Help with pricing out a detail

EricPerrier

EricPerrier

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Hey everyone. I have a few quick questions regarding a current detail.

Its a 2013 Ford F350. Black.

The truck is used as a work truck, and along with that came caked on mud/dirt/grime. After the initial wash (2x) I noticed scratches in a few spots on the truck.

What would one normally charge for this? Keep in mind that the owner of the vehicle is close to me and I am not looking to overcharge him. Feed back please
 
I think its really up to you. What's your time worth? I like to make no less than $20 an hour. Family is usually different, I just make sure my materials are covered and a little compensation for my time.

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What is the owner looking for? Does he just want a wash and wax? Or does he want the paint looking scratch free? Being that the truck is black and it is a work truck, I don't think it will stay very clean.
 
Basically it will be an account for me. We talked about me servicing the truck once a month. He initially would like the scratches taken out and have the truck looking like new.
 
If I was you, and he's a close friend.

1 Step Polish w/ Scratch Removal w/ Wax $160
2 Step Compound/Polish w/ Scratch Removal w/ Wax $220-$260

Above prices would only be ext of the truck/door jams. Interior would be extra but at a low cost. Its a big Truck and its Black. Do your best so next month you will have little work and can make a easy $80.00 on a quick 2 hour at most clean up.

Ps. I do $30 hr for friends.
Family i dont charge.

If he ask why so high or makes a sense of that you are over charging let him know why and that the next details/washes will be cheaper because you have already fixed the main issues.
 
so much of the price depends on factors, a lot like real estate, like LOCATION. not sure where you live but in some places you would have trouble getting $100 for a full detail on this and in other places you could get $300 for an exterior only. huge gap there. so, depends a lot on that. also, depends on exactly what job you are doing, much like what rider9195 said. are we talking having to do compound/polish/wax, or can we get away with like a 105/205 combo(not likely if its black) if you are gonna be doing it every month. and of course the family/friend factor comes in. at my shop , I pay my guys a lot more than the average wage, we do a great job, and we make no less than $25 an hour minus our materials (usually about $10 per detail). a lot of factors to consider.
 
Thank you everyone for the rquick responces!

Drew I will take that into account! I appriciate it!
 
Goodasnew -> thjats what Im having trouble deciding~ I dont want to charge for materials but I dont want to lose my ass either. Its a BIGGGG truck lol
 
Been doing it for a few years, can get out normal defects/ scratches / marring
 
A friend will understand that you have costs and have to make a wage. Generally for me.

My neighbours I charge full for work, free pick up and delivery, if they refer someone to me, i give them a %30 discount (lol walk over and give them the money back, works extremely well!).

Friends i will take %30 off automatically off of the retail price

As far as the size of vehicles go, I personally do not change the price with regards to size (I charge premium prices, I feel charging more is ripping them off), but I know a lot of guys who will charge extra for a truck or a car with intricate panels (Such as a Merc G-Wagon). So my recommendation for pricing oversized or difficult (scratched up) vehicles is: For how ever long it takes you on top of a standard car, charge %75 of your hourly wage for ever extra hour you spend.

Remember as a reputation, you dont want to be known as one who can be meddled with.

Hope this helps! :)
 
10-04.

If you're grinding with a da, have plenty of pads, varying colors to speed up the process.
If using rotary, use pad/product according t test spot.
Me personally, paint only, scratched up 350 I'd pick a mid range price...common ground, but I would get this in writing at time of quote

Basically it will be an account for me. We talked about me servicing the truck once a month.
Click to expand...
 
then I would just charge him like $15 an hour being sure that he WILL be getting it done once a month. make some money now, but understand that you will be making more money consistantly in the future.
 
No rudeness, $15/per hr is very low. 8 Hours of hard work on a Black F350 will only pay you $120.00. Minus your Products/Gas/Food/Ect. You will only make $100 if you dont use allot of product.

Goodluck
:autowash:
 
tell us where you live first. second, this job, exterior only, would not take me more than 4 hours. and the fact that you will be doing it every month or so means MUCH more than the first time price. keep in mind, 30 days from now, the job will be much easier. the detailing business in a decent sized city is much more about repeat customers than it is about "lets make a killing on this one car". do him a good job, offer to give him a discount of $10 if a customer refers in and gets their vehicle cleaned, and before you know it you have more than enough customers. trust me, I turned away 3 customers today only. hard to do but I am also booked through the end of the year. so where you live?
 
goodasnew said:
tell us where you live first. second, this job, exterior only, would not take me more than 4 hours. and the fact that you will be doing it every month or so means MUCH more than the first time price. keep in mind, 30 days from now, the job will be much easier. so where you live?
Click to expand...

I dont understand "Much more than the first time price"?? 1st Details should be more expensive than the 1st time, Follow up washes/waxes should be a quarter of the price maybe a little more. Yes, so if he wsa to charge $15/hr for a 4 hr detail means he would only make $60 minus the products/Ect.

4 hours for a Black F-350?
Wash/Clay/Wash/Polish
Fix Polish Mistakes (Its black, most people catch mistakes after they look at it again)

Min 6-8 Hours for a first time client.
 
When it comes to family I do this I give them wholesale pricing and that usually makes them feel good. It doesn't look like your your killing them in price but you still make money. Around $150 to $175 for that size truck I think is fair..
 
the point with any business is not "how much can I make today" its how much are my sales skills going to help me make in the future. So, do this person a good job on day 1 and then make SURE AHEAD OF TIME (like sign a contract) that they will be getting it done many times in the future. look, you asked for a friend/family price, which for me is much lower than the regular price. but the money in the automotive business is making FUTURE SALES, not making a fortune today and maybe he finds a better deal in the future. I give the guy a great deal, blow him away on the job, make hin sign a contract to get it done many more times over, then make a consistant $50 a month on him. not gonna sound like much if you dont have a shop or lot but $50 a month times 25 adds up to a lot of constant, no worry type of customers and that what makes a healthy business that you dont have worry about paying the bills every month. in other words, good salesman rule the world. if you do a good job, and can sell them future work including a guaranteed contract, you can make a fortune over the next few years , dont worry about this one detail. but again, this still depends on location, location, location. if you live in Palm BeachFlorida then charge $250 for an exterior only, but if you live in the outskirts of Iowa you would be lucky to get $75 for the same job. again, where do you live?
 
Here's how I'd handle this, friend or not.

It's a work truck. You need to find out how he plans on caring for the truck...how's he going to treat it in between your details. A once a month wash for a work truck isn't much and it's going to get dirtier than you probably realize.

You need to educate him on how you plan on maintaining it for him and that includes educating him on how to maintain it between details.

In my mind, you should set a higher starting price and then give him discounts on maintenance...but only after you educate him how much it's going to take to maintain a like new appearance. The discount is only good if he takes extra care between maintenance washes, etc., or they'll be an upcharge. The cheaper maintenance fees gives him incentive to help you take care of his truck. When you find he is taking care of it you'll still be making money on the maintenance because it's quicker to spruce up.

I'd also explain to him that removing scratches is possible this time, but if he continues to scratch it, the scratch removal process will eventually thin his paint beyond repair. You need to make that clear to him. Again, it gives him incentive to maintain the truck between details. If it's constantly looking nice because of your work, and his care in between, people will start asking him who maintains the truck. This should bring you and him more business. A win, win for everyone involved.

I'd talk him in to letting you do a one-step or all-in-one product each time. The people seeing his work truck just see shine. They can't see scratches from the next lane over unless they're horrendous anyway. This keeps his paint shiny and healthy (read as thick).

Just another viewpoint...
 
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good points Bill. but again, biggest factor in determining price would be where you live. I know where I live I could get $150 for an exterior like this , no problem. but I also know that only 10 miles from me they can get $300 for the same job. and I also know that 10 miles in the other direction you would have a hard time getting $50 for the job. big difference there. you gotta charge what your POTENITAL customers are going to be willing to pay. otherwise you are scaring away customers who might work in a place with 30 women who would book right now. lotta things to consider nuless you are just looking to make a quick buck.
 
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