have in year 3 at beginning of business if i have the money for it?

Should i be 100%free for this business because i have a full time morning job ?or i can just detail cars after noon til night

If i have a powerfull water pumb do i need a pressure washer?

What is more profitable polishing and waxing or washing and cleaning cars?
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1. If you have the money, then I would say yes, but you may want to start out small til you get clients and your name out there.

2. I work 3 other jobs, full time EMT working 24/48hr shifts, Shift manager at Advance Auto(just cut my hours back), and am a volunteer with my local fire department, you just need to manage your schedule and time, invest in an EZUP as well if you are going to detail in the afternoon, the sun sucks, specially if you are waxing a car.

3. No, I do not use a pressure washer at the moment, the pump I have works fine and is about 50PSI.

4. I do A LOT more polishing and waxing then washing and cleaning cars. Don't charge outrageous pricing either. You can get an idea by checking out my pricing at Exotic Mobile Detailing | Where We Bring The Wash To You!

Also I am able to take credit cards which a lot of my customers like by using Square which attaches to my smart phone.
 
I figured I outta chime in on this considering I'm one of the guys that went all out on trailer, equipment, etc.

Here is a thread with some pics of my equipment and trailer. It cost me some bucks but I see it as entirely worth it. I have a 65 Gal. water tank that is in the back of my truck, if you were wondering about water supply.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...ile-detailing-setup-visual-pro-detailing.html

I love my trailer, I love my big power equipment, so let me share why.

1. The trailer, the equipment, the advertising wrap, is a huge marketing bonus for me that tells potential clients "I take my business seriously". Now I'm not saying you aren't serious if you don't have a huge rig, but potential clients always see you differently than you see yourself. Think about how they perceive you, not how you perceive you.

2. I love having room. I will just throw a couple of my portable totes in the back of my truck if doing mobile washes or basic details, but I love having room to walk in the trailer, and be able to haul extra equipment if needed. Do I use everything in my trailer every time I go out? No, but it's very convenient to not have to pack everything into a small space.

3. I have big ambitions. Right now I'm just doing a few details a day, but I'm set up with room to expand with a crew and employees, to do bulk washes, or even do fleet washing. I'm one of those people who thinks big, and would rather have too much than not enough.

To the thread starter... you need to do what is right for what your business model is, what market serve, what your budget is, and what type of detailing you want to do. We are more than happy to give you advice, but be very wary of anyone that says "you have you do it my way or you are making a big mistake!". I am well aware that my huge eye catching setup is not for everyone, but it works great for me and the business that I am, and the business I want to be.

Edit:

I just wanted to say that the reason I went so far with my setup, my website, my marketing materials, my equipment, is because I want to be the best. I want to be not only the best detailer in my area, but be the best detailing business, that offers the best possible services. I went "all out" on my business, just like so many other people in this thread. If you are serious about doing this, however you choose to set up your business, go all out. Don't go cheap or 2nd rate, make a real effort to be the best business and service you can possibly be. It will pay off in the end.
 
VP Mark said:
I figured I outta chime in on this considering I'm one of the guys that went all out on trailer, equipment, etc.

Here is a thread with some pics of my equipment and trailer. It cost me some bucks but I see it as entirely worth it. I have a 65 Gal. water tank that is in the back of my truck, if you were wondering about water supply.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...ile-detailing-setup-visual-pro-detailing.html

I love my trailer, I love my big power equipment, so let me share why.

1. The trailer, the equipment, the advertising wrap, is a huge marketing bonus for me that tells potential clients "I take my business seriously". Now I'm not saying you aren't serious if you don't have a huge rig, but potential clients always see you differently than you see yourself. Think about how they perceive you, not how you perceive you.

2. I love having room. I will just throw a couple of my portable totes in the back of my truck if doing mobile washes or basic details, but I love having room to walk in the trailer, and be able to haul extra equipment if needed. Do I use everything in my trailer every time I go out? No, but it's very convenient to not have to pack everything into a small space.

3. I have big ambitions. Right now I'm just doing a few details a day, but I'm set up with room to expand with a crew and employees, to do bulk washes, or even do fleet washing. I'm one of those people who thinks big, and would rather have too much than not enough.

To the thread starter... you need to do what is right for what your business model is, what market serve, what your budget is, and what type of detailing you want to do. We are more than happy to give you advice, but be very wary of anyone that says "you have you do it my way or you are making a big mistake!". I am well aware that my huge eye catching setup is not for everyone, but it works great for me and the business that I am, and the business I want to be.

Edit:

I just wanted to say that the reason I went so far with my setup, my website, my marketing materials, my equipment, is because I want to be the best. I want to be not only the best detailer in my area, but be the best detailing business, that offers the best possible services. I went "all out" on my business, just like so many other people in this thread. If you are serious about doing this, however you choose to set up your business, go all out. Don't go cheap or 2nd rate, make a real effort to be the best business and service you can possibly be. It will pay off in the end.
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Not going to lie, really like your set up and the design of your web site. I got a lot of great ideas from you as well, if you don't mind.
 
extmobiledetail said:
Not going to lie, really like your set up and the design of your web site. I got a lot of great ideas from you as well, if you don't mind.
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Not at all! I would not have posted my equipment and so much about my business if I did not have a desire to help others in the business. If you have any questions that I can help you with, please feel free to PM, e-mail, or even call me.

The way I see it we are all in the same business, with somewhat the same goals for each business, even though we are almost all looking at and working in completely different markets. Even if you do have a direct competitor on here, there is more than enough detail business in most areas to support several quality detailing businesses.
 
rmagnus said:
What tools will your Honda 2000 generator handle? Master blaster? I'm looking into buying a Honda generator and the 2000 looks like the best bang for the buck.
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I use a small 3500w generator that I've had for a few years. It's camp-ground rated, we used it for that. You wouldn't want to run it in a campground all night, but it's really quiet. Not as quiet as a Honda, but it was $400, not $2000.

I put it on my mobile trailer, and found that because my trailer has sides, it deflects most of the noise (most is from engine noise.) It's quieter than the engine on the pressure washer, and my vacuum, both of which you can stand next to and have a conversation. It'll also power (not at the same time) my steamer, shop vac, and flex 3401 without a problem. The steamer works it a little harder on heat up.
 
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