How much do you charge for a one-step exterior detail?

TTQ B4U said:
I'm confused as to why you would need replace pads? What is occurring that they are being damaged to the point of needing replaced?
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99% of the time, the velcro at the back fails. After a while, they won't stick to the backplate anymore, so they are useless.
 
Calendyr said:
99% of the time, the velcro at the back fails. After a while, they won't stick to the backplate anymore, so they are useless.
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There's gotta be something wrong then. I've never had a pad fail velcro wise. I've had a backing plate need replaced after a few years but there too, years.
 
I start at $200 for small cars and move up to $320 for quad cabs. Takes me at most 6 hrs for huge vehicles using BF one-step.

Wash
Decon
Clean wheels/dress
Jambs cleaned and spray sealant
Windows cleaned
One-step correction/protect

I’m mobile. Average 4BR home is $350K
 
Start at 125...price then goes up depending on vehicle size and condition. I've had cars where it took me over an hour just to get the wheels clean (one Audi in particular comes to mind)
 
I Charged $150 for a 53 MG but it was a family friend but for as much work as it was I would charge 250 to 300 for someone off the street
For an average car I would start around 175 but that includes a quick vac and windows too.
Prices would probably go up for larger vehicles or worse than normal conditions but I always throw in extras like a vac and windows
 
Mine is structured a little bit differently.
I charge $99.00 for cars/$149.00 trucks, vans & suv's for an exterior service (wash, clay, pressure wash wheels, wells, & tires, single coat of wax/sealant. The machine time is charged at $40.00 hr.
For a single step service, it works out to about 2 hrs. for cars and 3-4 hrs. for trucks, vans, & suv's.
Most of my work is DD's. The higher end cars I do are rarely a single-step type job. They're more discriminating usually and require full correction.
 
Mike Phillips said:
So just for the record....

And I'm surprised nobody asked?

I charge $495.00 for a one-step detail.

  1. Waterless wash
  2. Clay or Nanoskin towel
  3. BLACKFIRE One Step (currently)
  4. FLEX 3401 with 6.5" LC White Hybrid Force Pads
  5. Sometimes top just the horizontal panels with SONAX PNS


And from start to finish I can usually knock out a car in under 6 hours. So that's around $100.00 an hour and because I only do this part-time, that's not a bad gig. Especially because I enjoy working on cool cars. It's how I got to where I'm at.


Quick, simple and easy. Spectacular results.


If someone wants a ceramic coating that's fine but double the price and more. And at $1000.00+ for the kind of cars I like to work on, these guys tend to have heart attacks.


Heck, squeezing them for $500.00 about kills them.


:laughing:
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How do YOU have time to detail cars"on the side"?! Using just what you post on this site as a guide for how much of your time is taken up with classes, traveling, TV shows, shooting and editing videos, appearances, posting on the forum, FB, etc, I assume sleeping sometimes, and nature calls, I can't imagine you have an extra 6 hrs. here and there to actually detail someone's vehicle - no matter how much you charge for it! LOL!
You're a freakin' machine, Mike!! :laughing:
 
Great thread!

4 br home in my area $1,000,000.00

AIO pricing $240-$300

Average time - 5-7 hours


Seems just right for me price wise and time wise, that's why I set them prices just like that. :b





aka - TripMachine
 
Hate to bump a thread that’s been inactive for a couple months now, but it did receive responses from a good amount of different members. It got me thinking of the prices and to the level of polishing being performed.

I’m wondering, other than the prices varying from location/local economy and possibly time to complete or anything extra added onto the list Mike Phillips origanally listed. Those that are doing these one steps with an All In One cleaner/wax, are you generally basing the price off of say a paint enhancement or more focused polishing/minor correction? That is maybe making 2-3 passes to just clean the paint and remove the slight wash marring and nothing more, refining the paint and bringing back that showroom shine. Or are you aiming at actually getting some correction in, say making some 6-8 passes and really working the All In One to its maximum polishing ability.

I ask because certainly one level would take a considerable amount of time less than the other, but leave quite a different overall finish. Thanks so much for any feedback, this thread has been a great read!!
 
DMiglio said:
Hate to bump a thread that’s been inactive for a couple months now,
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On this forum, it's always perfectly fine to bring any thread back to life. As it relates to my articles, (this is my thread), I practice a typing style that I type for the future, never the day. So the info stays accurate until technology changes and that's out of my control.


:)
 
DMiglio said:
Hate to bump a thread that’s been inactive for a couple months now, but it did receive responses from a good amount of different members. It got me thinking of the prices and to the level of polishing being performed.

I’m wondering, other than the prices varying from location/local economy and possibly time to complete or anything extra added onto the list Mike Phillips origanally listed. Those that are doing these one steps with an All In One cleaner/wax, are you generally basing the price off of say a paint enhancement or more focused polishing/minor correction? That is maybe making 2-3 passes to just clean the paint and remove the slight wash marring and nothing more, refining the paint and bringing back that showroom shine. Or are you aiming at actually getting some correction in, say making some 6-8 passes and really working the All In One to its maximum polishing ability.

I ask because certainly one level would take a considerable amount of time less than the other, but leave quite a different overall finish. Thanks so much for any feedback, this thread has been a great read!!
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so something to keep in mind that the 6-8 passes are not always required. I do passes until I get the results. at the end of the day I want to give the client what they want and I want to leave as much of the clear as possible. I feel to many people get caught up in the 6-8 passes and that you MUST do that many passes no matter what. as long as you are getting the results you are after then your done, if you can get those results on 1-3 passes, even better.

I have a set of polishes I carry with me at all times and 3 types of pads. with these combos I can generally get the desired result that my clients have asked for. after I do my first test spot after talking to the client and seeing what they are wanting and putting my pad/polish combo together I asked them what they think, if they are ok with that I finish the car, if not I got more/less aggressive and repeat.

I rarely get someone wanting a 100% flawless finish and mostly do 1 step polishes topped with ceramic.
 
Cruzscarwash, which polish do you prefer to use on a one-step before applying a ceramic? I guess I am asking because I do not know of any polish that corrects and leaves the surface ready for a ceramic besides Essence. I'm looking for suggestions.
 
expdetailing said:
Cruzscarwash, which polish do you prefer to use on a one-step before applying a ceramic? I guess I am asking because I do not know of any polish that corrects and leaves the surface ready for a ceramic besides Essence. I'm looking for suggestions.
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There are a few ceramic primers sold here on AG essence is on of them, gyeon makes another one as well. It all comes down to your environment and what works best.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
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