Anyone who does pro detail on weekends while having a regular 5 day 37.5 hour a week job?

Calendyr said:
Getting client is very hard when you first start out.

Here are a few tips:

1. Contact everyone you know who has a car. Tell them you need practice and you can offer your service to them at half price. You could go as low as just covering the cost of your products if they are not
willing to pay half price. When you detail their cars, take a lot of before and after pictures. Use these on your website to build a portfolio. A trick here, the dirtier the car before, the better the pictures will look after, so try to do that after it rains or something ;)

2. Get yourself a website and facebook page if you have not done so already. These are almost free advertizing, and if you make it well, it will give people who are visual and idea of what you can do for them.

3. Get yourself business cards from a place that make large orders at low prices. For example, I got 10,000 cards for about 150$. It is probably a lot cheaper in the US. Leave a bunch of cards everywhere you can.
Many grocery stores and other places have billboard or even card holders for their clients to advertise for free. Use it.

4. Post your work on social media and ask your friends to like and share your posts.

Slowly your business will grow, but it's not an instant thing.
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Thanks for the reply. Facebook and website and email are all set up. As for people I know with cars, we'rea ll in the 20s and 21s right and I'm the only one with a stable career job so while my friends have nice cars they won't pay anything to get them detailed. That sucks. But I will try printing flyer type thing and stick it on the canada post mailbox around maybe that'l help to.

I'll get some pics and worst case I can pay advertising on FB when my page has pics of before and after like you say that should do the trick to. My mom dad and sister want their car clean so that will do a nice range of cars to. One is a benz, one is a sub and the other is a Hyundai.
 
TheMidnightNarwhal said:
Thanks for the reply. Facebook and website and email are all set up. As for people I know with cars, we'rea ll in the 20s and 21s right and I'm the only one with a stable career job so while my friends have nice cars they won't pay anything to get them detailed. That sucks. But I will try printing flyer type thing and stick it on the canada post mailbox around maybe that'l help to.

I'll get some pics and worst case I can pay advertising on FB when my page has pics of before and after like you say that should do the trick to. My mom dad and sister want their car clean so that will do a nice range of cars to. One is a benz, one is a sub and the other is a Hyundai.
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Then ask them to make the offer to their parents. You should be able to find people with a good discount. Also try to get reviews from them, that would help as well.

As for mail marketing... from personnal experience, that is a huge waste of money. You are much better off doing a facebook ad campaign than doing direct mail.
 
It will take a while, but you will get there. I started off like you. It started with me clank g a few friends cars. Then it just grew. I never advertise other than posting pics of Facebook. Now, I only primarily do high end details and ceramic coating. Oh and at my day job, I work no less than 10 hours a day and usually 6 days a week.


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I am a IT Project Manager and work full time, M-F, 9 to whenever and sometimes on weekends if I have implementations . I run a part time detailing business while juggling helping my wife with her fashion business and we have 2 young kids as well. Its definitely possible with the right time management and saying yes to the right jobs. I turn away work if I need to or if the customer is just price shopping for the cheapest price out there. I focus mostly on paint correction/ enhancements and stopped offering standard details except to existing clients. I generally aim to do 2 cars a month that way I have two weekends free for family. It does bring in some extra pocket cash for toys/ extra gear which is nice but I am definitely not making a killing on it to quit my day job.

If you think you will enjoy it give it a shot you don't have much to lose and it could very well blossom in to something more. My mentality is always, you never know unless you try.
 
TheMidnightNarwhal said:
Just to get some clients, it's proving to be more difficult than I would have thought! Even just one.
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Get into cars and coffee and any local car events. I do a lot of racing and C&C events and 100% of my customers are word of mouth. Gets easy from there. I'm most always booked 1 month out with 1-2 per weekend.
 
You sound exactly like me but I am in fact crazy lol. I am a Network Administrator of a large law firm and I still have a Detailing business on the side. I usually work my full time job between 37-40+ hours a week plus some weeknights after hours during upgrades. That being said, its not easy but In the spring I usually am booked every single weekend both Saturday and Sunday (usually 8-12 hour days) and then when I get extremely busy I will sometimes detail weeknights if the customer can leave there car overnight (then I can spread the detail over 2 weeknights). All said in done between the 2 jobs I am working between 50-65 hours a week. If your willing to put in the effort and be tired all the time then go for it, seriously!
 
Go to some local businesses with nicer cars where the people are too busy to get their cars washed. Mortgage brokers, doctor's offices, etc. Also places where they need a clean car routinely (real estate agents). The big thing is to be out working somewhere because there's no better advertisement for your services than you actually working. I'll be frank with you. You're young which means you don't have a lot of experience. Whether you do or not is irrelevant because that's how people view you. You need to make yourself appear as PROFESSIONAL as possible. Business cards, uniform, signage on your vehicle or wrap (and trailer). Professional appearance, good haircut, good hygiene. You can't look like a kid doing this as a hobby because professional, experienced businesses will put you out of business.

I speak to you as your target audience. Older person with a lot of disposable income that thinks my time is too valuable to wash my own car. Now obviously I don't think that since I own a detailing business, but I understand my customer. Your customer, as you've already figured out, is not your buddies or your peers. They don't have any money. They don't live in houses with a wife and three kids playing soccer all weekend.
 
I apologize for resurrecting an older thread. I thought about this notion a couple of years ago. I also work full-time with weekends off.
Would the possibility of doing just 1-2 cars on the weekend even be cost effective? I would gather that by the time you include insurance costs (assuming you're getting insurance) in addition to supplies, you'd be in the red each month. Or am I way off-base here?
 
PSYS said:
I apologize for resurrecting an older thread. I thought about this notion a couple of years ago. I also work full-time with weekends off.
Would the possibility of doing just 1-2 cars on the weekend even be cost effective? I would gather that by the time you include insurance costs (assuming you're getting insurance) in addition to supplies, you'd be in the red each month. Or am I way off-base here?
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I think you’re way off, if not then hardly anyone would would get into this business.

The initial investment is really low even for middle level detailing. Your biggest expense would be a polisher and pads and you can go with a PC or a HF DA to start out with and still get great results. Something like an extractor would be nice but you can get by without one.

Insurance? No thanks! It’s not going to do much to protect you in most situations.

I probably use less than $10 worth of products per detail. That plus some gas to get there, and the rest of the money is mine. Spend $10-20 to make $200.

The $500 Mobile Detailing Startup - A Simple Walk Through
 
That's really interesting.

The forum appears to be divided. If you do a search in numerous insurance discussions here on the forum, the consensus seems to be that "I wouldn't work on a stranger's vehicle without it!"

And the weekend warriors seem to think it's worthless.
 
PSYS said:
I apologize for resurrecting an older thread. I thought about this notion a couple of years ago. I also work full-time with weekends off.
Would the possibility of doing just 1-2 cars on the weekend even be cost effective? I would gather that by the time you include insurance costs (assuming you're getting insurance) in addition to supplies, you'd be in the red each month. Or am I way off-base here?
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This is a great article as well by Mike Phillips.
A few tips on starting a part-time detailing business


Every business is different and has different goals. Best thing is to define the clientele and types of vehicles you want to take on and start from there. Working full time job and deciding to dedicate weekends to a small business is plausible, but you have to be aware of burnout. You don't want the side business to interfere with your day job (I'm assuming the day job is the one that pays the mortgage, bills and health insurance...).

Startup costs are minimal, but then again it depends on who the clientele and type of vehicles. The only piece of advice I can give, is don't buy tons of product and gear in bulk until you know how your business is going to do. It's best to buy in small batches and see what you use the most.

Once you've got a few packages worked up (good/better/best), and you start performing the tasks and develop a flow or process, then you'll know how long it takes to perform each task. From there you can fine tune your pricing. Make sure you check with other local detailers to see what they charge for similar type services. Competition is good, but you don't want to undercut your competition to the point you drive the economy down.

Watch and read as many Mike Phillips video's and "how-to-articles." and good luck!!! :)
 
If you need the cash and have the time to burn, a side gig is great, especially if you love the work.

But if you feel a lack of time, don't do it. Life is way too short. I don't think many people on their deathbed say they should have worked more hours.
 
The weekends are set aside for my three personal vehicles and my neighbors drive by and see me out there in all kinds of temperatures. Now I have them coming to me asking if I could work on their vehicles. I gladly agreed because I enjoy the activity and I like helping my neighbors. They offered me money but I didn't accept it at first because I consider them family. We have been neighbors for 20 years. They insisted that I take the money. It was $120 per vehicle. It made me realize that I might be pretty good at this. One of the neighborhood dads asked me to work on his truck as he took the kids out trick or treating a few weeks ago. Now I am considering detailing as a side hustle and I would like to continue into retirement.
 
Sounds demanding. But, since you have a career, you can accept and decline as many jobs as you want. Pick and choose according to your schedule. I did the same at one point in my early 20's. Would get off work at 3pm and fit in 3 basic details at business parks. What really helped me was DI water and foam cannon.

I'd line up 3 cars in a row, side by side. Spot treat bugs, wheels, tires, and rinse entire car very well. Foam all cars, hit wheels with brushes while foam did its job, wash mitts with rinse bucket on body and rinse. (no blow drying) dried with microfiber and drying aid. Any excess water in crevices had time to dry during interior vacuum time. After basic interior vac and wipe down, dressed tires, spray wax paint, finished with glass. I know it sounds like a lot but I was able to do 3 cars like that in 1 hour. System worked well for me.
 
I am in the same spot. I work a normal 8-5 M-F job. I started out doing my own, then friends, then word just kind of spread. My stuff varies greatly. My last two jobs were a 2014 F250 and a 2015 Bentley. I do it when I can usually in the evenings and on weekends. Unless family life takes my time, I actually enjoy doing it. I can either do this or sit on the couch and watch TV I suppose. One thing I am very open and upfront with people is time. I tell them that if it is a daily driver and you are in a hurry, I am likely not a good fit unless you can live without it for a couple days and we can wait to schedule a weekend that's good for BOTH of us. If its a show car or weekend cruiser, folks do not normally have an issue leaving it with me for several days or a week depending on what they want done.
 
This is something that I have been doing for many years now. I had hopes of making it my full time job in the future. Currently work for a school district doing IT for them. Its not that I don't enjoy doing the IT work it is more I don't like to waste time. IT though was never something that I really wanted to do for a living, but was more hobby that I was forced into it. Do what makes you happy in my opinion, you have to risk it to get the biscuit. After doing this for many years I am very close to opening up a full time shop. I would be doing more if it were not for my shitty neighbors giving me a hard time for washing other peoples cars, thus why I am looking to get a location and take it full time. Its all about getting the right customers. Most of my customers do not have an issue leaving the car with me for a week or more to allow me enough time to complete the job. Just be honest with your customers and tell them that you are part time and that you work a full time job on top of detailing. I usually would work 7-3:30 then I would go home and start working on a car from around 4:30 to 8:30 - 9:00. That way I could leave the weekends for either pickup or drop off giving myself my own time on the weekends to relax.
 
I work 45-50 hrs a week as a Supervisor in a Production Plant and do both auto and rv detailing on Saturdays. Its a lot at times, but the extra cash income is a huge help....feels good to do a 5 or 6 hr job and bring home $300-$400 in your pocket.
 
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