Areas of the Country with Strong Market for Detailing

davisautodetail

davisautodetail

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After 10 long Winters here in MT, we're seriously contemplating whether we want to stick around for another one, and are discussing moving. We don't really have any ties to any areas in particular. We have a vacation home/rental in Orlando, and I really like the weather in Florida. I'm not sure with the cheap labor though if you can make any money there.

Just like here, though, I'm not the cheapest and deliver higher quality than the quickie jobs. I'm also wanting to move more into higher end paint correction. That's difficult here due to the relative lack of car culture in Montana and very short car season.

Not that you guys want to invite new competition to your areas, but I'm trying to get a sense of different areas of the country. I see lots of guys booked 3 weeks out, so those seem to be high markets.

Any info/advice? Thanks!
 
Hi,

Just wondering if you've spent any summers in Orlando? It is HOT!! I moved from Cincinnati last August and am still adjusting.

Anyway, my general observation here is that hack detailers are a dime a dozen here so that could be something you may encounter in terms of overcoming the "why are your prices so much higher" questions.

Personally, I'd pick Montana over Florida any day (but yes, totally get it about the winters). Maybe you could do some business at your home here during the winter and back to MT in the fair weather seasons - best of both worlds!!

Good luck to you - not an easy decision I'm sure..
 
rms64 said:
Hi,

Just wondering if you've spent any summers in Orlando? It is HOT!! I moved from Cincinnati last August and am still adjusting.

Anyway, my general observation here is that hack detailers are a dime a dozen here so that could be something you may encounter in terms of overcoming the "why are your prices so much higher" questions.

Personally, I'd pick Montana over Florida any day (but yes, totally get it about the winters). Maybe you could do some business at your home here during the winter and back to MT in the fair weather seasons - best of both worlds!!

Good luck to you - not an easy decision I'm sure..
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Thanks! Yeah, I've heard about the summers, and have experienced it, but never doing detailing day in and day out, so I appreciate the warning.

Thought about splitting the seasons a bit. We've got a ton of equity in our home here, so there are some advantages of relocating, especially to an area where housing is cheaper.

Just talking at this point, trying to gather some data to research.
 
Los Angeles, California.

It is beautiful year around. You can find anything you want year around as well!
 
hernandez.art13 said:
Los Angeles, California.

It is beautiful year around. You can find anything you want year around as well!
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My wife grew up in Torrance. Not sure i'd get her back there, but definitely worth thinking about.

My buddy said that Nashville is a great place to be, and up and coming. I think that's where B&B is (forum member), and he's doing quite well it appears.
 
Don't come to New England if you want to make a career out of it. It's great on the side but you would kill yourself trying to make a decent living.
 
rustytruck said:
Don't come to New England if you want to make a career out of it. It's great on the side but you would kill yourself trying to make a decent living.
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Our kids were born in Connecticut and we lived there for a while, Fairfield County. Some nice cars to be had, but uber expensive to live there. When I started my web business 15 years ago, we had to get out of there so we could make a go of it.
 
rustytruck said:
Don't come to New England if you want to make a career out of it. It's great on the side but you would kill yourself trying to make a decent living.
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I absolutley agree. I live in new haven county and even with areas like fairfield and greenwich the people around here drive for commuting mostly between nyc and flock for five dollar car washes when they get the chance. Its hard to find people to do business with unless you already reside in those areas.
 
I have alot of family in Chattanooga TN and I think it would be a great place to go into business. Just a thought.
 
T3 AutoDetails said:
I have alot of family in Chattanooga TN and I think it would be a great place to go into business. Just a thought.
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Thanks Tory! How's the Winter in S. Falls? Love that area there, and it's similar to here with the weather. Do you stay busy all Winter? That's sort of a big factor for whether any moves take place.
 
I live in West Virginia and we have a few detailers here but to make it they have to pick up used car dealerships for the extra cash and it helps them make it through the winters. I know one guy who gets so many cars he has them piled up in his lot and cant keep up and he makes $100 off each dealer car. Not the best but if you get enough it will pull you past winter.
 
davisautodetail said:
Thanks Tory! How's the Winter in S. Falls? Love that area there, and it's similar to here with the weather. Do you stay busy all Winter? That's sort of a big factor for whether any moves take place.
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Well around here winters are horrible. Even in a shop at -70 outside its hard to get work and most people just don't care how bad their car is because they are not going outside. Cost of living here is dirt cheap but their is not much here in all honesty.

This winter will be my first winter in business but I hope to make enough this summer/Fall so I don't have to worry about it but we will see. If you came out this way I would merge with you and destroy this market. Many show cars here and not many cars over 1970! Aside from that their are plenty of bmws/audi/lexus/mercedes But this market is so damned cheap no one wants too spend anything and you have the guys on CL selling "better work" for $80.

I think you can have potential anywhere you go as long as you are more concerned about the customer and their rides then the money. Money will follow the quality, If there is no market for it, Make one and educate your clientele.
 
T3 AutoDetails said:
Well around here winters are horrible. Even in a shop at -70 outside its hard to get work and most people just don't care how bad their car is because they are not going outside. Cost of living here is dirt cheap but their is not much here in all honesty.

This winter will be my first winter in business but I hope to make enough this summer/Fall so I don't have to worry about it but we will see. If you came out this way I would merge with you and destroy this market. Many show cars here and not many cars over 1970! Aside from that their are plenty of bmws/audi/lexus/mercedes But this market is so damned cheap no one wants too spend anything and you have the guys on CL selling "better work" for $80.

I think you can have potential anywhere you go as long as you are more concerned about the customer and their rides then the money. Money will follow the quality, If there is no market for it, Make one and educate your clientele.
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We're a little warmer than you, we'll see -30, but not for more than a couple of weeks. If we stick around here in MT, I've considered doing restorations of classics (chevelles, novas, etc.) for profit. I have quite a bit of experience, so if I can make the cash flow work, that might work out for me. It's on spec though, so a little more risky.

I did a lot of interior only jobs until it warmed up, so I'm hoping to see the same thing this Winter (my first as well.) Still plugging away to find those higher end cars to do.
 
Kevin,

I hear ya. You kinda get screwed either way you go. If you have a place that has winters you now have to worry about keeping a float during those months.

If you goto a place that has nice weather year round, Now you have to work your tail off and beat your comp. Either way hard work is the only answer and above that quality work which will travel through the mouths of many as the years pass which (Hopefully anyways) makes business easier in the future.
 
davisautodetail said:
My wife grew up in Torrance. Not sure i'd get her back there, but definitely worth thinking
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Torrance? I'm 5 minutes away from Torrance. I live in gardena, ca... cali has detailing weather year round

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
 
david11g35 said:
Torrance? I'm 5 minutes away from Torrance. I live in gardena, ca... cali has detailing weather year round

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
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I grew up in Torrance. Pretty nice place to live and work IMO.
 
+1 for Central Florida/Orlando. Like the previous poster said, hack detailers are a dime a dozen here. Quality detailers can be found but not easily. You could make some serious money here if you wanted to. As for the weather, a lot of true detailers have indoor garages where they do most of the work. The only things they do outside are the exterior washes, then move the car into the service bay to dry, clean interior and do paint correction, etc. as the inside bays are equipped with climate control. It is hot here during the summer but fall, winter and spring are beautiful detailing days.
 
iceman978 said:
+1 for Central Florida/Orlando. Like the previous poster said, hack detailers are a dime a dozen here. Quality detailers can be found but not easily. You could make some serious money here if you wanted to. As for the weather, a lot of true detailers have indoor garages where they do most of the work. The only things they do outside are the exterior washes, then move the car into the service bay to dry, clean interior and do paint correction, etc. as the inside bays are equipped with climate control. It is hot here during the summer but fall, winter and spring are beautiful detailing days.
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Thanks!

I wonder if it would be possible to split the year and have an established presence in both locations? We already have a home and plan on being there in Davenport in Sept/Oct and part of November, so I could test the waters a bit. Hard to not have a "fly by night" appearance though. I don't know of any guys splitting time in two locations, so I'm not sure if it could be done.

I could theoretically be here in MT from about May to October and do the rest of my time in Orlando. I have a fully equipped (currently building a new one) mobile trailer, so that helps. Not sure if I could make that all work out or not.

I did a little looking around and some good prices to be had still on real estate. We got a steal on our Davenport house, and I wish I had the cash to buy 10 more! ;->

Thanks for the advice...
 
Becciasm said:
Virginia Beach is wonderful. Just saying.
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What's the pro detailing scene like, and how is the cost of living? I've heard great things about that area. I assume hurricanes can be a concern there, right?
 
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