starting up an Auto Detailing service

I know it seems easy and all, but I would DEFINITELY get a lot of practice under your belt before you think about doing it for money. Once you start doing it for money, figure out how much you want to make an hour and multiply by how long it will take you. How long will it take?? Practice will tell you that one.

Well, hmmmm...where to start. Like said above. Practice ALOT, read alot, learn alot, and be comfortable with what you are doing. If a customer wants swirls removed, you would have to turn them down, since you would not be doing it when you start up. Let's say, a year down the road, that same person is anting swirls removed on the car again, I am sure they would think back and remember you do not do swirl remover, and not call you. Even if you do now.

See what I am saying. Don't start off not knowing your stuff. You will set an image for yourself, and even though you are learning and adding more and more, that customer will remember that you do not do this or that. And then go from there. First impressions are everything.

Business insurance? You'll need it.
File a DBA....Pay Taxes, etc....

I am not trying to discourage you in anyway. Please do not take this post the wrong way. I am just saying, please take your time and do not jump into things.

If you are in it for a quick buck, then this may not be the profession for you.
There is mobile car washing. You could start something like that, and then over time, add detailing. But washing and waxing is not detailing. A lot of folks think it is, but it is not.

You came to the right place for info and help. Just start off slow, practice, ask lots of questions, practice, practice, and one more thing, practice.

Deff need to not jump into it.... Read every single post you can and just pratice as much as possable work on failmy members cars for free and there friends once u get some confadince and then they will give you word of mouth advertizing

Ideally we'd all start up perfectly. I started mobile cleaning 17 years ago on a suggestion from my mother. I cleaned everyone in the families cars and she said a guy at her work cleaned on the weekend and was making $150 a day. Heck I was only making $400 a week so that seemed like a good idea to me. I hand wrote some flyers and passed them out in a neighborhood. Luckily a lady called the next day.
I'd certainly not recommend anyone without experience offering full detailing services. However Simple Washing and wax with some light interior cleaning is easy enough to offer. Not having your own power or water is not something I recommend. Yes it can be done but it limits you to mostly residential work. When I started I did not carry water or supply power. Often people don't carry water or supply power for one of two reasons. They lack the money or they don't have a suitable vehicle. There is however a very cheap solution to this. A small power inverter (700-1200 watts $50-$100) will run a smaller shop vac. I have a generator but use my inverter to power my Porter Cable polisher and a back up if I run out of gas or my generator dies. I have a 5hp 9amp vacuum which exceeds my 700 watt inverter. However the vacuum will run, just slower than normal. I don't recommend exceeding the inverters rating very often though and if I was using it to power my vacuum all of the time I'd get a larger inverter. For water there are rinseless washes (ONR, DP4N1, QEW) which would let you clean a vehicle in 1-3 gallons of water. You could carry that water in any container. For a little more money you could get a 12v shurflo pump ($60-85) from Northern or on ebay. That would allow you to pump water from a container into a garden hose (I use an air hose). If you are operating out of a truck a water tank would be ideal. If you are using a car then 5-6 gallon water / gas cans will carry water.

use the search function, we have had posts on everything from prices charged, to business cards, to how/what products are needed. You can find alot here.

killrwheels@autogeek said:

use the search function, we have had posts on everything from prices charged, to business cards, to how/what products are needed. You can find alot here.

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I'm guilty on all of those!! hahaha.

Otto's Auto Detailing said:

Hi i'm pretty new to car detailing but someone gave me the idea and it sounds like a great buissness and way to make money. Think I'm going to start of fairly basic without using and scartch/swirl remover machines or similar products. I've been particulary been having trouble deciding on proper pricing. To help give you an idea of my service I plan on going to customer's homes and bring all the nessary equipment needed besides water and electrity. I'm not that experience and am not an expert on what all are the best and most resonable products or techniques for detailing. If you have any suggestions that may help me with my future buissness I would be very gracious and open to hear them. Thank you everyone.

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Take a look at what detailers charge on average in your area before making up prices. Get a lot of practice, (family vehicles and such).

if it were me id go with a van. there great for the mobil detailer