How much to charge if any?

Bill1234

Bill1234

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I am an avid detailer and I have a friend who just got a used jeep. I asked if can detail it for him as he has no knowledge about auto care. He did say yes to me doing it, Just that I am a long time friend and I was thinking if I should charge anything?
Probably will be doing the usual
wheels-probably will be filthy, might need mothers wheel cleaner
wash
dry
maybe clay-new to claying right now
sealent-v7
collinite 845
optimum opti bond
I dont know how bad interior is yet
Paint might need light correction-anybody work on older jeeps?
 
If you're gonna wax might as well clay. Don't go crazy with paint correction. This guy might just end up taking it to a swirl o matic after you're done so make sure you try to educate him. I would talk to him first and see what he wants. Then figure out how much time it will take you to do interior and a wash clay and wax job. I'd say 6 hours at least if the car is in bad shape. So say maybe 20-25 an hour.
 
I think I would want to cut my rate in half, dont sound angry, but the kid is my friend and I am really young. I have paid for 99 percent of products and acessories myself
 
If you offered to detail it, he's gonna expect cheap price. otherwise dont waste
Too much time on it
Sent from my SCH-I605 using AG Online
 
Depends on how good of friends they are. For my really good friends, I have done their cars for free, but they always give me money anyway. I have typically done 2 step polishes, full interior detail, full engine details for them without expecting anything I return. I have also used their cars for photo books and photos on my website. So I am giving them a service in order to take pictures of their cars :)

I also enjoy doing it for them and they have all been friends of mine forever. I know they would do the same for ms.
 
This is my good friend, I was thinking free, but no engine detail as I dont want to deal with opening the hood. I was also thinking I would accept anything if he gives it to me. I really want to just detail it and make it look good. If others like it, maybe I can bring in business
 
Me, I don't charge friends for work. I will charge them for the products though. I just did my friend's car, here is the deal I offered him:

I told him, this is a service I charge 400$ for. All I want is that you pay for the products we are gonna use and that you give me a hand with the stuff that needs no expertise. I also asked him to talk about me to people he knows if he liked the job I did.

He quickly agreed and we worked for 8 hours on his car. I have no calculated how much he owes me yet, no rush. He paid for a very nice meal at a good restaurant he said it was the least he could do ;)

What I am hoping is to pickup a few customers from this. If I don't well I helped a friend and we had a good time doing it so it's all good.

That's just me and it really dépends how you feel about helping friends. If your friends never do anything for you (like help you more or what ever) then it might be really different. But if you have friends you can call on when you need hand, I would feel really bad charging them.
 
You are in high school so I assume your friend is too. You offered to do it, so have him help but do it for free.
 
Go ahead and do it for free. Since you already offered. But get him to help or at least keep you company and supplied with a beverage of your choice. At the same time, help educate him on proper cleaning and care.
 
mavin said:
You are in high school so I assume your friend is too. You offered to do it, so have him help but do it for free.
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I think I will. If I was at a place doing car where calendyr metioned. I would lower the price if I had a helper that could make my work go the distance. For example, If I had a helper dilute chemicals for me and prep products, I would lower the price 30 -35 percent (its a guess, never done it before). Since Im doing all the work for a friend I would do it for free. That being said, Ill try to refuse a pay if the work is not back breaking. Might be might not
 
Just keep in mind unless they are planning on maintaining the finish properly then there is no reason to do any polishing. I did a 2 step correction on my cousin's MR2 (black) a few months ago and just saw it today at a family BBQ... It is completely re-swirled out from his one-bucket wash with cheap/fake sheepskin mitt. All I could think was: wow, I spent like 10 hours helping with this and you undid it with a few minutes worth of washing with that stupid crummy mitt.
 
I just got a nice one on the chem guys site for 10 bucks !
 
Something tells me the mitt wasn't the problem. More likelly he used dirty water to wash or went to a carwash and did not tell you about it.
 
Bill1234 said:
I just got a nice one on the chem guys site for 10 bucks !
Click to expand...

i absolutely hate that mitt. But thats just because my paint is so soft, and it marrs like hell on my car. To me if its synthetic, it will scratch (when we're talking about wool and sheepskin)
 
I do this for a living but for really close friends and family I give them a really good deal.
 
I vote for free if you offered. I also vote for haveing him help and learn what to do/ If you make it look really good ask him to refer you out,, but not to tell everyone you did it for free. It can cause some of your peers coming over an expecting cheep or free services. Like was already stated, I would go wash> clay> AIO an maybe a second coat of wax. I would have him do the final hand wax, just to teach him how.
Its a jeep, you guys are going to want to hit some ditches and where ever else that thing can go,,, OH BTW Chicks Dig Jeeps. He is gonna get scratches from playing in it.
 
Just a story (Stay away Trolls)

I was explaining to my lady how working on a car is a hobby of mine, that I love to do. (Money or no Money)

She then said "Ok, but it's like a new tattoo artist that advertises, I'll tattoo you for free"

Looks bad because one seems desperate. It might not matter to you because you are just happy Detailing. But if you advertise Free it might come out as desperate.

Just my opinion from what I have learned Detailing on the side.

Thank You,
Art
 
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