how much would you charge???? just curious

Stegs

Stegs

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Im not a professional detailer by any means. I guess you would call me a weekend warrior or garage enthusiast. I like to wash cars. I like to keep them clean and looking nice

I get asked alot if i would be willing to clean up cars for family, friends, neighbors etc


I usually turn them down, i found out in the past that most people are hoping you will do if for free or next to nothing, but im very curious on what you guys think is a reasonable charge. Maybe if i come up with a price sheet, maybe its a way to earn a little bit of cash, or atleast buy my supplies

all of the cars are DD's. Most keep them fairly clean (no mud or heavy layers of dirt) But have the usual "been driven" bugs, dirt, brake dust etc


So if i were to do the following, what would you charge

1. Rinse the car down with pressure washer
2. spray on wheel/tire cleaner
3 power wash off the wheel and tire cleaner
4. soap car with a good soap (chemical guys, PDP) thru foam cannon
5. hand wash car
6. hand dry car with mequires d156 to add shine and protection on neglected cars
7. vac out interior
8. wipe down interior with chemical guys silk shine or similar product
9. windows with stoner invisible glass
10. apply spray tire shine


Basically what most of us "weekend warriors" do to our rides to keep them clean. Whole process would take about a hour (give or take)

materials i use is basically all mequires professional series. Very diluted. Wash would be chemical guys or PDP.

Im using good products...not walmart stuff


What would something like that be worth to a customer of yours? Id like to know just so i can say i have reasoning for that price.
 
your best bet is to check local shops and mobile guys to see what the range is. its going to vary a lot by location and what the area can afford, my prices are higher then the 5 closest mobile guys but im not washing anything for $15 bucks. also figure out how much your time is worth to you. is it $45 an hr, or $65 an hr. my prices have went up and down to try and keep up with whats popular but I got tired of that and was offering to much so im down to really 3 simple things with everything by appointment and at $65 an hr starting. if you really want to see a price sheet PM me your email and ill shoot it over to you to look at.
 
Alot of places around me charge 100-130 for all those steps but they only do the exterior. I guess since its family you could charge a bit less like 10-15 off.

you would need to clay and apply protecting type products too

If there is compensation provided it meets my work or its more direct friends, and family, its free
 
For friends and family, I would not charge. There are exceptions, of course. If a friend or family member brought me a car that was really bad, we'd likely discuss some type of compensation (beer, food).

One thing you should consider in your process....doing real cleaning on the wheels and tires. If they do not look right, the job does not look right. If you do not do a thorough job cleaning the tires, the dressing will not look good either.
 
For friends and family (brothers) I will ususally do it for free provided they help and then I can use it as a teaching experience and they also learn how hard the labor is so if I want to charge down the road they understand. Mom and dad of course are for free.

How much is your time worth-when you charge do so accordingly since your experience and time and products all are valuable. If they complain ask them how much they make per hour in their jobs and if they would work for less.
 
thanks for the input. The thing i have trouble with is stuff like gas in the pressure washer. Yes it doesnt take alot of fuel, but it does take some.
Same with soap. It doest take much to wash a car or truck, but after a while it adds up

I feel like if my labor is free, then i should be reimburesed for materials. Or if my materials (gas, soap, cleaners, degreasers etc) are free, then i should be given something for my time


Ive mostly gave up on doing it for friends, family , neighbors etc because i never knew what to charge/ask for it. Im not a pro, so i dont need professional compensation......but dang if i spend 60 min or so on a saturday doing a car for someone i think thats worth something


Tough decision. The only reason i bring this up is it would be nice to take that money, throw in in a envelope and use it to buy supplies...
 
The one danger in doing friend's cars for free is the expectation they will have that it is always free - and doing say 20 cars a year for friends will cost you some serious time and money. Don't forget good supplies cost good money - at the very least make sure you are compensated for that. I dont know your financial situation, but my bank doesn't accept bottles of spray wax to pay the mortgage. LOL. You get the point.

ScottH
 
I charge my coworkers 120-150 depending on size of the vehicle and if it's leather or not. I do a full detail no engines however. I use a wax or sealant whichever they like more. I try to do monthly washes for 30 bucks that covers the exterior being redone and using a spray sealant or wax depending on the original protection.

It takes me around 3 hours to do a full detail the first time after that I'm looking at 30 mins a monthly wash. I think it's a fair price for the effort I put in.

Most of them understand I treat their vehicle likes it's my own and everyone has said how much better it looks than they "pro" who is pumping them out in just over an hr for 100.
 
Detailsbydaniel said:
I charge my coworkers 120-150 depending on size of the vehicle and if it's leather or not. I do a full detail no engines however. I use a wax or sealant whichever they like more. I try to do monthly washes for 30 bucks that covers the exterior being redone and using a spray sealant or wax depending on the original protection.

It takes me around 3 hours to do a full detail the first time after that I'm looking at 30 mins a monthly wash. I think it's a fair price for the effort I put in.

Most of them understand I treat their vehicle likes it's my own and everyone has said how much better it looks than they "pro" who is pumping them out in just over an hr for 100.
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yes that seems about right! i dont do full details, just washes, and some vac interiors and a wipe of the dash and door panels

Maybe i should charge this

hand wash and dry (including spray wax) is $30. (this is thru the foam cannon)
add wheel and tire cleaner $5 dollars

vac and interior wipe down $10 dollars

windows 5 dollars

everything listed 50 bucks.


out of line?
 
ScottH said:
The one danger in doing friend's cars for free is the expectation they will have that it is always free - and doing say 20 cars a year for friends will cost you some serious time and money. Don't forget good supplies cost good money - at the very least make sure you are compensated for that. I dont know your financial situation, but my bank doesn't accept bottles of spray wax to pay the mortgage. LOL. You get the point.

ScottH
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Thats just my point....you do it for free 1 time, they think its a "ill drop my car off sometime when im in the area, if you could just quick do it"

Now we have a issue.

Im not rich, im just looking to be compensated for my time and some materials.

Everytime i go to the autogeek store is 50+ dollars LOL...it would be nice to get some back!!
 
Your prices would be way too low. Just a wash should be 25, a full interior vac should be around at least 75.
 
For what you described, for close friends/family I'd do it for free. An hour of time and very little product cost for that isn't that much of a concern to me for those people tbh
 
ViperGuy21 said:
For what you described, for close friends/family I'd do it for free. An hour of time and very little product cost for that isn't that much of a concern to me for those people tbh
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i understand, and thats why i have in the past just turned them down. They are going to go to the local car wash and spend 15ish dollars there, washed like crap, dried like crap, no interior clean


At some point they are going to pay some money. I can either do it for them or they can run it thru the car wash with half *** results

I think what i will do is go with what i came up with.

IF they ask, ill explain its time and materials

IF they think thats too much, i will simply say that im not interested.


they can run it thru the car wash, or they can go to autozone buy a jug of wash and do it themselves
 
The only cars I wash or detail for free and note, I don't do the interiors, are my wifes and daughters. Everyone else pays. Ask yourself this, if you're washing your friends car for free will he mow your lawn for free or trim your trees or power wash your driveway etc. for free?
 
$75 is my rate for the services you mentioned. Add a cleaner polish and hand wax and it is $150. ($250 for dually trucks and 18' RVs.) Add carpet shampoo and it is $225.

Family & Friends pay the cost of the product, and get free my supervision and tools. THEY do the washing!
 
KirkH said:
$75 is my rate for the services you mentioned. Add a cleaner polish and hand wax and it is $150. ($250 for dually trucks and 18' RVs.) Add carpet shampoo and it is $225.

Family & Friends pay the cost of the product, and get free my supervision and tools. THEY do the washing!
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Pretty much how I operate. I'm a car guy with a lot of "car guy" friends. Some have no issue paying what I charge, while some say "hook me up". I hook up my machine and tell them to go at it, feel free to use whatever products you see in the garage and replace them. I do have old pads that they can use for free as well as products that don't cost an arm and a leg. One thing is for sure though, I won't be caught losing money while doing a job... that's just silly.
 
Pricing is going to depend on alot of things Market,area of business,quality of work etc. However, other than the direct family, you shouldnt be losing money at the end of the day.
 
OptimumAutoSpa said:
.., while some say "hook me up". I hook up my machine and tell them to go at it, feel free to use whatever products you see in the garage.
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I liked this line!

to the OP. It really just boils down to what YOUR time is worth TO YOU.

In the past, I've done a co-worker's car for 50, or 60. I had more time then, and was starting off. Nowadays, I won't do HIS car for any less than 75. And that's giving him a friend's price.
 
JustJesus said:
I liked this line!

to the OP. It really just boils down to what YOUR time is worth TO YOU.

In the past, I've done a co-worker's car for 50, or 60. I had more time then, and was starting off. Nowadays, I won't do HIS car for any less than 75. And that's giving him a friend's price.
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haha, thank you. I do give my friend a discount, especially if they help out... but at the end of the day I realized that my time is the most important thing in life... and I don't waste time unless it's for $$$
 
Stegs said:
i understand, and thats why i have in the past just turned them down. They are going to go to the local car wash and spend 15ish dollars there, washed like crap, dried like crap, no interior clean


At some point they are going to pay some money. I can either do it for them or they can run it thru the car wash with half *** results

I think what i will do is go with what i came up with.

IF they ask, ill explain its time and materials

IF they think thats too much, i will simply say that im not interested.


they can run it thru the car wash, or they can go to autozone buy a jug of wash and do it themselves
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I've just had them but me some coffee or a meal or something too.

I've been payed in Starbucks several times lol
 
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